Man sitting in a chair holding his phone, gazing out of the window.

Whilst waiting for surgery, there are things you can do to prepare your mind and body for the operation ahead.

Exercise and eating well

It has been shown that exercising regularly before your surgery can help speed up recovery time and lower the risk of complications or cancellations. Find out more on our physical health page.

You can also sign up to the fit for surgery programme which is run by our perioperative team to help make sure you are fit and ready for your procedure.

Looking after your mental health

Waiting for surgery can be scary so it’s important to ensure you look after your mental health. Meditation, mindfulness, open communication and being able to seek support when you need it can all play into this. Find more techniques and resources on our wellbeing page.

Decreasing alcohol and drug usage

How much alcohol you drink can directly affect your risk of complications during surgery, this means that drinking less in the waiting period could mean you have a less stressful experience. Find out more information on the NHS website: Tips for cutting down on alcohol.

Southampton City Council has a section on their website with a directory of local and national services available for adults and young people that may need drug or alcohol support. This also includes a unit calculator to gain a better understanding of how much you drink, so that you can make changes that are relevant to you and give your medical team a more precise number if asked. You can find this support on the Southampton City Council: Drug and alcohol advice page.

Smoking less

Smoking can affect the way you breathe and can also increase your risk of developing serious health conditions. Your surgery team will want to know that your breathing and your lungs are healthy and strong enough to be put under anaesthetic should you need it. Stopping smoking could prevent your surgery being cancelled due to medical risk. Find support resources on our lung screening pages (useful links).

If you need more direct support, Southampton City Council has a list of pharmacies that are offering in-person support to smokers looking to quit smoking as well as contact information for a local ‘Quit Line’ where you can talk to someone to get a better idea of where to start. You can find this information on the Southampton City Council stopping smoking page.