Quitting Tips for Women Smokers

For women who want to quit smoking, timing could make all the difference. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh say women who quit smoking during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle had fewer symptoms of tobacco withdrawal and depression.

The follicular phase comes one to 14 days after menstruation. The study finds women who quit smoking during the luteal phase -- after day 15 of menstruation -- had more severe withdrawals.

 Author Dr. Kenneth Perkins, a psychiatry professor, says the difference may be due to how a woman's menstrual cycle creates hormonal changes and influences mood.

Perkins says if a woman in a bad mood because of hormonal changes tries to stop smoking, it could make things very unpleasant and lower her chances of quitting for good. He adds more study is needed, and results could lead to improved stop-smoking programs for women.

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