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Smoking and Your Heart Rate

Posted by Cheryl Miller on Mar 24th, 2005 | Leave a comment home title

How Much Does Smoking Affect Your Heart Rate?

You never know what will be the one thing that will motivate you to quit smoking. Maybe it will be this little exercise.

Take your pulse before and after smoking to see the effect of smoking on your heart rate.

Before Smoking, take your pulse: number of beats in 10 seconds _____ x 6 = _____ beats per minute (example: 14 beats in 10 seconds x 6 = 84 beats per minute)

After Smoking take your pulse: number of beats in 10 seconds _____ x 6 = _____ beats per minute What is the difference in beats per minute? _____

How to Take Your Pulse

Take your pulse on the the inside of your wrist – thumb side. Or take it at the carotid artery in the neck just below your jaw bone on the side of the neck. Do not use your thumb because there is a pulse in your thumb, and do not press hard on your neck because this could affect the pulse. Feel around until you feel a strong pulse.
Count the number of beats for 10 seconds.
Multiply this number by 6 to get the number of beats per minute.

How many beats per minute could you save your heart if you quit smoking?

Take the difference between the number of beats per minute before and after smoking and multiply this number by 60 = _____ Beats Per Hour Saved Take the difference between the number of beats per minute before and after smoking and multiply this number by 24 = _____ Beats Per Day Saved

Take the difference between the number of beats per minute before and after smoking and multiply this number by 365 = ______ Beats Per Year Saved

What did you think of this exercise? Were you surprised? Did it take you even a tiny step closer to thinking about quitting? If yes, then you have been 100% successful. It’s the little things that add up to big things. Keep looking for other little things that will help tip the scales toward quitting.

Invitation and Comments

What is your biggest challenge related to quitting smoking or staying quit? Write your comment or question in the comments link below.

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