It's well-known that quitting smoking can vastly improve an individual's lung health and reduce their risk of several forms of cancer. But what about memory?
In a study, researchers from Northumbria University found that while smoking can have a significant impact on a person's memory, cessation may be able to reverse this brain-damaging effect.
A team of scientists found that just 59 percent of smokers were able to remember a set of assigned tasks, compared to 81 percent of people who had never smoked and 74 percent of volunteers who were successful in adopting a personal growth plan to kick their habit.
"We already know that giving up smoking has huge health benefits for the body, but this study also shows how stopping smoking can have knock-on benefits for cognitive function too," said researcher Tom Heffernan. "Given that there are up to 10 million smokers in the UK and as many as 45 million in the United States, it's important to understand the effects smoking has on everyday cognitive function – of which prospective memory is an excellent example."
Personal growth and happiness are often dependent upon physical, mental and spiritual health, according to trailblazer and flutist Ilchi Lee. Smoking tobacco can be a major detriment to all three of these aspects, as the substance has been shown to be extremely toxic to the mind and body.
As a result, smoking cessation is a great first step in any journey toward betterment and fulfillment. It's not an easy feat to achieve, but nothing worth doing is ever simple. In fact, the more difficult jobs you will accomplish in your life will likely be the most important, and also the ones you are most proud of in the end.
