The first few days after you’ve officially given up smoking can be quite difficult. You’re likely to experience mild to severe nicotine withdrawal symptoms as your body adjusts to not having the substance inside your system anymore. As a result, you may be irritable, have mood swings, and experience strong cravings.

Here’s what you should do to make this journey easier for yourself.

Stay Hydrated

One way to reduce your nicotine cravings is by increasing your fluid intake. Drink plenty of fluids and stay hydrated in the first few days after you quit smoking so that the residual toxins in your body can be promptly flushed out. Water, fresh fruit juices, and herbal tea are great options for this.

In addition to helping get rid of the toxins from your system, a greater fluid intake also helps in minimizing your carvings. Your body fills up quickly, making you less hungry and less prone to reaching for a cigarette. Not only that, but staying hydrated generally helps in improving your overall health. As a result, you’ll feel a lot better and this will make managing withdrawal symptoms easier.

Having said that, try to limit your intake of caffeinated drinks and alcoholic beverages. These can trigger your cravings and increase your urge to smoke.

Stay Physically Active

Even a small amount of physical activity can help you stay focused on your goal and motivate you to continue your smoke-free journey. Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, which positively affect your mood. The more physically active you are during this crucial period, the less likely you are to revert to your old ways and go back to smoking.

You don’t need to start doing intense workouts to beat the cravings. Even going for a short 20 minute walk each day or doing simple stretching exercises can help. And don’t forget about yoga!

Treat Yourself

Parks and Recreation fans are all too familiar with Tom and Donna’s yearly “Treat Yo Self” tradition. While we’re not asking you to go all out and buy extravagant gifts for yourself for not smoking, there’s no harm in celebrating your successes!

Giving yourself small gifts for getting through the week or even through a particularly difficult day without caving in to your cravings calls can help you stay motivated. In fact, even getting past the first 24 hours after Quit Day without smoking can be a huge deal.

Congratulate yourself for this accomplishment, and get into the habit of giving yourself small rewards in these first few days so that your resolve does not waver. For example, you can treat yourself to your favorite ice cream, indulge in a hot bath, or even cook yourself a nice homemade meal.

Rekha Shrivastava offers subconscious mind healing techniques such as hypnosis at Blossom Hypnosis to treat smoking cessation and addictions. She also offers Skype sessions to clients not residing in Rochester, NY.

Not ready to book an appointment? Learn how self-hypnosis can help you recover from PTSD and depression.

Sources:

https://www.verywellmind.com/practical-tips-for-the-first-week-of-smoking-cessation-2825290

https://www.quit.org.au/articles/how-to-deal-with-the-first-few-days/

https://americanaddictioncenters.org/withdrawal-timelines-treatments