No matter what kind of surgery you have, preparing your mind and body to go under the knife can be very daunting, and it can leave some patients with issues such as anxiety and panic attacks. It needn’t be like this, though, as the vast number of surgeries performed in the US today are very safe, meaning your surgery is likely to go off without a hitch.
Taking the First Step
If your body is stressed, you are more likely to have a bad surgery, and your recovery time is likely to be much longer. The stress hormone cortisol can play havoc with your body’s recovery system, which may actually make your recovery longer than usual. Added to this, extra anxiety just before your surgery will make the anesthetist’s job much more difficult.
It’s always better to go into any elective surgery as relaxed as possible, safe in the knowledge that it’s likely that things will go perfectly well for you.
Here are three ways you can prepare your mind for surgery and improve your chances of getting a better result.
Speak With Your Doctor or Surgeon
While the old adage of “ignorance is bliss” holds some truth to it, you are more likely to be calmer and more relaxed if you speak with your surgeon beforehand and ask her or him any questions that may be playing on your mind. For surgeries that are very simple to perform but can look a little brutal, such as cataract surgery, this is even more important to help set your mind at rest.
When you speak with your surgeon before cataract surgery or before any elective surgery, you can ask the questions you really want to know the answer to.
Try Deep Breathing Exercises
Being calm is all in the mindset and practicing deep breathing exercises before you go under the knife is a great idea. Deep breathing helps to bring more oxygen into your bloodstream, which helps lower your blood pressure, make you more alert, and calm your body down as much as possible. Take a deep breath in for three seconds, hold for a few seconds, and exhale slowly.
There are plenty of YouTube channels dedicated to giving you a breathe-along experience. Meditation is also a great way to calm down and prepare your mind and body. You’ll find guided meditation sessions on YouTube. Practicing meditation can also help you process anxious feelings and teach you not to panic when you are out of your comfort zone.
Put Yourself in a Positive Mindset
There has been a lot of research to suggest that a positive mindset will always improve your chances of making a strong recovery when it comes to medical interventions. In a world where everyone feeds off bad news and our ability to find bad news stories is at our fingertips, thinking positively is a rare skill, and it should be cherished!
Just try to remember that hundreds of thousands of surgeries are done every year in the USA, and the vast majority of them go off without a hitch!
Featured Image by Alterio Felines from Pixabay
