The New Year is a time when many people decide to quit smoking. Quitting smoking will not only improve your health but also help with money in your pocket. Planning ahead and making use of the free support services that are available can help you quit smoking for good.
Thousands of others have quit smoking and you can too – so make 2023 your fresh start.
If you smoke and want to stop, there’s free proven NHS tools and support to help you quit.
Stopping smoking brings multiple benefits to health, some immediate and others that build over time. These include having more energy and being able to breathe more easily. You’ll also have more money in your pocket; the average smoker is able to save around £38 a week when they quit – that’s £2,000 a year.
If you’ve decided to quit smoking this year, here are ten top tips to help you succeed:
- Pick a quit date and add it to your calendar
- List your reasons to quit
- Use stop smoking aids to help manage cravings
- Change your routine if you smoke at certain times of day
- Tell people you are quitting
- If you’ve tried to quit before, remember what worked
- Have a plan if you are tempted to smoke
- List your smoking triggers and how to avoid them
- Keep cravings at bay by keeping busy
- Exercise away the urge
Need more motivation? Make an appointment with one of our friendly, non-judgemental NHS Health Improvement Practitioners. With their help, you’re three times more likely to quit for good. You will receive free expert advice, support and encouragement to help you stop smoking. To book an appointment call 01752 437177 or email [email protected]
Jess quit smoking through our Swap-to-Stop vaping programme and said: “I smoked 10 cigarettes a day for 12 years. I feel so much better since I’ve quit smoking for good – I’m breathing better and have a lot more energy. Quitting smoking is definitely the best thing I’ve ever done for my health.”
To further boost your chances of becoming smokefree, there’s a range of free support for those looking to quit, including the NHS Quit Smoking app, Facebook support group, an online Personal Quit Plan and local stop smoking service look-up tool, as well as advice on stop smoking aids including information on how vaping can help you quit smoking.
Search “Smoke Free” for more information or visit the Better Health Quit Smoking website Quit smoking – Better Health – NHS (www.nhs.uk).