Music during surgery can reduce need for drugs and help patients recover faster, scientists find

Playing calming instrumental music during surgery can improve patient recovery, a new study says.

The peer-reviewed study was carried out at the Lok Nayak Hospital and Maulana Azad Medical College in India on patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery, the standard keyhole operation to remove the gallbladder.

The research, published in the journal Music and Medicine, was conducted between March 2023 and January 2024, studying 56 patients, aged 18 to 65 years, to reduce anaesthetic requirement and aid in decreasing perioperative stress.

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Source: Independent, 25 November 2025