Quitting smoking for good is a major accomplishment. Saying goodbye to cigarettes means you are on the way to improving your physical health; you’ll also save money and be free of the financial burden of a smoking habit. But getting to that point isn’t always easy because smoking withdrawal symptoms are part of the cessation journey. For most smokers, overcoming withdrawal symptoms takes time, effort and willpower.1 If you plan to quit, learn about quit-smoking withdrawal symptoms, how long they last and strategies you can use to overcome them.
What Makes Smoking Addictive?
Nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products is a highly addictive substance, and people who quit smoking may experience symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, especially if they’ve used tobacco products for a long period of time.1 Nicotine withdrawal is a collection of physical, mental and emotional symptoms that are felt as nicotine leaves your body.2
When you smoke or use tobacco products, your brain and body become used to the nicotine thanks to a chemical reaction in your brain that produces excess dopamine.2 When you quit smoking or cut back on your usage, the lack of nicotine in your body causes less dopamine to be released in your brain, triggering a range of smoking withdrawal symptoms that may be difficult to manage and can make you want to smoke again.2
Why Does Smoking Withdrawal Happen?
When you smoke, your body rapidly absorbs nicotine through your small airways and lungs, and in just about 10 seconds, the nicotine reaches your brain.3 There, it hits the pleasure and reward center of your brain, causing a release of neurotransmitters, or chemicals, including dopamine.4 The more you smoke, the more your body craves the release of dopamine from nicotine—and the more nicotine it needs to feel good. Once smoking becomes a regular habit, your body gets used to these higher levels of dopamine and can become dependent on nicotine to provide it.4 When you quit smoking, your body must suddenly adjust to the lack of nicotine.4
What Are Smoking Withdrawal Symptoms?
There are a range of potential symptoms; each person may experience nicotine withdrawal differently. The severity of your symptoms may depend on how frequently you smoked and how much nicotine was in the products you used.2
Nicotine withdrawal symptoms will typically begin a few hours after your last dose of nicotine, whether it was a cigarette, a vape pen or smokeless tobacco.2 They may be most intense a few days afterward and may last for up to several weeks.2 However, any symptoms that you experience should get better day by day, especially after their peak on the third day after quitting. Thankfully, the health benefits of quitting smoking should outweigh any negative symptoms.2
Smoking Withdrawal: Physical Symptoms
Physical smoking withdrawal symptoms may present themselves because the balance of chemical messengers in your brain has been thrown off. Addiction frequently manifests itself as a physical craving, and this may occur long after your body is no longer addicted to nicotine.1 Some of these physical symptoms may include:1,2,5
- Urges to smoke
- Headaches
- Increased appetite
- Weight gain
- Constipation, gas or diarrhea
- Cough, dry mouth, sore throat and nasal drip
- Chest tightness
- Insomnia
- Feeling restless
Smoking Withdrawal: Emotional and Mental Symptoms
In addition to physical withdrawal symptoms, the lack of nicotine in your system may manifest in a range of emotional and mental symptoms. You may have known others who have quit smoking and were incredibly grouchy for about two weeks; this symptom was not unique to those individuals! In fact, irritability is an extremely common emotional symptom of smoking withdrawal.5 Some others include:1,2,5
- Feeling tired, restless or bored
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling irritated
Smoking Withdrawal Timeline
Most symptoms will peak during the second or third day after you quit but understanding a timeline for nicotine withdrawal can help you understand what’s happening in your body and help you stay firm in your desire to quit.6 If you’ve smoked your last cigarette, here’s what you can expect to experience within:6
- 4 hours. Your body is craving another cigarette and you’re probably feeling antsy. The nicotine in your body has dropped by 90%.
- 10 hours. Your blood sugar levels are lower than they usually are at this point, and you may be feeling unusually hungry. Your circulation is returning to normal, and it may cause your hands and feet to feel tingly.
- 24 hours. The first full day after you stop smoking may be rough. You will likely have the urge to reach for a tobacco product as soon as you wake up. Your body will be craving nicotine, but it’s important to stay strong in your resolve to quit. Irritability and anxiety are common.
- 48 hours. As your brain starts to become accustomed to the lack of nicotine, you may even experience symptoms like depression, headaches and constant cravings.
- 72 hours. After about a week, cravings should have subsided, and each individual craving shouldn’t last much longer than 5 minutes. Some heavy smokers will experience a sore throat with heavy coughing; this is because your body is attempting to get rid of the tar accrued during your time as a smoker. You may also feel some tightness in your chest, which can be attributed to the coughing.
- 7-21 days. You may still experience some cravings in the three weeks following your quit, but they should be manageable by this point. You’ll also notice that your appetite has increased but that you seem to have less energy than you used to. This is due to your metabolism normalizing and your blood pressure dropping
Managing Smoking Withdrawal Symptoms
All these smoking withdrawal symptoms may sound like a lot to handle, but it’s important to remember they are only temporary. Being prepared for these symptoms and creating a plan before you quit can help you be a step ahead when some of the negativity sets in. For instance, having a plan for when cravings hit or practicing breathing exercises for when you feel anxious or frustrated may help you make it through some of the tougher moments without reaching for a cigarette.2
If you are nervous to quit cold turkey or have tried before and not been successful, you might consider using a smoking cessation aid to help with the withdrawal symptoms. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products, such as Nicorette gum, lozenges or patches, allows your body to continue receiving nicotine in therapeutic doses to gradually wean your body off the chemical. It is an effective way to help manage cravings and lessen the intensity of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, giving you an even better shot of sticking to your quit.
