Smokers looking to kick the highly-addictive habit might first want to hit the gym before attempting to butt out.
A new study by Western University researchers found that exercise sets smokers up both mentally and physically to quit smoking, and could even decrease their enjoyment of cigarettes.
Unlike past smoking cessation studies where participants began a physical fitness regimen at the same time as quitting smoking, this study asked subjects to exercise regularly for four weeks prior to their targeted quit date. After that, the all-female test group was asked to continue on with the physical workouts while also on a ten-week nicotine patch program.
By not introducing two behaviour changes -- exercising more and smoking less -- at the same time, researchers found that participants naturally cut down the number of cigarettes they smoked. They also found the participants did not enjoy the cigarettes as much as they had in the past.
“By not saying anything about quitting, even though [study] participants know that there is a targeted quit date in mind, they just naturally reduce the amount that they smoke while exercising even though they are not being asked,” said Harry Prapavessis, study author and director of Western’s Exercise & Health Psychology Laboratory.
Researchers made the determination by studying the participants' behaviour, satisfaction, reward, and enjoyment of cigarettes throughout the test period. Smoking topography factors, like puff counts, puff volume, and "interpuff" intervals were also measured. Subjects who cut their total number of cigarettes down, did not puff on the ones they did have more aggressively, the research suggested.
“In other words, not only do people reduce how much they smoke — without being told — during an exercise-aided smoking cessation intervention, but they’re also not enjoying those cigarettes as much or smoking them any differently,” said Prapavessis.
The study, by Prapavessis and former Western PhD graduate student Stefanie De Jesus, was recently published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.
Prapavessis has suggested future studies may investigate vaping behaviour.