Nowadays, we’re all aware of the health risks associated with smoking. However, many people, especially those in later life, don’t see the point in stopping smoking. You may consider that the damage has already been done, or that you’ve been smoking all your life and there’s no point in stopping. However, stopping smoking can dramatically improve your health and quality of life.
If you’ve been considering quitting but haven’t felt the push to take that step, these health benefits of stopping smoking may convince you.
Smoking in Ireland
Over the past decade, the prevalence of smokers in Ireland has decreased. According to Macrotrends, prevalence dropped from 27.1% of over-15s to 20.8% between 2010 and 2020. A HSE report released in 2018 revealed that the number of quitters exceeded the number of existing smokers.
However, there are still many smokers in Ireland who are putting their health at risk. According to the same HSE report, 24% of men and 21% of women are smokers. This comes to almost a quarter of the population.
Almost 6,000 smokers die every year due to tobacco related diseases. Cigarettes contain thousands of toxic chemicals, including carcinogens. Furthermore, on average, a smoker’s life expectancy is 10 years shorter than that of a non-smoker.
There is also a financial cost to smoking. For the nation, smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke cost the Irish health service about €172 million in 2016. Your own pocket is also affected, with the average pack of cigarettes costing around €15. Depending on your smoking habits, this could cost you over €1,000 per year.
It’s not just your finances that will benefit from stopping smoking, of course. There are also several health benefits.
Improve Your Breathing
One of the most obvious health problems caused by smoking is respiratory disease. Tobacco and cigarettes damage the lungs and airways, making you more likely to develop chest infections. Smoking is also one of the leading causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). By stopping smoking, you will be keeping your lungs healthy. Furthermore, the sooner you stop, the better the chances of your lungs recovering from the damage.
This means you will find yourself feeling breathless less often. You will be less likely to find yourself panting as you go upstairs or when walking at the park. Clearer breathing will improve your quality of life as well as overall health, offering opportunities to do more of the things you enjoy.
Healthier Heart
Did you know that smoking increases your risk of heart disease? Just as the chemicals in cigarettes can damage the lungs, they also impact your circulatory system. One of these effects is making the walls of your arteries sticky, which cause fatty material to gather. When there is less space for blood to flow, you may experience high blood pressure. This puts strain on your organs.
Furthermore, as this fat gathers, it may block your blood vessels. If this happens, it may cause a heart attack or stroke. Other effects of smoking include an increased likelihood of blood clots, as well as increasing heart rate. By stopping smoking, you reduce your chance of having a heart attack by half within a year. Heart rate and blood pressure can return to normal levels in less than an hour as long as you don’t smoke again.
Reduce Likelihood of Cancer
Smoking is the number one preventable cause of cancer worldwide. When you smoke, the chemicals in tobacco enter the lungs before spreading through the body. Therefore, it is not only lung cancer you may develop if you smoke. Smoking is thought to contribute to at least 15 different types of cancer.
Cigarette smoke increases your risk of cancer in a few ways. One of the more immediate effects is the weakening of your immune system. A weaker immune system makes it harder for your body to fight diseases, including cancer cells. This allows cancer cells to multiply without the body fighting them. Smoking can also be responsible for the growth of cancer cells. Chemicals in cigarettes and tobacco can alter the DNA of cells, causing them to replicate incorrectly, forming tumours.
By stopping smoking, you will prevent more of these harmful chemicals entering your body. This will help your immune system to recover, improving its ability to fight diseases including cancer. You will also reduce further damage to your cells.
Improve Mood
We often don’t think of mental health as something that is impacted by smoking. However, smoking is an addiction that has an impact on your brain chemistry. Part of the reason you crave another cigarette is because your body wants more nicotine, and if it doesn’t get it your mood may drop. However, the improved mood after a cigarette never lasts.
Stopping smoking can be a difficult process. However, if you can walk away from the cigarettes, you are likely to find yourself feeling happier and more fulfilled. Rather than constantly thinking about your next cigarette, you can focus on other things you enjoy, such as spending time with family.
A study found that smokers are more likely to be lonely or socially isolated. Loneliness can have a negative impact on overall health, with the effects compared to smoking. Therefore, the social boost from stopping smoking could have a far greater impact on your wellbeing than you realise.
Boost Sex Life
The effects of smoking cigarettes can impact your sexual fulfilment. One way smoking affects your sex life is through poor circulation. In men, particularly, this can result in poor sensitivity. Men who smoke are more likely to experience erectile dysfunction.
It has also been found that, on average, non-smokers are three times more appealing to prospective partners than smokers. Therefore, this is another way that stopping smoking could help combat loneliness.
Benefits Loved Ones
It’s not only your own health that will be improved by stopping smoking. The health of the people around you will get better too. Moreover, you will be less likely to trigger existing health problems such as asthma and bronchitis.
Second-hand smoke is just as harmful as the smoke you inhale. Therefore, you are not only putting yourself at risk of cancer and other health conditions, but family, friends, and strangers, too. All the potential complications of smoking can affect people who inhale second-hand smoke. It’s one thing to put yourself in harm’s way, knowing the risks, but it’s another to unfairly expose others. Children, pregnant people, and people with respiratory conditions are most vulnerable.
If you do smoke around others, ensure they are not downwind of your smoke. However, the best way to avoid exposing others to second-hand smoke is by stopping smoking completely.
For advice with stopping smoking, visit the HSE website
Stay Healthy with LifeConnect24
If you have a medical condition caused by smoking, or are simply worried about your wellbeing at home, a personal alarm from LifeConnect24 provides additional peace of mind. In the event of a fall or if you feel unwell, simply press the button on your alarm pendant. This will send an alert to our 24/7 Response Team who arrange help on your behalf.
To find out more about our personal alarms, call our helpful team on 1 800 937543.
