A recent study published in the journal ‘Addiction’ showed that even short bouts of exercise lasting as little as 5 minutes can reduce smoking cravings. Experts at the University of Exeter concluded that exercise can help smokers manage their withdrawal symptoms and even help them resist the urge to smoke by releasing the same chemicals in the brain that is released during smoking.

Dr. Taylor who is the lead author in the study indicated that more research is needed before a stronger link can be made between exercise and smoking, but current smokers intending to quit should definitely take exercise up as a way of helping themselves and improving their chances. Currently the UK National No Smoking Day (14 March) is a good time to start exercising, as suggested by Dr. Taylor who is also looking to add exercise advice into the current NHS smoking cessation clinics, so look out for this in their project ‘Walk-2-Quit’ (Health and Medicine Week via NewsRx.com 2007)

The issue of exercise and cravings in adolescents is different. According to a study by Everson 2006, short bouts of exercise do not reduce urges to smoke in adolescents, unlike their older counterpart.