diff --git a/app/core/database.py b/app/core/database.py
index 20a302f..151a750 100644
--- a/app/core/database.py
+++ b/app/core/database.py
@@ -6,7 +6,14 @@ from .config import settings
 # Convert sync URL to async
 DATABASE_URL = settings.DATABASE_URL.replace("postgresql://", "postgresql+asyncpg://")
 
-engine = create_async_engine(DATABASE_URL, echo=settings.DEBUG, pool_size=10, max_overflow=20)
+engine = create_async_engine(
+    DATABASE_URL, 
+    echo=settings.DEBUG, 
+    pool_size=10, 
+    max_overflow=20,
+    pool_pre_ping=True,  # Test connection before using
+    pool_recycle=3600    # Recycle connections after 1 hour
+)
 async_session = async_sessionmaker(engine, class_=AsyncSession, expire_on_commit=False)
 
 Base = declarative_base()