The health benefits of quitting smoking tool

No matter what your age or how long you have been smoking, there are many immediate and long-term benefits of quitting. There is comprehensive and conclusive scientific evidence confirming that the risk of disease in former smokers is less than that in smokers of the same age and gender. Quitting smoking slows disease progression and can even reverse some of the acute body changes induced by smoking.

So when did you quit and what benefits has your body started to experience? Use the tool below to find out!

How long since your last cigarette?

Here are the health benefits you’ve already achieved – well done!
  • Since Quitting
    Benefits
  • (20 min)
    Your heart rate has decreased
  • (20 min)
    Your blood pressure has decreased
    •
  • (3 hours)
    Carbon monoxide (CO) in your body has started to reduce
    •
  • (8 hours)
    Nicotine in your body has reduced by 90%
    •
  • (12 hours)
    CO in your body has halved, allowing more oxygen to reach your heart and muscles
    •
  • (1 day)
    Your lungs have begun to clear
    •
  • (2 days)
    Nicotine withdrawal symptoms peak - it's all downhill from here!
  • (2 days)
    Your sense of taste and smell is returning
    •
  • (3 days)
    Nicotine withdrawal peak has passed, your self-esteem and self-control are improving
  • (3 days)
    Your can breath more easily
  • (3 days)
    You have increased energy
    •
  • (1 week)
    You have higher levels of protective antioxidants than when you were smoking
  • (1 week)
    Your breath feels fresher
  • (1 week)
    The nicotine stains on your fingers have started to fade
  • (1 week)
    Your cognitive ability is now as good as it's ever been
  • (1 week)
    The level of thiocyante (a toxic gas in cigarette smoke) in your body has halved
    •
  • (1 month)
    You have beaten withdrawal from your nicotine addiction
  • (1 month)
    Your withdrawal-related irritability and anxiety have gone
  • (1 month)
    You cough less often
  • (1 month)
    You aren't as short of breath anymore
  • (1 month)
    Cilia in your lungs begin to recover, keeping them clean and preventing infection
  • (1 month)
    You are less irritable and anxious than when you were smoking
    •
  • (2 months)
    You no longer produce extra phlegm like when you smoked
  • (2 months)
    Your immune system has begun to recover
  • (2 months)
    Your body is better at healing wounds and cuts than when you were smoking
  • (2 months)
    Your circulation has improved
  • (2 months)
    Your lung function has increased
    •
  • (6 months)
    Your lungs are working much better now, making exercise easier
    •
  • (1 year)
    Your risk of dying from heart disease has halved in comparison to if you hadn't quit
  • (1 year)
    Your blood pressure has returned to normal
    •
  • (5 years)
    You are likely to be doing more exercise now than when you first quit
  • (5 years)
    Your risk of mouth, throat, oesophagus and bladder cancers have halved
    •
  • (10 years)
    Your risk of lung cancer has reduced by 50–70%
    •
  • (15 years)
    If you've quit before age 50 your risk of dying has halved
  • (15 years)
    Your risk of dying from heart disease is now the same as never smokers
    •
  • (20 years)
    Your macular degeneration risk is equal to someone who has never smoked
    •
  • (25 years)
    Your stroke risk is equal to someone who has never smoked
    •
Here are some of the benefits you will achieve in the future.
  • Since Quitting
    Benefits
  • (20 min)
    Your heart rate has decreased
  • (20 min)
    Your blood pressure has decreased
    •
  • (3 hours)
    Carbon monoxide (CO) in your body has started to reduce
    •
  • (8 hours)
    Nicotine in your body has reduced by 90%
    •
  • (12 hours)
    CO in your body has halved, allowing more oxygen to reach your heart and muscles
    •
  • (1 day)
    Your lungs have begun to clear
    •
  • (2 days)
    Nicotine withdrawal symptoms peak - it's all downhill from here!
  • (2 days)
    Your sense of taste and smell is returning
    •
  • (3 days)
    Nicotine withdrawal peak has passed, your self-esteem and self-control are improving
  • (3 days)
    Your can breath more easily
  • (3 days)
    You have increased energy
    •
  • (1 week)
    You have higher levels of protective antioxidants than when you were smoking
  • (1 week)
    Your breath feels fresher
  • (1 week)
    The nicotine stains on your fingers have started to fade
  • (1 week)
    Your cognitive ability is now as good as it's ever been
  • (1 week)
    The level of thiocyante (a toxic gas in cigarette smoke) in your body has halved
    •
  • (1 month)
    You have beaten withdrawal from your nicotine addiction
  • (1 month)
    Your withdrawal-related irritability and anxiety have gone
  • (1 month)
    You cough less often
  • (1 month)
    You aren't as short of breath anymore
  • (1 month)
    Cilia in your lungs begin to recover, keeping them clean and preventing infection
  • (1 month)
    You are less irritable and anxious than when you were smoking
    •
  • (2 months)
    You no longer produce extra phlegm like when you smoked
  • (2 months)
    Your immune system has begun to recover
  • (2 months)
    Your body is better at healing wounds and cuts than when you were smoking
  • (2 months)
    Your circulation has improved
  • (2 months)
    Your lung function has increased
    •
  • (6 months)
    Your lungs are working much better now, making exercise easier
    •
  • (1 year)
    Your risk of dying from heart disease has halved in comparison to if you hadn't quit
  • (1 year)
    Your blood pressure has returned to normal
    •
  • (5 years)
    You are likely to be doing more exercise now than when you first quit
  • (5 years)
    Your risk of mouth, throat, oesophagus and bladder cancers have halved
    •
  • (10 years)
    Your risk of lung cancer has reduced by 50–70%
    •
  • (15 years)
    If you've quit before age 50 your risk of dying has halved
  • (15 years)
    Your risk of dying from heart disease is now the same as never smokers
    •
  • (20 years)
    Your macular degeneration risk is equal to someone who has never smoked
    •
  • (25 years)
    Your stroke risk is equal to someone who has never smoked
    •

But don’t stop now, there are more benefits to come. Select a time in the future to see what health benefits you will achieve next.