Health benefits since your last cigarette

20 minutes

 

Blood pressure drops to a level close to that before the last cigarette.

Temperature of hands and feet increases to normal.

Eight hours

 Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal.

24 hours

 Chance of heart attack decreases.

Two weeks to three months

Circulation improves.

Lung function increases up to 30 percent.

One to nine months

Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decrease.

Cilia regain normal function in lungs, increasing ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection. Increased coughing during the first week of quitting is normal. Your lungs are cleaning themselves.

One year

Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.

Five years

Stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker’s five to 15 years after quitting. 

10 years

 Lung cancer death rate about half that of a continuing smoker’s.

Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decrease.

15 years

Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker’s.