A bedtime staple could help curb painkiller dependence after surgery: study

If you need to go under the knife, a key tool to prepare could already be in your bedside table.One in nine people will have surgery in a given 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.New research shows a simple trick can help with everything from pre-surgery anxiety, to pain, and better recovery over all.

Decreasing that pain can significantly lower the amount of painkillers required, slashing risk of dependence.How? 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.“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.“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.”It seems sleep really may be the best medicine.Experts say that people often lay awake in bed before surgery, anxious about their upcoming procedure.

Lack of sleep actually leads to increased sensitivity to pain, making doctors prescribe more painkillers like opioids to deal with it.The more exposure to opioids, the higher the risk of addiction.“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.“That’s the brain’s desire to continue receiving that opioid outside of the original reason it was prescribed.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.”This new research suggests that simply getting a...