Addiction to anything is bad and the same holds true for cigarettes. People usually start their day with a cup of coffee or tea, but there are those who reach out for a cigarette instead. However, the habit of taking a puff early in the morning can prove to be dangerous.
Researchers from the Penn State College of Medicine in US, headed by Dr Joshua Muscat, found that smoking soon after waking up may increase the likelihood of getting lung, head and neck cancers.
Representational image. Reuters
“These smokers have higher levels of nicotine and possibly other tobacco toxins in their body, and they may be more addicted than smokers who refrain from smoking for a half hour or more,” Dr Muscat said.
There is no easy way out of the addiction to cigarettes. As per Centers for Disease Control and Prevent (CDC), smoking harms almost all the organs in the body. Smoking causes many diseases and hits one’s overall health. Quitting smoking reduces the risk for diseases related to it and can add years to your life, says CDC.
By giving up smoking, one cuts cardiovascular risks. Within a year of quitting smoking, risk to heart attack decreases sharply, within 2-5 years your risk for stroke may reduce to about that of non-smokers.
Not just this, risks of mouth, throat, esophagus and bladder cancers drop by half within five years of quitting smoking. Risk of dying from lung cancer also drops by half within 10 years after a person quits smoking.
Here are 5 ways by which may help you to cut on your early morning cigarette cravings.
Prepare not to smoke the night before: Remove all the cigarette packets, ashtrays from within your reach. If you are staying with someone who smokes then you should ask them to not do it in front of you as the very smell can drive you towards taking a puff again.
Go for a walk or exercise: Smokers feel that early morning cigarette makes them energised. Instead of grabbing a cigarette packet, go out for walk and exercise. This will help you remain fit and charged up during the entire day.
You will also get to breathe fresh air and it will also help reduce stress.
Drink water: Replace your first cigarette with a glass of water. This will not just change your routine but will also help you stay hydrated.
Talk to a friend: The moment you start your day, instead of picking up your cigarette packet, grab your mobile and call a friend. Speak to him or her for some time as it will help you divert your thoughts from the urge to smoke.
Mix up your morning routine: If you have a habit of waking up and having tea or coffee with a cigarette, try taking a shower instead. Read newspaper or books and deviate your mind as much as you can from cigarette.
Every year, 31 May is observed as World No Tobacco Day. The day aims at spreading awareness about the ill-effects of smoking and chewing tobacco. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco is the cause of 8 million deaths every year.
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