Giving up Smoking or Something Else for Lent?

Feb 14, 2023 Stop Smoking

Traditionally, Lent is a period of 40 days that many Christians around the world observe. During this time, people choose to give something up as a way to practice self-denial and strengthen their faith. You don’t have to be Christian to give up something for Lent. Lent runs from the 22nd of February until the 6th of April this year. Will you be giving something up?

 

Giving Up Smoking for Lent

Giving up smoking is a popular choice for Lent as it can have a major positive impact on a person’s health and well-being. Quitting smoking for forty days can be difficult, but it is also a great way to jumpstart a journey to becoming a non-smoker. With the right plan, support system, and determination, giving up smoking for Lent can be a positive experience that brings long-term health benefits.

 

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!

When it comes to successfully giving up smoking preparation is key. If you plan on giving up cigs for Lent start by creating a timeline of when and how you will quit smoking. Plan out when you will have your last cigarette, as well as when you will throw away all of your cigarettes and other smoking accessories. 

 

Support for Cravings

For many people, what makes quitting smoking difficult are the cravings (nicotine and missing having something to do with your hands and mouth). It's important to find healthy ways to cope with this as otherwise,  it’s a slippery slope back to tobacco. Eating healthily, drinking lots of water, and exercising can help reduce withdrawal symptoms. Planning activities to keep you busy and distract you from cravings is also a wise choice. 

Here at Simply Meds Online we are happy to support your efforts with inhalators, chewing gum, patches and more which can make giving up for Lent and beyond easier and more likely to be successful. These are tools that can make a real difference.

The Nicorette Inhalator, for example,  gives smokers trying to give up something to do with their hands and mimics the action of smoking. On top of this, it offers a nicotine dose which can, over time, be reduced. Withdrawing from nicotine, a highly addictive substance, slowly can reduce cravings and be much easier for some than dropping nicotine to zero overnight. Nicorette chewing gum can also help the chances of stopping smoking during Lent and beyond, more so than when using willpower alone. 

 

Giving Up Other Things for Lent

We took a poll here in the Simply Meds Online office and we all agreed that we’d give up most things for a while but coffee was an absolute no-go. Even the decaff drinkers weren’t keen. There are lots of other things people can, and do, give up for Lent. Some of them are more unusual than others.

 

Giving up Social Media for Lent

Now this one we like the sound of. There’s a lot of digital noise out there and forty days of no Tik Tok, Instagram and so would give you time to read or spend time doing other things. Would you give up social media for forty days? If so, what about after Lent? Would you unfollow lots of accounts or limit your time? That’s definitely something to think about, especially if you have found many benefits to stopping the scroll. 

 

Fancy Giving Up Animal Products for Lent? 

Did you miss the boat with Veganuary? Fancy going meat-free (or animal product free) over Lent? There are some brilliant resources to help you with everything from food to everyday items and more. Here at Simply Meds Online we have a wide range of vegan-friendly products for you to look at. This includes everything from cold and flu remedies to vitamins and everything between and beyond. Find more of your favourite vegan healthcare products here.

 

In Conclusion

If there are things in your life that you wouldn’t mind giving up, Lent is a good time to think about it. After forty days without something many people find that they are out of the habit of using/having/doing whatever that thing was and have often replaced it with something healthier or that makes them happier. 

Giving up smoking isn’t always easy but the benefits most definitely make it worthwhile. If you are serious about kicking the habit our quit smoking range can help, as can help from your local NHS quit smoking clinic.

Whatever you choose to give up for Lent this year, good luck!