News – 10 August 2022
As the warmer weather comes in and opportunities to socialise increase, it can be difficult to stay away from temptations and old habits such as smoking. If you’re trying to quit or stay quit this summer, then here are some top tips from Natalie, our Health & Housing Coordinator, to help you stay smoke-free whilst enjoying yourself:
- Preparation – discover your triggers. Are there certain times and activities where you smoke? Are there certain feelings that lead you to smoke such as stress or boredom? Tracking these by writing them down can be helpful to notice patterns.
- Eat regularly – being hungry can make cravings more intense and add to low mood, which can be confused with cravings to smoke. Plan your food and have easy, quick snacks to hand that you can take with you if you’re heading out and about and are not able to sit down for a meal.
- Stay hydrated – like hunger, dehydration can make cravings feel stronger and harder to ignore. Remember to drink plenty of non-alcoholic liquid and stay hydrated.
- Plan for cravings – sometimes cravings will strike unexpectedly, but keep calm, you can handle them. A craving lasts about five minutes, so make sure you have your nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or e-cigarette at hand and distract yourself by reading a book, playing a game on your phone, or going for a walk. The key is finding something else to do to take your mind off the craving until it passes.
- Socialising – limit going out and when you do, go with a plan. Think about the night ahead: Where are you going? What are you doing? Remember to take your NRT if you’re using it, as well as any other coping strategies you can use in that situation
For more information and advice on stopping smoking download the Stop Smoking self-help guide.