Want to Quit Smoking? Just Breathe

When it comes to quitting cigarettes, the focus is usually on the addictive properties of the nicotine and additives. We talk about how to get past the cravings in order to kick the habit for good and how to survive nicotine detox. What’s usually not discussed is another aspect of smoking that may make quitting harder: the breathing.

You see, when smokers inhale, they breathe differently from the rest of us. There’s a pattern that includes inhaling, holding and then exhaling – all done in a rhythm that aids in relaxation. Subtract the toxic smoke from the equation and it could be similar to the calming breaths taken during a yoga class or meditation. When a smoker tries to quit, they often use a patch to cut cravings and maybe chew gum to keep their mouth busy, but they don’t compensate for the relaxation breathing that they’re now missing.

The nicotine may be to blame for the physical addiction of smoking, but the breathing can be just as addictive. That means when a smoker is suddenly missing it, the first sign of stress can send them lighting up again.

Someone with a pack-a-day habit who takes approximately 10-12 drags from each of those 20 cigarettes, breathes in and out 250 times in this relaxing pattern. Researchers who have surveyed hundreds of ex-smokers found that at least half of them realize, after going through the motions of breathing as if they were having a cigarette, that it is a major component of the addiction.

This may be just one more reason that smoking is so hard to give up. After all, breathing is linked to health and engaging in a certain pattern of breathing can help you relax and handle stress. Fortunately, smokers who give up cigarettes don’t need to give up this stress-relieving effect. In fact, if smokers who are trying to quit would practice the breathing minus the cigarette at regular intervals, they would find quitting easier.  For those seeking a natural way to quit, this could be the answer. Plus, it may increase the likelihood they stay smoke-free for good, since research shows that ex-smokers who practice this breathing ritual on a regular basis are more likely to have long-term success.

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