This is what happens to your body if you quit smoking

Twenty minutes

After smoking your last cigarette, your blood pressure and heartbeat will go down. And when you quit smoking, it has major benefits for your bronchial tubes. This is because air from your windpipe runs through your bronchial tubes and both are connected to your lungs. The smoke damages the fibers in your bronchial tubes, causing them to malfunction. And these fibers are important for keeping your airways clean. When you quit smoking, it means you’ll be less prone to infections because your bronchial tubes will be able to do what they need to do to keep you healthy. After twenty minutes of quitting, these tubes will start functioning again.

Twenty-four hours

If you quit smoking for exactly one day, your lungs will already be cleaner than they were the day before. Your lungs work hard to rid themselves of carbon monoxide and tar and you might start coughing up mucus.

Two to twelve weeks

Not smoking for two to twelve weeks will improve your blood circulation.

One year

After a year of being a non-smoker, you won’t have to worry as much about cardiovascular diseases. If you have not smoked in a year, the risk of getting one of those diseases will have declined. You will notice that your breathing has improved and that you won’t be coughing as much anymore.

Fifteen years

If you have gone without a cigarette for fifteen years, the risk of getting a heart attack or a stroke will have significantly decreased. Your chances of getting a heart attack or a stroke will be the same as for someone who has never smoked at all. If you have reached fifteen years of being smoke-free, you really accomplished something big. Congratulations!

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Read more: What happens to your body if you quit drinking alcohol?

Source: Metro | Image: Unsplash, Andres Siimon