My Best Time For A Cigarette

[southpaw]

The best cigarettes for me were ones that I was never totally awake for lighting up. I'd stubble out of bed, go outside and smoke. That was when I truly woke up--after the first or second puff. Moments of peacefulness and refelxtion. Some people say after a meal, which is good too, but it's not my MVC ( most valueable cigarette).

I never wanted the alarm-- no matter how sweet they can make the music-- to set the mood for the day. I always want my own thoughts to wake me up. My internal clock is honed in having smoked for over 16 years. I can usually get out of bed 2-3 minutes before my alarm goes off. Pretty cool stuff. I loved the quiet. It made me feel in control.

It's like the internal clock knows I'm not smoking, I want to sleep in. I hear the alarm and I don't want to get up, but I do. I haven't gotten up once before the alarm since I quit. It feels wrong. For so many reasons, it's just jarring to my day.

I try to fill mornings now with running for 15 minutes. I build up a sweat, my breathing is to heavy to take in a cigarette. I am not a physical sportsy athletic kind of person. I'm quite the opposite. I hate it. I don't exercise with impact. I need to find something I like that can offer the same benefits of running.

[Karynsfun2bwith]

I was a smoker for 16 years too. I just quit 9 days ago. I was a wake up and have a cigarette right away kind of smoker too. It just started my day. Then the cup of coffee followed. Now, I still find myself getting that in the morning craving but I try and substitute it with doing something else like making my bed, having a cup of coffee (couldn't get rid of caffeine) or doing the dishes. I have also been taking 20 minute walks at work. I'm not a runner myself but I feel like a can still breathe and get my heart rate up too. I don't think you would want to go from standing still to running right away. I think just taking a nice long walk will help. It's not as strenuous and you can breathe easier. Also, I am trying to eat better too and eat often. I am able to go right asleep and get up better now. It was hard for the first couple of days. All I wanted to do was to sleep to get over the craving. The longer I slept the better. Hang in there. It will get better.

[Terri103]

It just isn't easy.  Not at all.  I don't want to sound preachy, but maybe you would get help by doing more of the reading.  Its figuring out how you have been deceived for 16 years by nicotine and your own brain.  If you read and follow our posts, the ages trend upwards, and many have way more years of smoking and many more health problems.  I can't tell you how much, in this past month during my quit, I've shook my head and asked myself why I waited so long.  One of my buddies on here is around your age and I've told her I'm envious that she gets it way before many of us got it.  

Dale says willingness not willpower.  I mostly agree.  But those first days and weeks, when a bad urge hits, I had to find willpower too.  While you are quitting go easy on yourself.  I did sleep alot (when I could).  As far as I know, I do not smoke in my sleep! 

I am using the patch, takes the guesswork out of everything.  Just stepped down to level 2.  no regrets so far---except that I didn't do it sooner.  

I really would love to share in your success, I know you can do it!!!

[freeneasy]

My 1st smoke of the day was my best too. I would stand by the coffee pot and wait until one large cup dripped through. Pour it and chain smoke two cigs while drinking it.   You can get over it. Remember why you quit. You are doing the best thing you can do for yourself.  That thinking we had is the addict inside of us saying it's ok. Turn your thinking around-tell yourself you don't need to start your day off by inhaling tar and deadly chemicals and depriving yourself of oxygen. Make a list of reasons to quit smoking and reasons to continue to smoke.  You will probably find that reasons to continue are really excuses. You can stop and stay stopped and you will thank yourself for it and feel great about yourself for doing it!        

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

The most important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. Here is a link to a free PDF version of it:

http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

As well, read the sections on this site, and read the blogs, responses and pages of folks you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com and quitsmokingonline.com for the good information contained there.

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand. If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different.

You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.  Don't let that smoking thought rattle around your head alone.  Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...

The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!

Nancy

[linda258]

OK.... let me help you out... it is never a good time to smoke...  tell me why you want to quit ... read, research, plan and prepare.   Start talking to yourslef about why you want to quit. 

Hang in there... every second of every day is the perfect time not to smoke.  Your additction may try to tell you otherwise ... but it is a lie.   Who in their right mind really wants to smoke.... I know I thought the same thing too... but now I understand I smoked because I thought I had to .. wanted to.. needed to... enjoyed.. etc. etc.  It is a lie.  Oh, I fell for it hook, line and sinker.  When you start the feel the pain of smoking and you will... you will wake up and realize ... hmm  smoking is really not a good thing.

You can do this! 

[hwc]

Sounds like a whole lot of romancing cigarettes to me. Fantasizing that you actually got something from smoking.

Romancing cigarettes is risky business.

[hwc]

The internal clock goes off because you are in drug withdrawal after not smoking overnight. You wake up in desperate, desperate need of nicotine. And, a little hammered from having poisoned yourself the day before.

I thought that was normal and everyone felt like that in the morning. Boy, was I wrong.  Once I stopped being a nicotine addict, I actually started waking up before the alarm and feeling ready to go. It was great to enjoy mornings.

[hwc]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDJo1vfEqlo

[sparky26]

So have you quit ?   Have you ever read what happens in the brain when you smoke ? 

You may be getting your nicotine fix high , but you are not doing your body any favors.

Try waking up and doing some deep breathing , without the cigarette. 

[Thomas3.20.2010]

I think in terms of "what do I do instead?"

Have you tried mindful waking up? I envision a relaxing body scan thinking good morning to each part of the body. Then some light stretching to bring the circulation into your day. Once ready, perhaps you could recite this Affirmation:

Waking up this morning I smile
knowing there are 24 brand new hours before me.

I vow to live fully in each moment,

smoke free. I will honor this pledge no matter what and 

investigate my smoke free lifestyle with curiosity and self kindness.