The last time we talked about seniors and smoking, we discussed the havoc smoking wreaks on just about every part of your body. Pretty grim stuff. Now, though, we’re going to talk about all the awesome things that happen to seniors who quit smoking – at any age.
Believe it or not, seniors who quit smoking reap benefits less than one hour after their last cigarette.
That sounds wild, doesn’t it? But it’s true. When you stop smoking, your heart rate goes down to a normal level in less than one hour. Carbon monoxide levels in the blood drop to normal around 12 hours after that last smoke. And within 48 hours, your senses of smell and taste start to improve because the nerve endings damaged by the smoking begin to repair themselves.
Sounds good, doesn’t it? But wait, there’s more.
Within three months of quitting smoking:
- Your risk of getting a heart attack drops considerably. While many people think lung disease is the biggest danger to smokers, heart attack is even worse. Within 3 months of having your last cigarette, Within three months of going smoke-free, your improved circulation and lower blood pressure will result in a significantly reduced risk of heart attack.
- Your oxygen levels increase. Your lungs begin to work better and so your blood oxygen levels start to increase, too.
Nine months after seniors quit smoking:
- Your breathing improves. Remember that short-of-breath feeling? Within nine months of quitting, that feeling reduces itself significantly and you breathe much more easily.
- You cough less. We all know that hacking “smoker’s cough.” During this time period, that cough will get a lot better. You’ll also be less congested.
- Exercise and physical activity get easier. Seniors who quit smoking – at any age and any level of fitness – will find that physical activity and exercise aren’t as hard as they used to be.
Guess what happens one year after you’ve stopped smoking?
Believe it or not, by this time your risk of cardiovascular disease will drop by half. And within one to five years, your risk of stroke could be the same as a non-smoker’s (depending on your overall bill of health and the number of years you smoked).
So if you – or your loved ones – have any doubts about whether seniors who quit smoking really benefit from all their efforts, now you know.
It’s worth it to stop smoking. Whether you’re in your 50s, 60s, 70s or beyond.