Exercise
Strenuous physical
activity, if your physician says you are up to it, can help work off irritation
from not having a cigarette in your mouth. Even mild calisthenics and
stretching exercises and walks can help relax you. Breathe deeply from time to
time.
Deep breathing can have a calming effect. The time after meals can be
difficult. Instead of a cigarette, try a mouth wash. Change habit patterns that
have gone with after-meal smoking. Immediately after eating, if you are used to
relaxing in one chair, use another; if you are used to reading a newspaper,
read a magazine or book instead, or try a puzzle.
Reward yourself. Have your
favorite meal on Q day.
Treat yourself to things you like best-except cigarettes.
After saving some money from not smoking, reward yourself with a present: a new
record, book, and trinket.
IF YOU CAN'T QUIT SMOKING ENTIRELY
If you have tried to quit before and failed, you may be
surprised this time. You may, indeed, succeed now. Circumstances, motivation,
will- power, and ability to break a habit do not remain stationary forever. If
you must smoke? smoke cigarettes with less tar and nicotine. Don't smoke a
cigarette all the way down; leave at least the last third, which yields twice
as much tar and nicotine as the first third. Take fewer puffs on each
cigarette. Reduce inhaling; don't consciously inhale.
Smoke fewer cigarettes each day. Cigarette users, unable to
stop smoking entirely, should shift to a pipe or cigars. While there still is
some risk of mouth cancer, overall mortality of cigar and pipe smokers is only
a little higher than among nonsmokers if the smoke is not inhaled. A good trick
is to use an unlighted pipe to get the feeling of something held in the mouth
or hand.
