After 20 minutes:
• blood pressure drops to normal
• pulse rate drops to normal rate
• body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal

• After 8 hours:
• carbon monoxide level in blood goes back to normal
• oxygen level in blood increases to normal

At 24 hours:
• chance of a heart attack decreases

At 48 hours:
• nerve endings start regrowing
• ability to smell and taste things improves

At 72 hours:
• bronchial tubes relax, making breathing easier

At 2 weeks to 3 months:
• circulation improves
• walking becomes easier
• lung function increases up to 30 percent

Starting as early as a month after you quit smoking, and continuing for the next several months, you may notice improvements in these areas:

1-9 months:
• coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease
• cilia regrow in lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean lungs and reduce infection
• Body’s overall energy level increases

5 years:
• From 5-15 years after quitting, the risk of stroke decreases the same level as the risk of people who have never smoked

• 10 years:
• Lung cancer death rate for the average smoker (one pack a day) decrease by half
• Pre-cancerous cells are replaced
• Other cancers- such as those of the mouth, larynx, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas significantly decrease