University Health Services

Facts about Quitting

Did you know…?

20 minutes after a smoker quits

* Blood pressure and heart rate decrease

8 hours after a smoker quits

* Carbon Monoxide and oxygen levels in blood return to normal

24 hours after a smoker quits

* Chance of a heart attack decreases

48 hours after a smoker quits

* Better sense of taste and smell

2 weeks to 3 months after a smoker quits

* Circulation improves

* Lung function increases up to 30%

1-9 months after a smoker quits

* Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease

* Cilia in the lungs regain normal function increasing the ability to clean the lungs

1 year after a smoker quits

* The risk of a heart attack is reduced by 50%

* The risk of coronary hearth disease is half that of a smoker