It’s very common for surgical procedures to be scheduled for early in the day, especially if pre-surgery fasting is necessary. Why delay a procedure if you can get an early start, right? Well, not so fast- turns out time of day may play a role in recovery from surgery. A new study published in The Lancet revealed that the body’s circadian rhythm (internal clock) seems to affect the recovery of patients who undergo heart surgery. Researchers found that patients who underwent surgery in the afternoon had better health outcomes than those who had morning surgeries- in fact, 50% less risk of a major cardiac event post-surgery. Read more about the study results and their potential impact on surgery schedules Here. And for seniors facing surgery, not only may time of day make a difference, but so may your stamina and strength. In fact, it’s becoming more common for pre-surgical work-ups for seniors to include frailty assessments as it’s clear that frailty can cause post-surgical complications. Read about the protocol for this type of surgery screen at The Cleveland Clinic by Reading Here.