duction of the need for anesthesia.92Ð98 Music also decreased
the use of analgesics and hastened recovery from surgery in
a study of 90 hysterectomy patients.99 The use of music programs
timed to the surgical procedure (e.g., central nerve
block) was associated with a significant reduction in the
amount of perceived pain and decrease in the level of stress
hormones in the blood.100 Studies of neonates also provide
strong evidence for the benefits of music to promote weight
gain and reduce stress, resulting in a shorter length of hospital
stay.101