A Healthy Hospital Stay

No one likes being in the hospital. Speed your healing -- and leave sooner -- with the following tips: Let the light in. In a study, patients in sunny rooms needed fewer painkillers than those in darker ones. Light seems to trigger serotonin release, which may ease pain.

Bring earplugs. Sleep is key for a quick recovery, but hospitals can be noisy -- as loud as jackhammers, says one study. Bring a Walkman or noise-canceling headphones.

Get dressed. If you're moving after surgery, you'll heal faster. A study found post-op patients in their own clothes tended to walk more than folks in hospital gowns. Ask a nurse if you can wear your own togs.