So why do we crave cigarettes after sex? I realize that the brain activity is different during sex and while bicycling, but there is a substantial amount of physical exertion involved in both, so I would be curious exactly which qualities of which types of exercise reduce cigarette cravings. For instance after an intense horse back riding session, you would be hard pressed to find a rider who is a regular smoker who does not crave a cigarette above all else.
If you decide to break a habit, the mental commitment to quit must play a large role.When you decide to quit there are actions and circumstances which influence your decision, and therefore there is will power. If you feel the urge to smoke a cigarette, and you go for a walk, there is a greater likelihood that you will be consumed by another idea or thought, if you remove yourself from your comfort zone (the home, the office, the car, etc). Not to mention the neurological equation involving the rise in dopamine levels, dampening anxious or depressive states. They mention that people in the study, who are exercising are less influenced by the image of a cigarette, but what if the facilitators incorporated another aspect of smoking, perhaps the smell of the cigarette, what effect would that have?
I wonder if the author of the article could delve a bit deeper into the word "exercise." I would think that most serious physical exercise would aid people to reduce their cravings for cigarettes because of something which deals with a shift in blood flow (that is, if we take this article to be factual). I mean, if people are actively playing football, basketball, or soccer, do they really have time to smoke a cigarette? I feel like some sort of visual aid would have helped the author of the article present his information. I wanted to see a picture of how the brain reacts to cigarettes after exercise as opposed to how the brain craves for cigarettes without exercise. I also want to know the amount of time that between the end of the exercises and when the 10 regular smokers were asked to look at pictures of cigarettes. But Hannah’s question regarding sex and cigarettes is fascinating. I think there needs to be some specificity with what types of exercises trigger less interest in smoking and why that is as it relates to specific parts of the brain.
I would like to know more about the neurological affects of exercise in non smokers and how they compare those of smokers to see what exactly is, if any, the difference in what chemicals are released during/after exercise. It would also be interesting if the idea of a 'runner's high' has anything to do with the feeling of 'non-craving.' This could also be connected to the psychological ramifications of trying to quit a bad habit--did the smokers feel more 'healthy' after they exercised and thus recommitted to staying on that 'healthy' path and quitting smoking? Is this an entirely neurological thing or are emotions and feelings also at play?
One thing about the study conducted that is interesting, and this particular point was raised before, is the use of images of smoking rather than the actual presence of a cigarette. An image is a lot easier to ignore. Perhaps there would have been a different outcome if the researchers had introduced an actual cigarette, or even the scent of cigarette smoke. I wonder if the craving would still be repressed due to exercise or if it would come back? Perhaps this ties back into the idea of it being partially psychological and the ‘recommitment’ to being a ‘healthy’ non-smoker.
I was a little confused as to whether these subjects had actually sustained from smoking for 15 hours, and how that changed the brain. Exercise is good for you, extremely good for you. Maybe the average person doesn't know just HOW good for you it is, but I think we need to reorganize our ways of living in order to encompass exercise into our daily living, because it takes a special person to go to the gym, and it takes an even more special person to continue going to the gym. That being said, I wonder how light exercise affects smoking, such as walking at a moderate pace for 10-15 minutes (getting to work, getting to class)...
This article is extremely interesting, but I think that it is somewhat lacking. I was, also, left wondering about how different exercise would effect a smoker's cravings. There are components to exercise such as where you choose to do it and with who you choose to do it, that I would think would have a neurological effect. I am also curious as to how everyday exercise, that may not be as intense as being on the bike, would effect a smoker. For instance, I know that many smokers link walking places with a chance to smoke.
So why do we crave cigarettes after sex? I realize that the brain activity is different during sex and while bicycling, but there is a substantial amount of physical exertion involved in both, so I would be curious exactly which qualities of which types of exercise reduce cigarette cravings. For instance after an intense horse back riding session, you would be hard pressed to find a rider who is a regular smoker who does not crave a cigarette above all else.
ReplyDeleteIf you decide to break a habit, the mental commitment to quit must play a large role.When you decide to quit there are actions and circumstances which influence your decision, and therefore there is will power. If you feel the urge to smoke a cigarette, and you go for a walk, there is a greater likelihood that you will be consumed by another idea or thought, if you remove yourself from your comfort zone (the home, the office, the car, etc). Not to mention the neurological equation involving the rise in dopamine levels, dampening anxious or depressive states. They mention that people in the study, who are exercising are less influenced by the image of a cigarette, but what if the facilitators incorporated another aspect of smoking, perhaps the smell of the cigarette, what effect would that have?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the author of the article could delve a bit deeper into the word "exercise." I would think that most serious physical exercise would aid people to reduce their cravings for cigarettes because of something which deals with a shift in blood flow (that is, if we take this article to be factual). I mean, if people are actively playing football, basketball, or soccer, do they really have time to smoke a cigarette? I feel like some sort of visual aid would have helped the author of the article present his information. I wanted to see a picture of how the brain reacts to cigarettes after exercise as opposed to how the brain craves for cigarettes without exercise. I also want to know the amount of time that between the end of the exercises and when the 10 regular smokers were asked to look at pictures of cigarettes. But Hannah’s question regarding sex and cigarettes is fascinating. I think there needs to be some specificity with what types of exercises trigger less interest in smoking and why that is as it relates to specific parts of the brain.
ReplyDeleteI would like to know more about the neurological affects of exercise in non smokers and how they compare those of smokers to see what exactly is, if any, the difference in what chemicals are released during/after exercise. It would also be interesting if the idea of a 'runner's high' has anything to do with the feeling of 'non-craving.' This could also be connected to the psychological ramifications of trying to quit a bad habit--did the smokers feel more 'healthy' after they exercised and thus recommitted to staying on that 'healthy' path and quitting smoking? Is this an entirely neurological thing or are emotions and feelings also at play?
ReplyDeleteOne thing about the study conducted that is interesting, and this particular point was raised before, is the use of images of smoking rather than the actual presence of a cigarette. An image is a lot easier to ignore. Perhaps there would have been a different outcome if the researchers had introduced an actual cigarette, or even the scent of cigarette smoke. I wonder if the craving would still be repressed due to exercise or if it would come back? Perhaps this ties back into the idea of it being partially psychological and the ‘recommitment’ to being a ‘healthy’ non-smoker.
I was a little confused as to whether these subjects had actually sustained from smoking for 15 hours, and how that changed the brain. Exercise is good for you, extremely good for you. Maybe the average person doesn't know just HOW good for you it is, but I think we need to reorganize our ways of living in order to encompass exercise into our daily living, because it takes a special person to go to the gym, and it takes an even more special person to continue going to the gym. That being said, I wonder how light exercise affects smoking, such as walking at a moderate pace for 10-15 minutes (getting to work, getting to class)...
ReplyDeleteThis article is extremely interesting, but I think that it is somewhat lacking. I was, also, left wondering about how different exercise would effect a smoker's cravings. There are components to exercise such as where you choose to do it and with who you choose to do it, that I would think would have a neurological effect. I am also curious as to how everyday exercise, that may not be as intense as being on the bike, would effect a smoker. For instance, I know that many smokers link walking places with a chance to smoke.
ReplyDelete