Popular Sleep Aids Before Surgery May Lower Risk of Long-Term Opioid Use, Study Finds
A review of 16 studies found sleep aids before surgery eased anxiety and pain, with melatonin linked to a more than 30% drop in opioid use in some patients.
- On Oct 18, researchers presented an analysis of 16 studies at the ANESTHESIOLOGY annual meeting in San Diego, finding that improving sleep before surgery with Melatonin or Ambien may reduce postsurgical pain, anxiety, and opioid use.
- Yale School Medicine resident Sebastian Amaya noted that sleep is "extremely important" for immune function and emotional well-being, as poor sleep quality can disrupt biological pathways leading to increased pain sensitivity and slower recovery.
- Researchers analyzed 16 studies involving more than 1,100 patients undergoing various procedures between 2000 and 2025, with Melatonin doses ranging from 1 to 20 milligrams and Ambien administered at a 10-milligram dose.
- Patients experienced a more than 30% reduction in opioid use in some abdominal surgery cases, and Sebastian Amaya stated clinicians can "decrease the risk of increased pain after surgery" by optimizing sleep preoperatively.
- Sebastian Amaya cautioned that although findings are promising, they are not conclusive, as patients were not monitored for several days post-surgery, requiring further research to fully assess long-term impacts.
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Popular sleep aids before surgery could prevent painkiller dependence later - NEW YORK TIMES POST
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Taking melatonin or Ambien (zolpidem) before surgery may be associated with less pain and a smoother recovery afterward, according to new research. Research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2026 annual meeting in San Diego on Oct. 18 found that improving sleep before surgery with one of these two [...]
Popular sleep aids before surgery could prevent painkiller dependence later – Democratic Accent
Taking melatonin or Ambien (zolpidem) before surgery may be associated with less pain and a... The post Popular sleep aids before surgery could prevent painkiller dependence later appeared first on Democratic Accent .
Presurgical sleep medications linked to less pain and anxiety after surgery
Improving sleep before surgery through the use of melatonin or Ambien (zolpidem) may ease presurgical anxiety, reduce pain after surgery, decrease opioid requirements and help patients recover better, according to an analysis of 25 years of research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2026 annual meeting.
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