Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan recently revealed that he has quit smoking. He had once admitted to smoking up to 100 cigarettes in a day. Often referred to as King Khan of Bollywood, the actor celebrated his 59th birthday on November 2. During the meet and greet event, he opened up on this new change in his lifestyle.
During the event, the clip of its video is going viral over social media, Shah Rukh has revealed that though he thought he won’t feel much, he feels breathless. “Mujhe laga tha ki I will not feel so breathless, but abhi bhi feel kar raha hu (I thought I wouldn’t feel breathless after quitting smoking, but I still do),” Shah Rukh said. He later added, “Inshallah, woh bhi theek ho jayega”.

Why does one feel breathless after quitting smoking?

It is pretty natural to feel breathless after quitting smoking and this can be due to various reasons. When a person quits smoking, the body begins to repair itself, which includes the respiratory system and breathlessness is a temporary side effect of the healing process.
Smoking hurts the cilia, which are tiny hair-like structures within the lungs responsible for removing mucus and toxins. The cilia become active once smoking is stopped, cleaning out the lung tar and mucus deposited during the smoking period. This cleaning process may give a feeling of breathlessness and produce mucus and cough as the lungs expel all the toxins that have accumulated over time.
Nicotine withdrawal also contributes to the sensation of breathlessness. Nicotine stimulates the central nervous system, which includes slightly increasing heart rate and breathing efficiency. Without nicotine, the body goes through withdrawal, which can manifest as anxiety, a racing heart, and the sensation of shortness of breath. The body takes time to adapt to functioning without the constant presence of nicotine.
After quitting, the carbon monoxide levels reduce, and oxygen levels increase. For some people, this increase in oxygen may result in differing breathing, and the change in blood gas levels might be perceived as temporary shortness of breath.
Psychological withdrawal symptoms can at times mimic or even increase the physical signs like anxiety and breathlessness.
Most of the time, it is only temporary and subsides as the body becomes accustomed to life without cigarettes. Gentle breathing exercises, hydration, and gradual resumption of physical activity help ease the transition and return normal breathing.