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The duration of withdrawal symptoms varies from person to person. The physical withdrawal symptoms, such as sweating, headaches and dizziness, last 3 to 4 weeks on average. People who quit smoking may also experience psychological withdrawal symptoms, such as nervousness, irritability and sadness.  The body will, however, recover from the addiction fairly quickly.

It may take months of practice to learn how to tolerate and handle your emotions without nicotine products. Until then, it’s important that you take care of your well-being by, for example, eating regular meals, relaxing and sleeping enough.

Sharing your experiences with others can also make you feel better. If the irritability and sadness do not seem to go away, you should talk to your doctor about it.

Nicotine replacement therapy uses medicines aimed at preventing or alleviating withdrawal symptoms that occur when you stop using tobacco products. At the same time, you learn to break your old smoking habits and routines.

It’s possible to develop an addiction to short-acting nicotine replacement products, such as nicotine gum or nicotine pouches. If you have become addicted to a nicotine replacement therapy product, you should not use it. If you get addicted, you should gradually reduce the dose or switch to another type of product, such as nicotine patches. You can also try regular, sugar-free chewing gum or xylitol pastilles, as some can get addicted or used to chewing something or having something in their mouth.

Nicotine replacement products should always be used according to instructions. The recommended duration of nicotine replacement therapy is 2–3 months, during which the dose should be gradually reduced. In some cases, it’s possible to continue using the product for longer, such as six months or a year. Nicotine replacement therapy is, however, intended as a temporary aid to alleviate withdrawal symptoms.

After you have smoked your last cigarette, your body will immediately begin to cleanse itself and return to its normal state. Carbon monoxide will be eliminated from your body within the first 24 hours, and nicotine will leave your body within two days of quitting.

Your lungs begin cleansing themselves already within the first 24 hours. The cilia in the bronchi will be restored in the first few weeks, which further accelerates the cleansing process of the lungs. Your circulation will also improve within the first few weeks. Your sense of smell and taste will improve in just a few days. The list of the positive effects of quitting smoking is endless. Quitting is always worth it!

Smoking reduces fertility in both men and women. In men, smoking causes erectile dysfunction and has a negative effect on sperm count and sperm motility. In women, smoking interferes with the maturation of eggs and ovulation. Smoking also increases the risk of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy, which is why quitting is strongly recommended when planning to get pregnant.

Not smoking is also important during pregnancy, since almost all the toxic substances in tobacco pass through the placenta. These substances cause oxygen deficiency for the fetus and hinder development and growth, among other things.

Smoking or using snus during pregnancy can lead to a premature birth or low birth weight. It is advisable to quit smoking at least 2–3 months before the planned pregnancy, but the earlier you quit, the better.

Difficulty sleeping is very common when you quit smoking. It’s also very common to feel tired after quitting smoking. This is temporary, however.

The problems are likely to go away completely after a few weeks, and you will sleep better than you did when you were still smoking.

After you quit using tobacco products, the worst stage of withdrawal will last for 1–3 days. The total duration of withdrawal symptoms is 3–4 weeks on average. However, this tends to vary a lot from person to person.

Exercise helps relieve nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Even short workouts and light physical exercise help. You might, however, get more noticeable and longer lasting results from more intense workouts.

Physical exercise lifts your mood and makes self-regulation easier. Many forms of physical activity bring positive results, so it does not matter that much which sport or activity you choose. The most important thing is to find an activity you genuinely enjoy.

Everyone can unlock the benefits of exercise. Things such as the intensity of the nicotine use, the severity of the addiction and past physical activity level do not seem to matter.

Smoking is always harmful to health. There is no safe limit for smoking.

If you smoke occasionally, there is a high risk that your smoking will gradually increase. Many occasional smokers end up smoking every day. The addiction gets worse, and quitting can become more difficult.

The earlier you quit smoking, the less damage it will do to your body.