If you need to go under the knife, a key tool to prepare could already be in your bedside table.
uncertain
tool → need → table
One in nine people will have surgery in a given year.
asserted
people → have → year
The night before, they’re often fasting, going over who’s giving them a ride, and packing a bag — but they may be missing a major advantage.
uncertain
they → fast → advantage
New research shows a simple trick can help with everything from pre-surgery anxiety, to pain, and better recovery over all.
asserted
trick → show → all
Decreasing that pain can significantly lower the amount of painkillers required, slashing risk of dependence.
asserted
Decreasing → decrease → dependence
Use an aid, like over-the-counter melatonin or prescription Ambien, to get a good night’s sleep before surgery, suggests an new analysis presented at the 2026 Anesthesiology meeting.
uncertain
analysis → use → meeting
“While we usually focus on what happens in the operating room, our review suggests we may be overlooking a critical window for improving outcomes in the nights before surgery,” senior author Dr. Sebastian Amaya said.
uncertain
Amaya → focus → surgery
“Something as simple as improving sleep before a procedure can help patients have a more comfortable recovery while reducing the need for heavy painkillers and their potential risks.
asserted
patients → improve → painkillers
It seems sleep really may be the best medicine.
uncertain
sleep → seem → ?
Experts say that people often lay awake in bed before surgery, anxious about their upcoming procedure.
asserted
people → say → procedure
Lack of sleep actually leads to increased sensitivity to pain, making doctors prescribe more painkillers like opioids to deal with it.
asserted
doctors → lead → it
“When opioids are provided too long or at higher doses than necessary, we do see complications and that includes the development of addiction,” addiction medicine specialist Dr. Holly Geyer told Mayo Clinic.
asserted
Geyer → provide → Clinic
“That’s the brain’s desire to continue receiving that opioid outside of the original reason it was prescribed.
asserted
it → ’ → reason
We also see evidence of tolerance, the need to go up higher and higher on your dose, to receive the same high and/or level of pain relief as before.
asserted
We → see → relief
This new research suggests that simply getting a bit of help for a better night’s sleep can minimize this harmful chain of events.
uncertain
getting → suggest → events
Melatonin vs. Ambien
Researchers looked at 16 studies of patients undergoing abdominal, gynecologic, orthopedic, urologic, dental and other surgical procedures published between 2000 and 2025.
asserted
Researchers → look → 2000
They found that melatonin, taken in doses from 1 to 20 mg, was associated with less anxiety, pain and inflammation and a shocking 30% reduction in opioid use in some abdominal surgery patients.
asserted
melatonin → find → patients
In the studies, patients typically took melatonin the night before surgery and/or 20 to 90 minutes before going under anesthesia.
asserted
patients → take → anesthesia
Melatonin is an extremely popular over-the-counter supplement used by over 5 million adults and 4 million children at least monthly as a sleep aid.
asserted
Melatonin → use → aid
Melatonin occurs naturally in our body and has a more gentle effect compared to prescription sleep aids, like Ambien.
asserted
Melatonin → occur → Ambien
“Melatonin may be particularly valuable for patients who experience significant anxiety before surgery, those at higher risk for respiratory complications and older adults who may be vulnerable to cognitive side effects from traditional sedatives,” said Amaya.
uncertain
Amaya → experience → sedatives
Studies that took data from smart watches suggested that melatonin helped patients return to normal patterns of sleep and daytime activity after surgery, too.
uncertain
patients → take → surgery
That said, Ambien was also effecting in helping with sleep before surgery, and linked to less pain after surgery.
asserted
Ambien → say → surgery
One study showed that patients who took Ambien and underwent colorectal surgery needed less opioid pain medication during and in the first 24 hours after the surgery.
asserted
who → show → surgery
They also had lower levels of certain inflammatory markers.
asserted
They → have → markers
Another showed that patients undergoing hip replacement also reported less anxiety and depression while also having a better recovery experience, after taking Ambien.
asserted
patients → show → Ambien
While melatonin is a more gentle option, “Ambien may be better suited for patients with preexisting insomnia or significant sleep disruption,” Amaya said.
uncertain
Amaya → say → insomnia
The Aporia
