1. Pick a date- and stick to it
"Statistics have shown you’re more likely to succeed when you have a date in mind," says Sarah. So choose a date you’re going to stop smoking, and tell family and friends so it’ll be difficult to back out.
Studies have also found that quitting can be contagious, and people often do it in groups, so you might be helping others too.
2. List your triggers
"Giving up smoking comes down to psychology and pinpointing what your triggers are – and how to avoid them," Sarah explains.
It’s recommended you make a note of the times and places you’re either craving or having a cigarette. That way, you can address it.
"If you tend to smoke after a meal, make sure you do something else after eating. If you smoke when your hands are idle, read a magazine," Sarah says.
3. Avoid booze and coffee
Avoid temptation with other triggers
Lots of smokers routinely light up when they’re having a drink, or their morning coffee.
"If you’ve developed an association between coffee or alcohol and smoking, you’ll experience an increased temptation to light up in these situations once you stop smoking," says Professor Peter Hajek from the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine.
4. Focus on why you want to quit
Health is the most common reason smokers want to stop. And Sarah suggests, "You need to know why you want to be a non-smoker, so you can really do it for yourself."
Rachel Spencer, 39, says, "I had smoked since I was 15, but being an asthma sufferer, I was fed up of coughing all the time."
Janet, 40, says, "I decided to give up because me and my husband wanted to have a baby. It gave me the incentive to succeed when I’d failed so many times before."
Children also inspired 41-year-old Pamela Wallace: "I hid my habit from my children until one day my daughter caught me in the act. It shamed me into action."
5. Look into other options available
Seek out alternatives to quit
"Support groups and other clinics will provide stop-smoking medications, including nicotine replacements like gum or a patch, tablets or e-cigarettes," Professor Peter Hajek explains.
6. Get moving
Most of us are guilty of not being active enough, whether it’s passing up the gym for a night in, or taking the car to the shops instead of walking. But exercise isn’t just good for our bodies, it’s good for turning down those cravings too.
"There’s strong evidence that doing any sort of physical activity that gets your heart rate up reduces your desire for a cigarette," says Mike Knapton from the British Heart Foundation.
"People often associate smoking with sedentary behaviour, so exercise is a great distraction, especially for those who want to get fit too," he adds.
7. Get support
"You’re up to four times more likely to quit smoking for good if you have help, than if you go it alone," says Sarah. Luckily, there are plenty of support groups in the UK, like the NHS Stop Smoking Service.
Or you could try a fixed, intensive programme. "These work just as effectively as support groups. It’s just about having support from someone who knows how to help," explains Sarah.
