DailyPractice

30 day challenge · Habits

Smoke-Free

A month without cigarettes or vaping, one day at a time. A slip doesn't erase the days behind it. Pick up where you left off, and lean on a quitline or your doctor if it helps.

The calendar

Every day: Smoke-free today

What's changing in you

At 24 hours

since your last cigarette, on average

Blood
20m1d1w1mo1y15y

Just happened

Your blood carries oxygen again

Carbon monoxide drops to the level of someone who does not smoke. Your blood is carrying oxygen, not smoke.

Between 24 hours and 4 days, for many people

Next up

In 24 hours

Cravings may be at their strongest

Days 2 and 3 are often the hardest. That's your brain adjusting, and it means the worst is close to passing.

The first 3 days, hour by hour

Each line shows how much is left, compared with where it started.

You
Start24h48h72h

  • Carbon monoxide in your blood

    4% left

    The extra carbon monoxide from smoke halves about every 4 to 6 hours while you breathe normal air.

  • Nicotine in your blood

    Almost none

    Nicotine halves about every 2 hours, so it is nearly gone within a day.

  • Cotinine, what nicotine breaks down into

    38% left

    Cotinine lingers longer. It halves about every 16 to 19 hours, so it takes several days to clear.

Every change, step by step

Between 20 minutes and 2 hours

Reached

Your heart starts to calm down

Nicotine speeds up your heart. As it wears off, your heart rate starts to drop.

Good evidence

Between 4 and 6 hours

Reached

Half the carbon monoxide is gone

Smoke puts carbon monoxide in your blood, where it takes oxygen's seat. About half of it has left already.

Well established

Between 8 and 12 hours

Reached

More oxygen is reaching your body

With less carbon monoxide in the way, your red blood cells carry more oxygen to your muscles and brain.

Good evidence

By about 24 hours

Reached

Nicotine is nearly out of your blood

The nicotine from your last cigarette has almost all left your bloodstream.

Well established

Between 24 hours and 4 days

Reached

Your blood carries oxygen again

Carbon monoxide drops to the level of someone who does not smoke. Your blood is carrying oxygen, not smoke.

Well established

Between 2 and 3 days

In 24 hours

Cravings may be at their strongest

Days 2 and 3 are often the hardest. That's your brain adjusting, and it means the worst is close to passing.

Good evidence

Between 2 days and 6 weeks

In 24 hours

Taste and smell start coming back

Food can start to taste and smell stronger within days or weeks.

Early or approximate

By about 3 days

In 2 days

Breathing may feel easier

Many people notice breathing feels a little easier and they have more energy.

Early or approximate

Between 2 and 4 weeks

In 13 days

Withdrawal is easing

For most people, the worst of withdrawal fades within 2 to 4 weeks.

Good evidence

Between 1 and 12 months

In 4 weeks

Coughing and breathlessness ease

The tiny hairs in your airways, called cilia, wake up and sweep out mucus. Coughing and shortness of breath get better.

Well established

By about 6 weeks

In 6 weeks

Many people feel calmer

Once withdrawal is over, many people feel less anxious and less stressed than when they smoked.

Good evidence

Between 6 weeks and 3 months

In 6 weeks

Your brain's nicotine receptors reset

Smoking made your brain grow extra nicotine receptors. By now, they're back to a nonsmoker's level.

Good evidence

Between 3 and 12 months

In 3 months

Your lungs work better

Your lungs can move air better than they did, and they age more slowly from here.

Good evidence

Between 12 months and 2 years

In 12 months

Heart attack risk drops sharply

Your chance of a heart attack has dropped a lot compared with when you smoked.

Well established

Between 3 and 6 years

In 3 years

Extra heart disease risk is cut in half

The extra heart disease risk that smoking added is about half what it was.

Well established

Between 5 and 10 years

In 5 years

Mouth and throat cancer risk halves

Your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box is cut in half, and stroke risk falls.

Well established

Between 10 and 15 years

In 10 years

Lung cancer risk is about half

Your chance of lung cancer is about half that of someone who kept smoking.

Well established

By about 15 years

In 15 years

Your heart risk is close to a nonsmoker's

Your risk of heart disease is now close to someone who never smoked.

Well established

Share your progress

A snapshot for your friends, or just for you.

WHAT'S CHANGING IN ME24 hourssmoke-free.My blood is carrying oxygenagain, not carbon monoxide.5changes so farDailyPracticedailypractice.ai

Everyone's body is different. Talk to a doctor about quitting support.

Free help to quit, any time: 1-800-QUIT-NOW or smokefree.gov.

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