What Happens to Your Mind & Body When You Quit Smoking Cigarettes?

The constant stimulus of the powerful drug nicotine dramatically alters a smoker's body. When a person decides to quit, the withdrawal of that stimulus affects both the body and the mind in powerful ways.

Physical Problems

• The return of the sense of smell and taste often leads former smokers to eat large amounts of food. A quitter's metabolism does slow down a bit, mostly because the heart does not have to work as hard to pump blood through constricted blood vessels. But quitting smoking does not cause weight gain--it's the amount of food that quitters are eating. Take caution, though. Stomach pain, constipation and nausea are frequently experienced by quitters. Nicotine is a powerful stimulant and the stomach needs time to adjust to a withdrawal.

Mental Effects

• Some of the first symptoms of withdrawals are anxiety, irritability and restlessness. Anger typically peaks on the second day and levels out by the fifth day. The strong emotional attachment a smoker has for his habit can lead to depression when the cigarettes are gone. Sadness is common, though heavy, long-term smokers may enter a depression that requires professional help. Typically, though, this feeling of grief will pass by the third week of quitting. Sleep, sleep quality and even dreams are affected by nicotine's powerful stimulation. Without it, a former smoker will return to her normal sleep levels, which may be more or less than what she is accustomed to. Quitting smoking often leads to a lack of concentration and focus. Nicotine triggers the body to produce adrenaline, which in turn releases large amounts of fatty sugars. When this constant release of sugars stops, a smoker's blood sugar plummets and she loses her state of constant alertness. Many quitters have found that time seems to stand still during the first week or two of quitting. A 2003 University of Pennsylvania study documented this phenomena among quitters, noting that a craving episode may last only three minutes, but feel much longer.