There is no time like the present to quit smoking. Whether you use a free quit smoking app, hypnosis or quit cold turkey, the many health benefits of quitting smoking now begin immediately, and you will greatly reduce your chances of getting cancer or other chronic diseases. Here are several of the key physical and mental health benefits that will improve after smoking cessation.

Key Benefits of Quitting Smoking

Broken Addiction Cycle

Quitting smoking will return the large number of nicotine receptors in your brain to normal levels within one month of quitting. This can help re-wire your brain and break the cycle of addiction.

Better Hearing and Vision

When you stop smoking your hearing and night vision will improve. Your overall vision will also benefit when you stop the damage that cigarette smoke does to your eyes.

Improved Taste and Smell

Smoking can cause damage to your nerve endings in your mouth and nose, which dulls your sense of taste and smell. Within two days after you stop smoking, your nerve ending benefit and begin to grow, and your sense of taste and smell start to improve.

Clearer Skin Complexion

Another one of the benefits of quitting smoking is that skin blemishes will start to clear up. Avoiding harmful cigarette smoke will also protect your skin from aging and wrinkling prematurely.

Cleaner Mouth and Teeth

When you quit smoking you reduce your risk of oral infections, including yellow teeth and bad breath. Your dentist will also thank you at your next check-up.

Decreased Heart and Cardiovascular Risks

You can reduce your risk for heart attacks and heart disease when you quit smoking. Quitting can lower your blood pressure and heart rate within minutes. Another benefit is your blood becomes thinner, reducing your risk of developing blood clots. When you stop smoking the levels of cholesterol and fats in your blood will also lower, slowing the fatty deposit buildup in your arteries.

Improved Lung Health

Quitting smoking benefits your lungs by reducing your risk of developing permanent lung scarring. If you quit while you are young, you can avoid doing years of damage to the air sacks in your lungs, which can protect you from developing emphysema later in life. Your cilia are one of the first things to heal, and they start to regrow and regain normal functionality very quickly when you stop smoking, which will help you better fight off colds and infections.

Lower Cancer Risk

Quitting smoking can prevent new DNA damage in your body and start to repair damage that has already occurred. When you stop smoking you lower your risk for cancers, such as lung cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, esophageal caner and pancreatic cancer.

Lower Diabetes Risk

Quitting smoking lowers your risk of diabetes and can help keep your blood sugar levels in check if you already have diabetes.

Normal Estrogen Levels

Estrogen levels for women will gradually return to normal when you quit smoking. Stopping smoking now increases your chances of having a healthy pregnancy in the future.

Improved Sex Life

Your sex life will also see benefits of quitting smoking. Men who quit smoking reduce their risk of erectile dysfunction. Women who quit smoking reduce their risk of sexual dysfunctions, such as negatively affecting genital lubrication and orgasm frequency.

Improved Immune System

When you quit smoking your white blood cell counts return to normal, your blood flow to wounds improves, and your immune system is no longer being exposed to tar and nicotine, making it easier to fight off colds and other illnesses.

Stronger Muscles and Bones

Your muscles and bones will benefit from quitting smoking by increasing the oxygen in your blood and reducing your risk of bone fractures.

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