Second Day Of Quitting Smoking: What You’re Experiencing

If you’ve just started on your quitting journey, it may be a relief to know that the first 48 hours without smoking are generally considered the most difficult.

You’re likely wondering, what exactly is happening to my body on the second day of quitting smoking? At this point, you’re working through the worst of nicotine withdrawal.

Incredibly, your body has also begun healing itself in a number of surprising ways. This is just the beginning too.

Beyond the two day mark, your general health will continue to improve and your risk of developing life-threatening diseases lowers considerably.

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But for now, we’re going to deep dive into what the second day of quitting smoking entails and explain how you can push through any discomfort.

What Happens on the First Day of Quitting Smoking?

Everyone, including long-time smokers, know that cigarettes are linked to 39 different types of illnesses, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. But even so, what you feel on the second day of stopping smoking can still tempt you to light a ciggie, despite knowing the consequences.

Even if you feel the immediate effects of cigarette smoke, such as headaches, fatigue, coughing, and loss of smell, your nicotine withdrawals can convince you to try cigarettes once again. Other quick symptoms of cigarette smoking include upset stomachs and gastrointestinal problems.

But, it’s been proven that after stopping smoking, all of these symptoms begin to disappear as quickly as you felt them while smoking.

The immediate benefits of stopping smoking are usually enough to urge motivated smokers to stick to quitting smoking, and for more good news: your body also begins repairing your systems in as early as 20 minutes from the time you stopped smoking.

20 Minutes

Your heart rate and blood pressure have returned to normal levels. You also have better hand and feet blood circulation, all after stopping smoking for 20 minutes.

12 Hours

Carbon monoxide, a major chemical in cigarette smoke, has lowered to normal levels after 12 hours of no cigarette smoking.

24 Hours

A full day of no cigarettes significantly reduces your risk of a heart attack, all thanks to stable blood pressure levels.

What Happens on the Second Day of Quitting Smoking?

Around 48 hours of stopping smoking, your body will feel much better. However, you might also feel stressed and anxious throughout the period.

After quite a while without cigarettes, your body will have withdrawal symptoms. It’s okay to feel not in the mood, angry, or moody when quitting — it’s all due to your withdrawals. Learn more about these below.

48 Hours Health Improvements

Without smoking for two days, your body has completely removed the nicotine and carbon monoxide in your system.

The flush-out has helped stabilise your blood pressure and heart rate and likelihood of developing heart disease. Better blood circulation also means you’re breathing better as your body receives more oxygen that flows easier throughout your body.

Similar to the resilience of the other parts in the body, your lungs will recover from cigarette smoke’s damage. The cilia that cleans the lungs of dirt and foreign chemicals will begin clearing and restoring the organ back to normal.

If you’re coughing or wheezing quite a bit after you’ve stopped smoking, it’s because your cilia are doing some intensive mop-up work.

After 48 hours of being smokefree, your sense of taste and smell will have significantly improved. Tobacco smoke will dull your sense of taste and smell due to nerve damage — these will all begin to improve until it returns to normal functionality after two days of stopping smoking.

Nicotine Withdrawal in the First 2 Days

In the first two days after quitting, your body is likely to go into nicotine withdrawal. The severity of your withdrawal symptoms will depend on how heavily you smoked, and whether you’re using nicotine replacement therapies or quitting cold turkey.

Over time, your body has become used to receiving regular hits of nicotine. So, when you quit, your body goes into a state of withdrawal, which can result in an array of unpleasant symptoms

Nicotine withdrawal begins the moment you stop smoking, and symptoms gradually progress in the first two days after quitting.

Your symptoms are likely to be the most intense 48 hours after your last cigarette. Most of the physical sensations will only last for around 72 hours, while the psychological symptoms can last up to two to four weeks.

All symptoms will reduce in severity over time, and eventually disappear completely.

Withdrawal Symptoms on the Second Day of Quitting

Your withdrawal symptoms may present both physically and psychologically.

• You May Have A Cough – It’s very normal for asthma-like symptoms to appear within the first two days of quitting. As mentioned, your lungs are working hard to clear out any debris that has settled there. Ensure you cough when you can rather than holding it in.
• You may feel irritable – Because you are accustomed to easing restlessness through smoking, you are likely to notice an increase in irritability when you quit. Avoid excessive caffeine where you can, as your body will absorb twice as much caffeine as it did when you were smoking.
• You may feel hungrier – Nicotine reduces your appetite while increasing your metabolism, which is why many people lose weight while smoking. When you stop smoking, your metabolism will return to normal and you’ll likely feel hungrier.
• You may struggle to sleep – Nicotine withdrawal can cause sleeplessness. It can be beneficial to establish a bedtime routine. This may include meditating or reading before bed, journaling, and avoiding screens right before bed.
• You may experience intense cravings – On the second day of quitting, your cravings are likely to be at their most intense. They come appear in waves, lasting about 10 minutes before subsiding again. Remember, these cravings will reduce in the coming days and weeks.
• You might feel anxious or depressed – Research shows that people who have suffered from mental illnesses are more likely to smoke. If you have a history of anxiety or depression, you may find that these symptoms worsen tempoararily when you quit. Be sure to check in with your doctor if you notice this occurring.
• You might feel moody – It’s common to feel angry, moody, and stressed during this initial quitting period. These feelings are completely normal; try to remind yourself that you are on the path to recovery.
• You may be distracted – It can be hard to focus on anything other than smoking in the first two days after quitting. This is very common. Go easy on yourself and remember that you will regain your focus once your cravings subside.

Managing Withdrawal Symptoms in the First 2 Days

There are a few things you can do to make this initial period of withdrawal more manageable.

• Build up a support network – Notify trusted friends, family, and your doctor of your plans to quit. You may need a little bit of motivation or an ear to vent your frustrations too. A good support network can help to keep you busy during this time, and keep an eye out for signs of anxiety or depression, should they arise.

• Consider assistance – You don’t have to quit cold turkey, particularly if this hasn’t worked for you in the past. You may want to try quitting with the assistance of Nicotine Replacement Therapies, Pharmacotherapies, or Prescribed Nicotine Vaping products. These tools can help you to taper off nicotine and prevent relapse.

• Get into a routine – Map out your day and include replacement activities or rituals for the times when you would have smoked. For example, instead of smoking at 10am, you might go for a walk, call a friend, or have a healthy snack.

• Relax and unwind – Meditating, journaling, and implementing self-care activities can help to ease anxiety and irritability. It can also help to practice some deep belly breathing. Talking to a mental health care professional is also a great idea. They will be able to provide you with tailored tools to help you through.

• Listen to music or watch TV –  Sometimes meditating can actually amplify your thoughts about smoking. If you’re struggling with the above relaxation activities, try distracting yourself instead by listening to music or watching your favourite TV show.

There are many more effective strategies you can implement to help you quit smoking. 

A Final Word

On the second day of quitting smoking, it’s completely normal to experience a range of unpleasant and bothersome withdrawal symptoms.

At the two day mark, these symptoms will be at their most intense. Go easy on yourself and ensure you’re communicating how you’re feeling with loved ones or a doctor.

Remember, while these first 48 hours without smoking may be tough, you have already done your body a world a good.

You’ve decreased your risk of a heart attack, and the important systems in your body are beginning to function normally again. You’re already well on your way to leading a healthier life.

Link Reference

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10519547/
• https://www.tobaccoinaustralia.org.au/chapter-7-cessation/