Scoping review presented at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2026 links pre-surgery melatonin or Ambien to less post-op pain and lower short-term opioid use
Researchers presenting at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2026 meeting on Oct. 18 reported that taking melatonin or zolpidem (Ambien) before surgery was associated with less post-operative pain and with reduced short-term opioid use in the studies reviewed.
Fox News Digital summarized the scoping review, which the researchers said analyzed 16 studies of patients who underwent abdominal, gynecologic, orthopedic, urologic, dental and other procedures between 2000 and 2025. A press release from the American Society of Anesthesiologists said the review covered more than 1,100 patients.
The review found associations rather than tested treatments. Melatonin, typically given the night before surgery and/or 20 to 90 minutes before anesthesia in dosages ranging from 1 mg to 20 mg, was associated across studies with less anxiety, less pain and lower inflammation. In some abdominal surgery patients the analysis reported more than a 30% reduction in opioid use.
Ambien was consistently dosed at 10 mg and given at bedtime either the night before surgery or for up to two nights before the procedure. The review reported Ambien helped patients with pre-existing sleep problems sleep better before surgery and was associated with less pain afterward; patients undergoing colorectal surgery who took Ambien reportedly required less opioid medication during and in the first 24 hours after the procedure and had lower inflammation levels. Patients who had hip replacement were reported to have less anxiety and depression and greater satisfaction with recovery in some studies.
The authors and the news account cautioned that this was a scoping review, which summarizes existing studies rather than testing a treatment directly, and therefore cannot support clinical recommendations or fully assess bias. Dr. Sebastian Amaya, senior study author and senior anesthesiology resident at Yale School of Medicine, told Fox News Digital that sleep is “extremely important” for overall health and that the reviewed studies showed decreased immediate post-operative pain and opioid consumption but generally lacked longer follow-up.
Amaya noted many studies did not follow patients beyond the immediate post-operative period and said additional research is needed to determine longer-term effects. Dr. Wendy Troxel, a licensed clinical psychologist and senior behavioral scientist at RAND who was not involved in the review, told Fox News Digital the findings “make sense” but warned sleep medications are generally not recommended as a long-term solution and that melatonin’s overall evidence as a sleep aid is limited.
Fox News Digital also reported it reached out to manufacturers of Ambien and melatonin for comment.
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