What Happens After 6 Days of Not Smoking?

You’ve made it through 6 days of not smoking. Congratulations on reaching this significant milestone!

Quitting smoking can be incredibly challenging, but it’s the best thing you can do for your health and wallet.

At this point, you have pushed past the worst of the nicotine withdrawal symptoms, and a whole host of positive changes have already taken place in your body.

So, what happens after 6 days of not smoking, and what further changes can you look forward to?

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We unpack it all in this guide.

What Happens After 6 Days of Not Smoking?

You’re six days smoke-free — take a moment to celebrate this critical milestone!

Several significant changes have occurred, signalling a return to health.

Here’s what happens to your body after 6 days of not smoking:

• 20 minutes after your last cigarette: Heart rate and blood pressure start to normalise, circulation improves, thanks to the increased blood flow throughout the body.
• 12 hours after quitting: Carbon monoxide levels in your blood drop, oxygen levels increase.
• 1 day after quitting: Risk of heart attack decreases due to stabilised blood pressure and increased oxygen.
• 2 days after quitting: Your body is nicotine-free, lungs start to function properly as the cilia repair themselves and regain movement, clearing the lungs of the harmful, toxic matter that has built up.
• 6-7 days after quitting: Higher levels of antioxidants in your blood, improved sense of taste and smell.

It’s clear that after six days of not smoking, your body is already well on its way to recovery — and you’re beginning to reap the rewards.

Day 6 No Smoking: The Symptoms

If you’ve been feeling worse for wear since you quit, nicotine withdrawal is the culprit.

• In the first six to seven days after quitting, your withdrawal symptoms are at their strongest.
• They typically begin a few hours after your last cigarette and intensify during the first 72 hours after quitting, when the body has cleared itself of nicotine.
• Nicotine withdrawal lasts around two to four weeks, with the symptoms decreasing in intensity during this period.
• At the four-week mark, most of the symptoms will have disappeared completely.

Understanding Nicotine Withdrawal and Its Effects

So, what is nicotine withdrawal, and how does it come about?

Nicotine is the main addictive chemical in tobacco. It stimulates the release of dopamine in the brain, which is a feel-good hormone that gives you a ‘buzz’. This alleviates feelings of stress, anxiety, and restlessness while you’re smoking, but these feelings return once you stop. Over time, your body becomes dependent on regular nicotine doses.

Withdrawal begins the minute you stub out your cigarette. Depending on your smoking frequency, you may experience discomfort and cravings within minutes to hours after your last cigarette. This cycle continues as your brain urges you to smoke again. 

Physical and Psychological Symptoms

Nicotine withdrawal presents as both physical and psychological symptoms. They include:

• Restlessness: Your body is used to nicotine for relaxation, so you may feel restless or jittery. Your body absorbs twice as much caffeine when you quit, so monitor your intake to avoid worsening this sensation.
• Increased hunger and weight gain: Nicotine suppresses appetite and increases metabolism, often resulting in weight loss. When you quit, your appetite increases and your metabolism slows down, leading to weight gain. This weight gain is usually a sign of your body returning to health.
• Sleep disruptions: Sleep disturbances are common. Create a calming nighttime routine (avoid caffeine and screens before bed) and ensure your bedroom is dark and comfortable.
• Head cold symptoms: Blocked sinuses, sore throat, headache, and body aches are common in the first week. Keep over-the-counter medications handy.
• Digestive problems: Symptoms like constipation and cramping are common but usually pass within a few weeks.
• Anxiety or depression: Smokers are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression than people who don’t smoke. While nicotine may mask these feelings, it doesn’t treat the underlying condition. Symptoms may worsen after quitting, so talk to your GP or a mental health professional.
• Mood changes: Agitation, anger, and stress are common but will level out as your body adjusts.
• Cravings: Intense cravings are common, especially in the first week. Avoid emotional and situational triggers where possible.
• Difficulty concentrating: Having difficulty concentrating is common and will subside within the first month.
• Cough: A worsening cough is a sign that your lungs are clearing toxins. This is because the cilia in your lungs are regaining movement again and working to rid your lungs of the toxins that have built up there. Visit your GP if your cough doesn’t improve within a month.

Day 6 No Smoking: Cold-Turkey

Quitting smoking cold turkey is extremely challenging, so if you’re struggling, don’t be disheartened.

Nicotine withdrawal symptoms are often very intense, especially in the first three to six days after quitting, when the nicotine content first leaves your body.

The benefit of quitting cold turkey is that you’re breaking the addiction cycle immediately.

Several strategies can help you quit cold turkey, including:

• Keeping healthy snacks and drinks on hand to keep your mouth and hands busy.
• Scheduling activities for the moments when you would have smoked to distract yourself from cravings. For example, go for a walk before breakfast or enjoy a warm cup of tea after dinner.
• Finding a new book or TV show to keep your mind distracted from thoughts of smoking.
• Keeping cough lozenges and other over-the-counter medicines on hand for withdrawal nausea, coughing, and flu-like symptoms.
• Setting up a support network of friends and family with whom you can call or plan activities when quitting feels challenging.
• Replacing smoking with a different healthy habit. Take a sip of water or juice when you feel a craving, or stand up and do a few stretches.
• Keeping a journal to write down how you’re feeling and remind yourself why you’re quitting. This can help release thoughts and emotions.

The Risk of Relapse

Many experts argue that quitting cold turkey often leads to relapses.

Some studies found that only up to 5% of those who quit cold turkey stayed smoke-free for at least six to 12 months.

