Growing clinical evidence indicates that listening to music during surgery or in perioperative settings can reduce stress, stabilize vital signs, and improve recovery outcomes. Several recent studies, including those referenced by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and research published in Music & Medicine (IAMM), show measurable physiological and psychological benefits when music is used alongside standard medical care.
Multiple reports, including those from ACS and BBC News, highlight that gentle instrumental music played during surgery can help reduce patient stress, particularly during procedures performed under regional anesthesia. Patients exposed to music often show lower heart rate, reduced anxiety, and improved comfort levels during interventions.
A study cited by the ACS noted that music may contribute to faster recovery, with some surgical patients demonstrating decreased need for sedatives or anxiety-reducing medications. These effects are linked to how music modulates the autonomic nervous system, promoting relaxation.
The Music & Medicine (IAMM) study adds broader context by examining music therapy beyond surgical use:
Stress Reduction:
The study compiles evidence showing that music therapy reduces both perceived stress and physiological stress markers (e.g., heart rate, cortisol levels).
Mental Health Benefits:
Structured music-based interventions (MBIs) demonstrated improvements in emotional regulation, anxiety, and mood.
Neurorehabilitation Support:
Music therapy helps certain patients recover cognitive and communication functions following neurological events.
Complementary Role:
The article emphasizes that music therapy serves as a supportive, not alternative, medical tool, best used alongside standard clinical care.
Although individual responses to music may vary, the findings support its use as a low-cost, safe intervention.
Music appears to influence the limbic system, the brain’s emotional center and can shift the body toward a more relaxed physiological state. Effects that have been observed in surgical patients include:
Lowered heart rate and blood pressure
Reduced sympathetic nervous system activation
Decreased stress hormone release
Improved perception of procedural comfort
For lay readers: This means music helps the body move out of “fight-or-flight” mode, making the surgical environment less stressful.
Several clinical trials included in the ACS report and other news outlets note:
Patients listening to music after surgery report less pain
Some show reduced need for analgesics
Faster overall recovery times are observed in certain groups
The IAMM literature reinforces that music can support emotional well-being during long recovery phases, particularly in patients experiencing postoperative anxiety.
While the findings are promising, the IAMM review and ACS press releases caution that:
Optimal duration, type, and volume of music interventions remain unclear
Benefits can be subjective
More randomized, controlled trials are needed to standardize music therapy in operating theaters
However, existing evidence is strong enough that many hospitals worldwide are adopting music-supported perioperative protocols.
Given its safety profile, affordability, and ease of implementation, music therapy is emerging as an important adjunct to surgical care. Hospitals may consider:
Allowing personalized patient playlists
Integrating music during preoperative waiting periods
Using calming instrumental music during procedures
Offering music therapy consultations in postoperative wards
As research grows, music could become a standard component of holistic surgical care.
Reference
1) Goel, Tanvi, Farah Husain, Sonia Wadhawan, Amit Kohli, and Smita Kaushik.
“Effect of Patient Selected Music Therapy on Propofol Consumption in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy under Total Intravenous Anaesthesia: A Randomised Controlled Trial.”
Music and Medicine: An Interdisciplinary Journal 17, no. 4 (October 2025). https://doi.org/10.47513/mmd.v17i4.1111.
(Rh/TL)