Nicotine seemed to be your best friend, and then you realized you needed more and more of it just to function. Then you made the decision to stop smoking as your New Year's resolution. Shortly after you stopped smoking, you may have been surprised to experience dizziness. This is normal so don't let it coax you back into smoking.
Function
Nicotine is a powerful stimulant and addictive drug that improves brain activity, cognitive performance and concentration. It also increases blood pressure and heart rate. Another effect of nicotine is constriction of the arteries, including those that go to the brain. When the supply of nicotine is suddenly stopped, you experience an increased flow of blood to your brain, which causes you to become noticeably dizzy.
Time Frame
You're dizzy because your body is beginning to take in oxygen that it wasn't able to take in before. The nicotine is also leaving your body, which is making you dizzy. Your withdrawal and dizziness are at their strongest for the first 72 hours after you smoke your last cigarette. It will only last up to a week, then it will subside. While you're experiencing the dizziness, try to breathe deeply.
Identification
Now that you've quit smoking, your body is trying to adjust. When you were smoking cigarettes on a regular basis, you were resupplying your body and brain with a new jolt of nicotine. This drug has a half-life of approximately 40 minutes, meaning you may have felt the need to smoke at intervals of approximately 45 minutes to one hour.
As the nicotine leaves your body and you aren't smoking, you're feeling unpleasantly dizzy and ill.
Effects
When you exercise you help to metabolize any nicotine remaining in your system even more quickly. Your doctor may advise you to exercise so you can rid your body of any stores of nicotine you have in your system. This exercise doesn't have to be vigorous. You can go for walks or do some light calisthenics, even though you're feeling dizzy.
Considerations
Move slowly when going from a lying position into an upright position. If you're sitting and want to stand up, don't move too quickly. Try to get additional fresh air and spend some more time outdoors. While you're taking these steps, logon to LiveStrong's Quit Smoking Dare site, register for free, meet other quitting smokers and ask them to help you through the first weeks after quitting smoking.
