5 Tips for Managing Stress after Quitting Smoking

For years nicotine and smoking has had a major effect on a smokers’ life.  When encountering stress the first reaction is to go have a cigarette.  Nicotine in conjunction with the deep breathing and removing ones self from the situation does prove to be effect while feeling stressed out.  In reality two out of three of these things are very helpful and can be done without smoking and are both effective at reducing stress.  Here are some additional steps you can take to manage stress after quitting smoking:

1.  Relaxation techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises, and massage are good stress relievers and all have benefits when dealing with nicotine withdrawal after quitting smoking.

2.  Get plenty of sleep.  It is a known fact that not getting enough sleep can affect your health negatively.  After quitting smoking it is important to make sure you have the time to get the amount of sleep your body needs.  Allowing yourself to get too tired can lead to a relapse.

3.  Don’t be too hard on yourself.  Many times our own worst critic is ourselves.  Try not to beat yourself up for mistakes you make and understand that you are not perfect and that is quite alright.  If you do slip and have a cigarette after quitting smoking, quit again and don’t let the guilt or the voices in your head convince you that you can’t do it.

4.  Develop an exercising routing daily or every other day.  Exercising can be a great stress management tool whether you smoke or not.  It is just harder for those that do smoke.  By exercising after quitting smoking not only will you be able to manage your stress better it will help your body in the healing process from all those years of smoking.  There are many benefits to exercising.

5.  Watch what you eat and drink.  Your diet plays a major role in both managing stress and quitting smoking.  Many people who quit smoking are concerned about weight gain and it just happens that by avoiding alcohol, sugar, and fatty foods not only will you be able to manage stress better but also minimize the amount of weight you gain after quitting smoking.

Overall, one of the best things you can do after quitting smoking and manage stress is to focus on your body and what you put into it.  Establishing healthy routines will greatly increase your chances of quitting smoking and help you stay quit.