Music as a Sedative Before Surgery

Listening to a relaxing song before an operation could be just as good for calming patients’ nerves as medication. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania (US) gave half of the preoperative patients the normal tranquilizer drug (midazolam). For the other half they played the song “Weightless” for three minutes. This song was specifically written and performed to reduce anxiety, blood pressure and heart rate. Patient anxiety reduced by the same amount in both groups. Feeling anxious before surgery can affect recovery because of the stress hormones that it produces in the body. But the drugs that reduce this anxiety can have bad side effects, so they need constant monitoring by doctors. Music that can have the same beneficial effect with no side effects could be a great addition to pre-operative care.