Staying Calm the Night Before Surgery
Whether you’re having excision surgery, endometrial ablation or hysterectomy for your pelvic pain and abnormal bleeding, you are probably a ball of nerves the night before the surgery is scheduled. First you should know that these nerves are totally natural. Everyone has these types of feelings the days and nights before such a big event and they don’t mean that you’ve made the wrong decision.
Every woman has a different reason for having nervous feelings the night before surgery, but overwhelmingly women aren’t as nervous about the surgery itself and they are the results of the surgery. If you’ve been living in pain for years and you’ve finally made the big decision to seek treatment, you have a lot riding on whether or not the surgery will leave you pain free. All of your hope may be tied up in this event, so it’s normal for your nerves to be in shambles.
Four Tips for Staying Calm the Night Before Surgery
- Keep to your regular bedtime routine
Any parent of an infant can attest to the benefits of bedtime routine for babies, and the same is true for adults. Try to do all of your preparation for the day of surgery starting the weekend before the surgery is to take place. This way you will have the evening before surgery to take a bath, have a cup of tea and watch your favorite show – or however you usually get yourself calm for bed each night.
- Practice mindfulness
If you’re lying in bed trying to sleep and your mind is going a million miles a minute, you need to find a way to calm those racing thoughts. Mindfulness helps many people with insomnia and anxiety. It’s kind of like meditation, but instead of nothingness, you are focusing on what your five senses are experiencing and staying present in the exact moment. You can even download a mindfulness podcast to listen to in bed.
- Reach out to a friend
Everyone has that one friend – the one who has the calming voice and always says the right things. Pick up the phone and give her a call. The benefits of hearing that familiar voice on the other end of the line are immeasurable.
- Make a list
You know why you chose to have the surgery. Maybe it was because you want to travel, or focus more on your career, or play tennis with your daughter. Whatever your reasons, they are powerful. Write them down on a piece of paper and read them aloud.
Content Sponsored by: MIRI Women – The Minimally Invasive Reproductive Surgery Institute (MIRI) brings together highly skilled, board-certified specialists who are focused on women’s health. Our team of professionals is trained in advanced gynecology, specifically hysterectomy surgery. Philosophically, our partner physicians take a “less is more” approach to health care, by first treating patients with the most conservative therapies. MIRI focuses on physical healing, while emphasizing that a patient’s emotional well-being is just as important.
