Looking after your health and wellbeing during the cost of living crisis
With the costs of living rising, many of us are making changes to try to save money. But some of these changes could...
Habits can be hard to change, especially ones we enjoy, so it normally takes a few attempts for people to give up smoking for good. But even after years of smoking, it's still worth giving up.
Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable deaths in England, and around 74,000 people die each year because of it.
Cigarettes contain toxic chemicals that are bad for our bodies, and smoking them can:
Smoking has also been linked to many long-term conditions such as:
Whatever your age, stopping smoking can have a range of benefits. Many of these benefits can be immediate – but the sooner you quit, the sooner your body can start to heal. Quitting will help you:
It’s important you have the right support around you before you give up. Let your family and friends know you're quitting, or join a support group where you’ll meet others who are going through the same experience.
There’s no one way to quit smoking – or best way. There are a range of options available so if something doesn’t work the first time then it’s worth trying another way. Talk to your GP or pharmacist about what might work for you. Stop smoking treatments and options include:
There are free local Stop Smoking services across the UK. They offer free one-to-one support along with stop smoking medicines, which are available for the cost of a prescription.
Giving up smoking can make you feel uncomfortable because your body is adjusting to not having nicotine. In the first few days or weeks, you may have cravings, difficulty sleeping or an increased appetite – and feel irritable, stressed or anxious. However, there's support available to help you through this period, and the discomfort will fade with time.
We offer support through our free advice line on 0800 678 1602. Lines are open 8am-7pm, 365 days a year. We also have specialist advisers at over 120 local Age UKs.
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