Published at 23 November, 2017 00:00.
If you’re thinking about ditching the cigs, it’s good to know about both the benefits and the withdrawal symptoms which you may experience. At Yorkshire Smokefree, our trained advisors understand the importance of good planning when it comes to the success of a drastic change in lifestyle such as ditching the cigs! The more you know, the more likely you’ll be to overcome those pesky cravings once and for all!
In our blog post, our advisors will point out the most common withdrawal symptoms and what steps to take to get you through it!
Sleep can get pretty disruptive the first few days. Some people will get very little sleep, waking up every hour or not sleeping at all yet not feel tired. Others can sleep 20 hours a day and be exhausted during their waking hours. Whichever way it goes, sleep will adjust itself when you quit and eventually go back to normal.
How to help: Turn off all your electronics. Run a relaxing bath or take a walk a few hours before bed or if that doesn’t help, try waking up earlier. There is no sure proof method to avoid nightmares but having some relaxing time before bed can make all the difference.
Some people have found that mouth ulcers occur when they ditch the cigs. Why this happens, scientists are still unsure of, but they think there could be a link between the lack of antibacterial properties present when the cigs are gone.
How to help: Mouth ulcers can be pretty painful and can make cravings seem even worse. The good news is, these type of issues should not persist longer than 6 weeks. If you’re struggling, look for over the counter medication such as mouth gels which will soothe the ulcers and help speed up the recovery.
This can be a common problem people share when they ditch the cigs. Sometimes headaches are among the symptoms that crop up when you cut back on cigarettes. It's due to nicotine withdrawal. These withdrawal symptoms, including headaches, are usually worse during the first week after you quit tobacco
How to help: Take medication that works best for you to relieve your headaches. Make sure you get plenty of sleep, avoid caffeine best you can by switching to herbal tea’s and drink plenty of water!
Putting on weight during smoking is actually a very common myth. What actually happens when you ditch the cigs is that your taste and sense of smell returns, and you will feel more hungry.
How to help: An effective way to overcome this is to keep on hand some healthy snacks like carrot sticks or apples. Have them on your desk at work or even in a pocket in the car for when hunger strikes. That way, you can satisfy your cravings and make sure you don’t add those lbs on! Exercise can also be a fantastic way to make sure you don’t put on weight whilst you are adjusting to a smoke free life and can also relieve stress from withdrawal symptoms!
If you’re thinking about ditching the cigs but are worried about the withdrawal symptoms getting in the way of your success, get in touch with Yorkshire smoke free where our trained advisors will be able to help you with every step of the way: http://yorkshiresmokefree.nhs.uk/
