A scientific study conducted in Australia has revealed that engaging in physical exercise helps quit smoking.

The study, published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, showed that smokers who participate in exercise programs have an increased ability to quit smoking or at least reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke.

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One Exercise Session

The research team from the University of Adelaide in Australia found that a single exercise session immediately reduces the craving for nicotine for half an hour after completing the workout. Lead researcher Ben Singh said, "Quitting smoking is one of the best things a person can do for their health, but it is also one of the hardest things." He added in statements to HealthDay, a website specializing in medical research, "Many smokers want to quit, but current cessation programs may not suit everyone, so we need more strategies that can be applied in daily life at no extra cost."

59 Clinical Trials

The researchers reviewed the results of 59 clinical trials on the benefits of physical exercise for those trying to quit smoking, involving more than 9,000 people. The results showed that people who participate in exercise programs increase their ability to quit smoking for seven days by 21%, and their chance of quitting permanently increases by 15%.

Sudden Craving

The trials also revealed that exercise reduces the number of cigarettes a person smokes by two cigarettes per day, and that exercise can also be used to overcome sudden nicotine cravings. HealthDay quoted researcher Carol Maher, a specialist in population science and digital health at the University of Adelaide, as saying: "These results showed that physical exercise can be used as part of strategies to overcome the urgent desire to smoke."