I'm trying to quit smoking, but it's so hard to start the day without a cigarette. What can I do?

Waking up in the morning and starting your normal routine provide plenty of triggers to tempt you to smoke. The morning can set the tone for the rest of the day. Try these tips to start your day without a cigarette:

• Be sure no cigarettes are available.
• Take your attention off smoking right away.
• Begin each day with deep breathing and one or more glasses of water.
• Make a list of early morning triggers, and avoid them.
• Begin each day with a preplanned activity that will keep you busy for an hour or more. It will keep your mind and body busy so that you don't think about smoking.

For free one-on-one help with quitting, call the National Cancer Institute's Smoking Quitline at 877-448-7848.

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