About 6.9 million people over the age of 18 are smokers. Smoking harms almost every organ in the body, including the heart and blood vessels, which increases the risk of heart attack.

Quitting smoking can be extremely difficult, but it’s an important step in reducing your risk of heart disease. We give you some tips to help you quit smoking.

Decide when to stop and make a plan

The sooner you decide to quit smoking, the better. Choose a date within the next two weeks.

If you leave it too long, you’ll give yourself time to change your mind. Identify the triggers that make you want to smoke and work out how you will overcome them in advance. For example, if you usually smoke on your break from work, plan to go for a walk instead.

Tell your friends and family about your intention to quit and ask for their support.

Cravings are intense cravings and can last for five minutes. Quitting smoking takes a lot of willpower.

When you feel the urge, try distracting yourself for 5-10 minutes until it passes. You can try planning a healthy dinner or planning a route for a bike ride or a walk.

Once the urge has passed, you can give yourself a pat on the back.

Getting help to quit smoking can increase your chances of success. You can try contacting your local stop smoking service or talking to your GP.

You can also seek advice from a friend or family member who has successfully quit smoking, or from someone who is also trying to quit.

Perhaps consider using a quit smoking aid such as nicotine patches, gummies, lozenges, or nasal sprays to help stop cravings.

In addition to reducing your risk of developing serious diseases, such as cancer and heart disease, quitting smoking can also help improve your mental well-being. Why not reduce your risk by choosing a quit date today?

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for weekly health tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try some of our Healthy Heart Recipes at heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2.

Or take a look at the Healthy Heart Cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers at heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/

Heart Research UK is the charity dedicated to your heart.

The charity inspires and invests in pioneering medical research, groundbreaking training and education, and in communities to improve their heart health for themselves.

Over the past 10 years, Heart Research UK has funded over £10.2m in medical research at UK hospitals and universities, as well as £2.2m in style projects community lifestyles to improve the nation’s heart health.

Visit www.heartresearch.org.uk to find out more about the charity’s work.