Quitting smoking has many health benefits, no matter when you do it. People who quit smoking are more likely to breathe easier, have more energy, and lower their risk of cancer, heart attack, stroke, and lung disease compared to people who continue to smoke. Many people struggle to quit, so the National Institute on Aging provides some tips for how to quit effectively:
- Make a firm decision to quit and pick a date to stop. Then, make a clear plan for how you will stick to that date.
- Seek help from your doctor, a friend, and/or through individual or group counseling. (Medicare covers counseling that can help you quit smoking. Learn more here.)
- Make a plan for how you will deal with urges to smoke.
- Ask your doctor about medicine to help with symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.
- Remember that snuff, chewing tobacco, cigars, and pipes are not safe alternatives to cigarettes, but rather come with many health risks.
- For more resources, you can use online mobile tools from Smokefree60+.