If you’re a heavy marijuana smoker, maybe it’s time to admit that certain things in your life are miserable because of marijuana, things that could change almost instantly if you just stop smoking.

If you’ve lied to yourself long enough about your smoking and how it affects you, and you’re finally ready to try quitting, here’s what to expect.

Negative first…

You may have heard that you will experience some side effects after quitting, such as depression, irritability, difficulty sleeping, etc., and you probably will, but these symptoms are temporary and manageable. There are even some tricks to avoid most of them. Trust me, in time you will get over it. Whatever you do, don’t let a few side effects get in the way of your health and well-being.

The 5 instant health benefits of quitting marijuana

Breathe. Within just a few weeks of completely quitting marijuana, your lung function will start to improve and you’ll have more energy and stamina. Not quitting smoking could mean a series of bronchial and respiratory diseases, such as bronchitis, emphysema and even cancer.

asleep. Adequate sleep is extremely vital to your overall health, and studies have shown that marijuana use has a negative impact on your sleep cycles and the quality of your sleep. Most marijuana users report dreamlessness and restless sleep when they use it, largely because the drug disrupts the REM cycle that is necessary for both dreams and complete rest. However, in just a few days after quitting marijuana, your body will return to its normal patterns and you will finally be able to get the sleep you need.

mood. Smoking marijuana affects your mood, whether you’re high or not. When using it, your mood can be lethargic and listless, and you may feel like you don’t have a care in the world. But when you’re not high, you become irritable and anxious. This type of stress and anxiety can wreak havoc on several different organ systems in the body, including the heart. However, once you stop smoking weed, your mood will eventually stabilize and you won’t experience as many ups and downs.

Memory and Learning. Researchers have shown that regular marijuana use affects both memory and learning ability, and long-term use can have a permanent impact on both of these areas. The sooner you get rid of your marijuana addiction, the sooner your memory and ability to learn will return to normal.

Sex. Thinking of having children? Smoking marijuana not only decreases sexual desire and performance, it can also cause infertility. In several independent studies, people who smoked marijuana were much less interested in sex than their peers in the same age group. Additionally, THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, has been shown to cause infertility in both men and women, primarily due to the way the chemical affects sperm. Don’t worry though, shortly after quitting marijuana, your sex drive will return to normal, and with the marijuana completely expelled from your body, your fertility will improve dramatically.

Despite what legalization advocates would have you believe, marijuana is a drug, and like any other drug, it comes with certain dangers. Fortunately, it is not too late. If you quit marijuana today, most of these symptoms will go away and you’ll be on your way to health and happiness.