How long it takes for your body to fully recover when you stop smoking

For many people giving up smoking is an important New Year’s resolution which can benefit their health massively.

The best way for those who smoke to reduce their risk of cancer and improve their overall health is to stop smoking completely.

Stopping smoking will also let you breathe more easily, give you more energy, help you feel less stressed and lead to a better sex life.

And it’s never too late to stop, because as soon as you put down your last cigarette your body will start the healing process.

Smoking is a tricky habit to kick, but once you make those first steps you can start feeling the benefit.

In fact, you will notice a difference in just a few days.

If you quit smoking the risk of heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked before in 15 years, according to the NHS.

But your body will start to react straight away – just 20 minutes after you finish smoking your pulse will return to normal.

And after eight hours the nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in the blood will reduce by more than a half.

Incredibly, after just 48 hours the carbon monoxide will be eliminated from your body.

This is when the lungs will start to clear out the mucus and smoking debris from the body.

After just a month your lung function and capacity will improve,

After three to nine months the coughs, wheezing and breathing problems will improve.

If you manage to keep it up for a year, the risk of heart disease is about half compared to someone who smokes.

And after 10 years the risk of lung cancer will fall to half of that of a smoker after 10 years.