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Smoking has long been associated with a higher mortality risk and diseases like cancer, heart disease, and lower respiratory disease, but with hospitals full, the effects of smoking are being felt more in 2023. Today, more smokers are attempting to quit to help preserve their health and prevent the development of life-threatening conditions and diseases.

Approximately 30% to 50% of smokers make a quit attempt in any given year, but success rates are as low as 7.5%. Smoking cessation before age 44 can help reduce mortality by 21%, and quitting between the ages of 45 and 54 is associated with a substantial health benefit compared with continuing smoking.

That being said, the low success rate for smoking cessation may hinder existing smokers from wanting to make the big step of quitting the habit. This can be explained by the common occurrence known as nicotine withdrawal, which often leads quitting smokers to relapses and cigarette cravings. Below, we’ll explore what nicotine withdrawal is and how you can best manage it:

What is nicotine withdrawal?

Traditional cigarettes contain nicotine derived from the tobacco plant. Long-term tobacco use — such as cigarette smoking — makes your body accustomed to this chemical. For smokers who have recently quit, this adjustment can be difficult as the body has long become used to having nicotine, which leads to a variety of uncomfortable symptoms such as craving cigarettes, feeling restless or jumpy, and having trouble sleeping.

A study on nicotine withdrawal and insomnia found that cigarette smokers are disproportionately affected by sleep disturbances, such as insomnia, compared to non-smokers. This association may be due to the arousing effect of nicotine and feelings of withdrawal. Smokers often report insomnia symptoms following their quit attempts, driving the eventual relapse back into smoking.

Nicotine withdrawal can also heavily impact your mood, causing mood changes. Smokers also report feeling irritable, anxious, or depressed upon quitting, which can be harmful as they may return to smoking to calm themselves. Of course, nicotine withdrawal is different for everyone and depends on how long you smoked and how much. Learning how to manage these withdrawal symptoms can help avoid triggers and cravings in the long term.

Managing nicotine withdrawals

Smoking cessation tools and behavioral therapy can help smokers quit the habit effectively. However, there are other things you can try to complement your smoking cessation journey and cope with nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Alternative nicotine products

Some smoking cessation tools are also alternative nicotine products, known as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Nicotine gums help manage nicotine cravings and reduce withdrawal symptoms by providing the body with a small dose of nicotine, helping alleviate the physical symptoms of withdrawal upon quitting.

However, some others remain pending approval from the FDA to be marketed as a smoking cessation aid, even if current smokers do use them to help wean off nicotine eventually. Case in point, oral nicotine products like nicotine pouches help smokers quit by delivering nicotine without the harm of tobacco. These small pouches are made with nicotine, flavorings, and food-grade fillers for a discreet, smoke-free nicotine experience. Some of the best nicotine pouches are in flavors such as dragonfruit and mango, making the cessation journey a little more pleasant. Pouches are an excellent option for people experiencing nicotine withdrawal symptoms, as they can be used anytime and anywhere.

Coffee

Last but not least, a cup of brewed coffee in the morning can be just as effective in helping manage nicotine withdrawal and cravings. There may be a reason some smokers associate the first cigarettes of the day with having coffee in the morning. A study on how coffee affects nicotine receptors in the brain found that a compound in brewed coffee helps restore the nicotine receptor dysfunction that causes nicotine cravings in smokers.

Still, you should also be wary of what activities trigger your cigarette cravings. If you’ve been smoking for a long time and have associated morning coffee with your smoking habit, coffee alone may not be enough to help manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Rather, it may trigger more intense cravings, so be wary.