7 tips to handle smoking urges

You may use all, ior a combination of several to achieve your goals. The urge to smoke is immediate, and usually lasts for 5 minutes. If you can resists for that period of time, you can reduce the urge.

1. Take a deep breath, hold it for a few seconds, and exhale as is you just had taken your first puff on a cigarette. Part of the feeling you get from smoking is a direct result of taking a deep breath. A deep breath allows you to take in a maximum amount of oxygen, and exhaling lets out large quantities of carbon dioxide. This results in a feeling of relaxation. Try it, you'll see,

2. Put something in your mouth that has no calories, such as a stirrer, toothpick, or another substitute for a cigarette.

3. Take a sip of water severeal times during this 5 minutes period. It can help to diminish the need to smoke, and gives you something to do with your hands. The extra water will also help to flush the nicotine out of your body.

4. Get busy with something, anything, to keep you busy for the nest 5 minutes.

5. Get up and move around for 5 minutes. It will help the urge to smoke to pass.

6. As long as it does not lead to a craving, chew a piece of gum or a piece of hard candy. Life Savers work well.

7. Use a nicotine patch as replacement therapy.