Smoking and Wellbeing
Smoking and wellbeing are closely linked, and research shows that quitting smoking can have the same effect as taking an antidepressant, allowing people to get back on track with their wellbeing goals. Here’s Alison, our Smoking Cessation Advisor, to share her expertise about why quitting smoking has lots of benefits for our mental and physical wellbeing, and how mindfulness can help you quit for good!
It’s a common misconception that smoking helps with anxiety, and here’s why. Imagine being a smoker in a stressful situation – you have a cigarette and believe you feel better as a result. However, what you’ve actually done is remove yourself from a stressful situation, taken a couple of minutes outside to smoke and been aware of the fact that you’re breathing deeply. It’s your actions that have helped you calm down, not the cigarette.
Quitting smoking has so many benefits, here are a few:
- Save money – if someone smoked 20 cigarettes per day, they would save over £900 during our 12-week programme!
- Improve your breathing
- Improve skin, hair and teeth health and appearance
- Food will taste better!
- More energy
- Reduced risk of serious illnesses related to smoking
- Improve overall health
Here are some ways you can be mindful when quitting smoking to help with your progress:
- Pay attention to how you’re feeling when you want a cigarette, as this can help you identify the source of your craving.
- Is there something else you could do instead of smoking? Try having a glass of water or eat a piece of fruit to keep your hands busy, or distract yourself by phoning a friend, going for a walk or reading.
- Try some mindful breathing to feel calmer and in control – check out our blog on mindfulness for more tips!
- Notice how your body is feeling when you crave a cigarette – do you have physical signs or is it more mental?
- Above all, be kind to yourself! By not having a cigarette you are taking the steps to quitting completely, be proud of this achievement.
You are four times more likely to quit with the support of a stop smoking service – find out more about our stop smoking services and how we can support you in your journey to becoming smoke free.