The Best Days of the Month to...

Quit Smoking

Days 1-14: From the first day of your period to mid-cycle, estrogen and progesterone levels are low, which means you tend to feel happy and even-keeled. This is an ideal time to stop smoking, because you won't be hit with a double whammy of negative emotions -- kicking the habit is associated with anxiety, depression, and irritability. "Quitting during the first two weeks of your cycle may decrease withdrawal severity and increase your chances of stopping smoking for good," says Kenneth A. Perkins, PhD, professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. In fact, a small study led by Perkins showed that women who attempted to stop smoking during the last two weeks of their menstrual cycle reported significantly greater tobacco withdrawal and depressive symptoms than women who tried to quit during their first 14 days.