Nicotine withdrawal timeline for smoking & vaping.
Quitting vaping, smoking or nicotine is no easy feat, but an understanding of the quitting timeline and symptoms can help prepare you for the journey ahead.
First, it’s important to mention that the benefits of quitting vaping, smoking, or nicotine don't just affect your health long term—quitters can start to see the payoffs as early as 24 hours into their quitting journey.
Before you start your quitting journey, you should understand your nicotine dependency level and quitting goals, which you can do in the free Jones app . Your dependency level helps determine how quickly you can reduce your nicotine intake.
What is nicotine withdrawal?
When people stop smoking or vaping, they typically experience physical, mental, and emotional symptoms, also known as nicotine withdrawal. These withdrawal symptoms are a result of your brain and body adjusting to not having nicotine, and the intensity will be based on how much you consumed and for how long. When you suddenly stop or consume less nicotine, your brain produces less dopamine, which can also impact your mood and behavior. It can take some time for your brain and body to adjust to not having nicotine, which is why having a plan in place to help manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms is crucial for successfully quitting.
Nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
Nicotine withdrawal symptoms can vary, and some people may experience some, none, or all of them. Here are the most common symptoms:
- Intense cravings to vape or smoke
- Feeling irritable, easily annoyed, angry, or on edge
- Headache
- Feeling jumpy or restless
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Craving sugar or salty snacks
- Feeling anxious or depressed
If these symptoms are the reason you don’t want to quit, remember, you don’t have to tolerate them alone. Quitting vaping cold turkey may sound like a feat to achieve, but suffering through uncomfortable symptoms doesn’t make you any more likely to successfully quit. In fact, the opposite is true. The most effective way to successfully manage withdrawal symptoms is with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which can double your chance of quitting, and make it a lot easier and more comfortable along the way.
Does NRT shorten nicotine withdrawal?
Yes, NRT does help shorten nicotine withdrawal by making the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal much less severe. The combination of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and behavioral support is the recommended best practice for quitting by the medical community at large. And it’s supported by 50+ years of clinical studies. NRT can increase quitting success rates by 50-60% and using behavioral support with NRT can increase success rates by an additional 20%.
Jones' Chief Medical Advisor, Dr. David Kan, says, "It’s a good idea to taper on the way to cessation. There are different programs available but most recommend 10-12 weeks to taper nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)." The most common quitting timeline is a 12-week quit plan. NRT doses can vary based on your dependency level. For this reason the most personalized quit vaping timeline, quit smoking timeline, or quit nicotine timeline you can follow can be found by taking the Jones Quiz.
Nicotine Withdrawal Timeline.
It’s important to note that nicotine replacement therapy minimizes any of the withdrawal symptoms outlined here.
The First Hour:
In as little as 20 minutes after the last source of nicotine, the heart rate drops and returns to normal.
Blood pressure begins to drop, and circulation may start to improve.
Day 1:
In as little as 1 day after quitting, a person’s blood pressure begins to drop, decreasing the risk of heart disease from smoking-induced high blood pressure. In this short time, a person’s oxygen levels have risen, making physical activity and exercise easier to do, promoting heart-healthy habits.
Day 2:
Smoking damages the nerve endings responsible for the senses of smell and taste. In as little as 2 days after quitting, you may notice a heightened sense of smell and more vivid tastes as these nerves heal.
Day 3:
3 days after quitting, the nicotine levels in your body are depleted. While it is healthier to have no nicotine in the body, this initial depletion can cause nicotine withdrawal. Around 3 days after quitting, most people will experience moodiness and irritability, severe headaches, and cravings as the body readjusts. These symptoms can be safely and healthily minimized with NRT.
Days 5-8:
Your body’s circulation and your breathing should start to see improvements. You could be experiencing cravings 3 times per day.
Week 1 Recap:
The first week is the most challenging. During the first week of quitting, you will notice the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal including headaches, cravings, and insomnia. Headaches and dizziness are often the first to show up but also the first to go away. You might notice your sense of smell and taste return within as little as 24 hours after quitting.
Weeks 2-3:
Your lung function should be noticeably improved and you’ll start experiencing decreased withdrawal symptoms. Most relapses happen within two weeks of quitting. If you can get over this hump, the physical symptoms will start to go away. You may have some anxiety, depression, and irritability after two weeks but these symptoms will subside over the next few weeks.
Your energy level might be low initially but it will improve within a month and be far more steady than the constant up and down of smoking or vaping.
Month 1:
In as little as 1 month, lung function begins to improve. As the lungs heal and lung capacity improves, former smokers may notice less coughing and shortness of breath. Athletic endurance increases and former smokers may notice a renewed ability for cardiovascular activities, such as running and jumping.
If you go cold turkey: the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are especially present on days 3-5 of quitting. Increased appetite is common. Constipation can happen too. It takes about a month for this to get better. NRT helps manage all of these symptoms. NRT withdrawal symptoms are very mild compared to cold-turkey. You might not even notice that you are withdrawing from nicotine at all.
Months 2-3:
If you’re using NRT, part way through month 2 you’ll start to reduce your nicotine mint intake or even switch from 4mg to 2mg mints. You will start to notice increased lung capacity which can improve up to 33% in 3 months. Additionally your blood pressure might drop to a safe range if it is not there already and your circulation will improve as well as your exercise tolerance.
10-12 weeks is the fastest recommended quit vaping timeline with NRT. However, doctors recommend taking NRT as long as needed - some people even choose to use NRT for the rest of their lives. NRT is safe and effective. It does not contain the harmful chemicals that are found in vapes or tobacco products. Furthermore, NRT has less addictive potential because the rise in blood nicotine levels is slower than vaping or smoking.
Remember, cravings are common but they will pass (even if it feels like they may never).
Most importantly, don’t forget the 3 D’s - delay, distract yourself, and drink 6 ounces of water. All three help with cravings. If you're looking for distractions (such as a very satisfying game where you toss a vape in the trash) and craving tools, download the Jones App to have these tools at your fingertips.
The Author: Caroline Huber
Caroline is the founder and head of physical product at Jones. She tried quitting vaping countless times before founding Jones to provide the tools she needed to succeed.