Benefits of Nicotine Replacement Therapies (NRTs)

Quitting with the assistance of Nicotine Replacement Therapies (NRTs) significantly increases your chances of success. In fact, it has been found that all forms of NRTs increase the chances of quitting by 50 to 60%.

NRTs are products that release small doses of nicotine into the body, without the other harmful chemicals found in tobacco.

They are designed to wean your body off nicotine and reduce the intensity of nicotine withdrawal symptoms, leading to sustained abstinence from smoking.

Forms of NRTs

NRTs come in various forms, including nicotine patches, lozenges, inhalers, nasal sprays, sublingual tablets, and gum.

A 2016 study found that after six months of quitting, 23% of people using a nicotine patch, 24% of people taking varenicline, and 27% of people using a nicotine patch and a nicotine lozenge had successfully quit.

At the one-year mark, the results were 21%, 19%, and 20% respectively.

A 2022 study highlighted that a combined approach is the most effective: An example would be using both a nicotine patch and lozenges or gum in the four to 12 weeks after you quit.

You must check with your doctor before continuing the treatment if you feel you’ll need to use NRTs for longer than 12 weeks.

6 Days of No Smoking: The Benefits

Quitting smoking has numerous health benefits, even just six days after your last cigarette. But what are some of the other advantages of giving up cigarettes for good?

Skin Benefits

One of the notable benefits of quitting smoking is the improvement in skin appearance. These positive changes often start to become noticeable within three months.

Smoking can affect the skin in a few different ways.

• Yellowing and Discolouration: The tar in cigarettes causes yellowing, especially around the fingers.
• Blood Flow and Aging: Nicotine restricts blood flow and damages collagen and elastin fibres, speeding up the ageing process. After quitting, blood flow returns to normal, along with oxygen and antioxidant levels, encouraging skin cell turnover.
• Complexion Improvement: As collagen production normalises, yellowing, dark spots, and discolouration begin to fade, leaving your skin looking more plump and youthful.

Back Pain Benefits

Quitting smoking can also prevent chronic back pain.

• Pain Sensitivity: Nicotine increases pain sensitivity by interfering with the brain’s ability to regulate pain.
• Blood Flow and Healing: Smoking disrupts blood flow, damages the spine’s discs, and reduces the body’s capacity to heal from injuries.
• Improved Circulation: Within the first six days of quitting, your circulation and blood flow improve, enhancing immune function, supporting spinal health, and reducing back pain.

Financial Benefits

You’ll be amazed by how much money you can save by quitting smoking.

Currently, a 20-pack-a-day smoker spends $280 on cigarettes weekly. So, within six days of quitting, you can treat yourself to a new item of clothing or an indulgent massage.

You’ll go on to save $560 in two weeks, $1,120 in a month, and $13,440 in a year.

With the rising federal taxes on smoking this year (up to 15% by 2026), it’s certainly the best time to quit

When you give up cigarettes, all that extra cash can be put towards other things that will bring you joy, such as a holiday or a house deposit.

I Quit Smoking: What to Look Forward to After Day 6

Within the first six days of quitting smoking, your body is already undergoing many positive changes, and the best is yet to come.

Here are some changes you may notice:

• Two Weeks: Easier breathing and exercising due to improved circulation and oxygen levels.
• One Month: Most withdrawal symptoms subside; better infection-fighting and wound healing.
• Six Weeks: Improved moods and reduced stress.
• Three to Six Months: Less coughing now that your cilia have recovered and are better at clearing out your lungs. Your immune and circulatory systems have also improved significantly at this point.
• Nine Months: More energy and less shortness of breath.
• One Year: By your one year anniversary of quitting, your risk of coronary heart disease halves. You have a reduced risk of cancer, including stomach, liver, colon, rectum, and pancreatic cancers.
• Two to Five Years: Risk of heart attack and stroke is the same as that of a non-smoker.
• Ten Years: Risk of lung cancer is half of what it was when smoking.
• Fifteen Years: Risk of coronary heart disease is the same as a non-smoker.

For more inspiration, check out the complete timeline to quit smoking and further steps to get on the right track.

Start Your Quitting Journey with SmokeFree Clinic

 A lot happens after six days of not smoking.

Your risk of heart attack decreases, your lungs are healing themselves, and the flow of oxygen and blood in your body improves dramatically. Your sense of taste and smell is also getting better, so it’s time to tuck into your favourite meal and savour each bite.

You’ve saved almost $14,000 yearly, too.

After the six-day mark, there’s a lot to look forward to, and you’ve already made it through the hard yards.

Celebrate your milestone knowing you’ve taken a great step for your health and future.

Smokefree Clinic gives you access to many medically reviewed and trustworthy resources that can inform and aid you in your path to wellness, so have a look around!

If you’re ready to get started, Smokefree can connect you to Australian healthcare professionals who excel in helping patients quit smoking for good.

Book a consultation today!

Resources and Links:

• https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/smoking
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317956#fast-facts
• https://www.healthline.com/health/what-happens-when-you-quit-smoking#24-hours
• https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/withdrawal-fact-sheet#:~:text=They%20are%20usually%20worst%20during,quitting%20(3%2C%204).
• https://www.health.gov.au/topics/smoking-vaping-and-tobacco/about-smoking/effects
• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2004.00540.x?sid=nlm%3Apubmed
• https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2484340
• https://australianprescriber.tg.org.au/articles/optimal-use-of-smoking-cessation-pharmacotherapy.html
• https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2014/11/smoking-is-a-pain-in-the-back/