24 Hours After Quitting Smoking | Nicorette Quitting Timeline

Quitting smoking helps some people sleep better and causes other people to feel more jittery. Find out which group you're in.

The cravings that peak in the first few days after quitting are part of the healing process. Your brain is asking for nicotine, but you can get the upper hand.

Quitters often slip but it doesn't mean you've failed. Here's why feeling bad about your slip is dangerous.

How Nicorette can help:

A slip can happen anytime and anywhere. Download and print out our handy Nicorette^® wallet card [PDF] that can remind you what you should do immediately after you slip and help get you back on track. Identify what caused the slip so you can be better prepared next time. And make sure you're using Nicorette correctly. At this point in your quit, you should be on your specific product's dosage schedule for Weeks 1 to 6. Make sure you continue to use Nicorette to control your craving for nicotine. It's important that you don't run out of Nicorette.

Quitting smoking helps some people sleep better and causes other people to feel more jittery. Find out which group you're in.
Congratulations on your first full day as a nonsmoker. With less nicotine in your system you have less dopamine to elevate your mood and also less adrenaline, which is a stimulant. But you may not feel more sleepy now. One reason is that since you don't smoke you don't metabolize caffeine as quickly. If you drink coffee or colas, caffeine will affect you more now. So the same amount of coffee or cola that you usually drink in a day might now make you jittery and anxious. Cut back on or cut out caffeine completely for a while if you're having trouble sleeping through the night.

The cravings that peak in the first few days after quitting are part of the healing process. Your brain is asking for nicotine, but you can get the upper hand.
Withdrawal symptoms appear within a few hours and peak 2 to 3 days after quitting. Remember to consult the diary you started before you quit and review your experiences. When were the cravings strongest? How did you manage in the car or after meals? Note where you were tempted to smoke so you can plan to use Nicorette^® Trigger Solutions the next time you feel the desire for a cigarette. And remember that a craving lasts only a few minutes. Try to get absorbed in an online game for a few minutes until it passes.

Quitters often slip but it doesn't mean you've failed. Here's why feeling bad about your slip is dangerous.
A slip is when you smoke one or two times after your quit date, but you still want to keep quitting. A relapse is when you go back to smoking the way you did before and give up your attempt to quit. The fact is many smokers try to quit several times before succeeding. If you slip, it's natural to feel bad. The problem is that feeling bad can lead to the self-defeating conclusion that your plan isn't working. That's simply not true. A slip is a slip, nothing more.

After a slip:

Be positive. Forgive yourself. Get rid of all your cigarettes.
Slips are learning opportunities — think about what tempted you and how you can avoid temptation next time.
Review your trigger solutions and replace those that aren't working for you.
One cigarette does not make you a smoker. You haven't failed. You just need to remember that your quit was working and get back to it.

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Tips for tackling triggers

There are certain times when you want a cigarette because it just seems to go with what you are doing. Drinking coffee in the morning is just one of the many cigarette-connected situations we call "triggers." We can help you approach these situations with alternate plans of attack. Here they are.
Stress

Try a short break, close your eyes, visualize a peaceful scene like a beach. Breathe slowly and deeply 10 times and relax the muscles around your mouth, in your jaw, neck, shoulders and even your hands.
With coffee

Change as much of this daily cigarette-linked habit as possible. Drink your coffee in a different room. Switch your mug. Or try switching to tea until you're totally smoke-free.
Boredom

Now's a good time to get into online games or crossword puzzles. Find a subject you want to know more about and read about it online. Try breaking out of your inertia by taking a walk or calling a friend.
On a drive

Before you quit smoking, clean out your car's interior and ashtrays. Play a different radio station or try audiobooks. Carrots or celery sticks can help keep your mouth and smoking hand occupied.
On the phone

Breaking habits means shaking things up. Talk on a different phone or move to a different place. Stand up when you talk instead of sitting. Keep straws or swizzle sticks handy to play with.
After meals

Don't linger at the table. Go where smoking isn't allowed like a mall or movie theater. It helps to know that foods like yogurt, milk, fruit and juices make cigarettes taste funny. End your meal with one of them.
Anger

Run, swim, walk or bike to let it out. Smokers sometimes light up instead of expressing themselves. Practice saying how you feel in a non-argumentative way so you'll be ready to say something the next time.
Parties or social events

If people are smoking, cut down or avoid alcohol so it doesn't affect your judgment. Ask for a straw or swizzle stick to play with. Practice saying, "No thanks; I don't smoke," if offered a cigarette.
To relax or unwind

It's important to find new ways to kick back. Pursue an interest online. Read and listen to music. Get better at a sport. Or find other ways to get out and active with friends.
Feeling blue

Getting up and going somewhere—a movie, a mall, a park, downtown—can help lift your mood. Or call someone you haven't talked to in a while. Share your good news about quitting.
Need a break

Get out for a little while, just don't do it with smokers. Go for a short walk or stand up and stretch. Surf online or pick up a book you enjoy.
I want to celebrate

Give yourself some play time or call a friend. For a big reward, window-shop online for the reward you could earn by staying smoke-free for the rest of the week.
After sex

Let your partner know you're quitting and why. If the cravings don't subside get up and brush your teeth. Smoking has been linked to impotence and loss of libido. So quitting smoking is good news for your sex life.
Anxiety

Breathe deeply, close your eyes and picture a serene setting. Notice if your facial, jaw and neck muscles are tense so you can consciously release them. Call a friend and talk about your fear.
Hunger

Hunger is often thirst disguised so drink some water. Keep healthy foods around to snack on. And remember that it takes about 20 minutes after a meal to feel full. Brush your teeth after eating.
Inability to focus

Take a break to stretch and walk around. Make a simple list of what you need to do. It will clear your mind so you can get back to work. Arrange tasks so that you can concentrate on one thing at a time.