Why is exercise so helpful when you quit?

One of the best ways to relieve the harsh effects of your internal stress response is to exercise. Just moderate activity can have dramatic and positive effects on your health. More often than not, we get stressed and we sit a lot. Nothing improves your health as quickly and as profoundly as regular exercise.

In addition to helping you manage stress, the benefits of exercise will also improve your chances of successfully quitting smoking. Exercise provides some of the same rewards as smoking: mental sharpening, increased sense of self-control, and a greater ability to relax and relieve the effects of stress. Many successful ex-smokers have found exercise to be the final part in their successful quitting kit. Exercise is frequently recommended for all types of drug addiction.

The combination of using stretching or yoga exercise, aerobic exercise, and relaxation strategies is very helpful for smokers. Those smokers who exercise regularly are more likely to quit. Often, those that do not quit smoking, do reduce their smoking substantially with the help of exercise.

There are several reasons for the beneficial effects of exercise on smoking:

--Regular physical activity induces biochemical changes within the body. Some of these changes are similar to those produced by nicotine. Exercise boosts catecholamines which produce increased mental alertness. Sustained exercise increases the brain's endorphin level, a neurotransmitter that produces a pleasant and relaxed state of well being.

--By working regular exercise into your weekly schedule, you can provide yourself with a regular period of self-care, self-management, and serenity. Your exercise time can interrupt your normal stress patterns, and create an enriching and healthy alternative to smoking!

--Regular exercise can strengthen your back, tone your muscles, lighten your mood, balance your endocrine system, improve your resilience to illness, and help you sleep better.

--Regular exercise helps you cope more effectively with stress by helping you stay more calm and focused.

--Regular exercise can also produce positive moods and psychological changes. People who exercise are more likely to gain a sense of accomplishment, independence, and a sense of control over their life. They are also more likely to become more resolute, emotionally stable, and imaginative. It also makes you feel better about yourself!

--Regular exercise is the best weight management tool that a quitting smoker can use. Regular exercise helps to control cravings for cigarettes and food, and it can increase cravings for healthier food choices.

--Regular exercise helps your muscles relax and induces better quality sleep.

Research is not conclusive on the benefits of exercising to smokers who already have a tobacco-related illness. However, exercise is conclusively known to be an effective tool to help you quit smoking. Smokers who begin exercising seem to get a three-fold benefit from their exercise program:

--Exercise makes you feel better about yourself,

--Exercise helps you handle stress more effectively, and

--Exercise makes it much easier to reduce or quit your smoking.

--Exercise is a positive activity that, with time and repetition, can become a new habit. A habit can effectively replace smoking.

A healthy body starts to have a mind of its own, and you will become more attracted to other healthy behaviors when you exercise regularly. I have found the key to fitting in regular exercise is a combination of good time management and variety of exercise options. Weather conditions, your exercise environment, your state of health, and your personal preferences all influence the kind of exercise you can do. If you have a variety of fun activities with which to get active, you will always be able to find some way to exercise. Having a variety of indoor exercises like yoga or an exercise machine can be helpful when the weather is bad; and having outdoor activities helps you more fully enjoy the beautiful days that grace your life.