Published at 01 August, 2023 16:32.
Let`s take 5 minutes with a coffee and talk about how quitting in summer is much easier than you may have thought!
Summer is generally a time when we are feeling more relaxed and maybe we are feeling less stressed and anxious. If you are taking a break away, the escape from your daily grind gives you an opportunity to feel freer. As you are away from your usual routines you can let go of habits that you associate with smoking and release yourself from the constraints of the daily bind of smoking.
Maybe you have started walking more as the days are longer, the nights lighter and the opportunity to do more exercise is available to you. Being active outdoors can take your mind off cravings. Take in the fresh air instead of cigarette smoke!
Having healthy snacks to hand is a great way of keeping your mouth and hands busy. In summer we have access to more fresh fruit, vegetables, and salads. Why not chop up some carrot sticks, cucumber slices, apples and celery and make some healthy dips. Have these to hand when you feel an urge to smoke.
We need to stay hydrated in the hotter weather. Having a bottle of water to hand is very beneficial when stopping smoking. Reach for a brightly coloured water or juice bottle. Keep hydrated and you`ll keep your hands and mouth busy at the same time. It is hard enough to sleep in the hot weather, but did you know that smoking can also contribute to your restless nights? Smokers take longer to fall asleep, spend less time asleep and may experience snoring and sleep apnoea more than a non-smoker. Chemicals in cigarettes cause this sleep disturbance by making your airways swell. Nicotine in your cigarettes can also keep you awake at night.
If you are going abroad and you would usually stop at the duty-free shop and buy cheaper cigarettes, think what you can treat yourself to instead, like some lovely perfume or aftershave as a reward for stopping smoking. You will smell gorgeous on holiday instead of smelling of cigarette smoke. Why not jump in the pool when you have an urge to smoke or go for a walk along the beach or catch some waves. You might even join in some of the daily activities around your hotel which will keep you busy and not even thinking about smoking.
If you are meeting with friends soon and this is your usual trigger to smoke, think ahead about what you can do differently. Avoid alcohol if this will lead you to smoke. Inform friends before you meet that you are quitting and ask them to support you and not offer you cigarettes. Maybe they will quit with you, and you can form your own “Quit for Summer” support team.
If you are home for the summer enjoy the refreshing, feel of fresh air when you stop smoking. Make your garden or outdoor space inviting and somewhere you want to spend time in. May be this is the time to do some gardening. Plant some flowers that will inspire you and cultivate that nurturing feeling. Nurture yourself by not smoking. Get rid of ash trays, pick up discarded cigarette butts and make it a space where you can enjoy in a healthy way and not one that is associated with smoking. Why not save for a new tree or plant you have always wanted or even some new outdoor furniture with the money you will save from not smoking.
You may notice you have more energy to play with your children or grandchildren or even your dog, as the weeks of summer go by. You could have enough money saved ready for the next school uniform in September and you could even start saving for Christmas with the money saved from not smoking this, summer!
