Back in 1979, I designed a two-week, habit-changing program that could be followed preoperatively to improve pre- and postsurgical experiences. Now it's being expanded and is proving (once again) to be tremendously beneficial.

That's great news for the people undergoing the 40 million to 50 million surgeries that are performed in the U.S. every year. They encounter a lot of opportunities to feel anxious in the days leading up to going under the knife, and afterward.

A study in the Annals of Surgery reveals that in addition to physical prehabilitation (specifically designed exercises, dietary changes, stress-reduction practices, etc.), psychological prehabilitation reduces anxiety heading into surgery and cuts the length of time you spend in the hospital by an average of almost two days.

It also lessens the amount of pain you feel and lowers your level of anxiety and depression after surgery.

And according to UCLA researchers, it doesn't matter if you use CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy), or supportive psychotherapy.

Talk to your surgeon about both physical and psychological prehab. You can also check out the website for the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies to find a practitioner near you.