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Physical Withdrawal

Difficulty Concentrating

Most people recovering from nicotine have trouble concentrating. According to WhyQuit.com, nearly 2/3 of recovering smokers experience this symptom however the trouble concentrating can go away within a couple of weeks. For many of us, this can be one of the most debilitating symptoms since work must go on and not being able to concentrate can make getting through a normal daily routine or pressure situations feel almost impossible. If you are in situation/job etc that requires solid concentration, there are still some things you can do.

Exercise before work

Exercising can stimulate your body and give you the calm energy you might need to settle down and focus. Many of the neurochemicals released during and after exercise are involved in pleasure and stimulant pathways which have some crossover with the pathways Nicotine used to stimulate. Even if you can’t manage a full exercise routine before work, try going for periodic walks

Eat regular, small meals or snacks

Part of the difficulty concentrating after you stop smoking is due to the lower blood sugar you may have especially if you are used to smoking instead of eating. The stimulatory effects of Nicotine release fat or glycogen stored energy into your blood stream that can satisfy you as if you had eaten something. This is part of the reason smokers can go without meals for a long period of time. If you stop smoking without changing your eating habits, your blood sugar will plummet and lead to irritability and difficulty concentrating. If you eat a piece of fruit, drink some juice, or just have a small meal more often you can fight the inability to concentrate.