Health Benefits of a Freshwater Aquarium

Health is Wealth. Do you have a stressful life, high blood pressure, insomnia? Is your child suffering from hyperactivity disorder. Are you tired of continuous consultations, clinic visits and allopathy treatment. Then it is time you try socio-therapy. For years dogs, cats, birds and many other types of social animals are used for this type of therapy and have shown positive results. How about fish or fresh water aquariums? Does an aquarium pet therapy have any beneficial health merits?

Let's study the Health Benefits of Freshwater Aquarium

Virtually any aquarium, from large to small, will have a benefit. Studies going back as far as the late 80's have shown that gazing at aquarium fish reduces stress and subsequently lowers blood pressure. Pennsylvania university researchers reported that watching fish swimming in a home aquarium lessens stress and lowers high blood pressure.

Researchers concluded that people watching fresh water aquariums with bubbles, pebbles and plants benefit a lot as compared to no fish aquarium

Ecologist Alan Bech, director of the university's Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society research revealed that "Blood pressure drops with fishless fish tanks, but it doesn't drop as much and it creeps back up faster. With fish in the tanks, you truly get relaxation."

Fresh water aquarium: Can it make a difference

Researchers have compared the effects of fishless vs. fish filled aquariums, and no aquarium vs. having a freshwater aquarium. In all cases, having an aquarium reduces blood pressure though, studies show greater reduction in blood pressure when there were fish in the tank, vs pleasingly decorated fishless tanks. Even watching a video tape, dvd, cd, pictures, paintings of fish has been proven to have therapeutic effects and multiple health benefits.

Proven Health Benefits

Significant blood pressure reduction was observed in Seniors who were provided with freshwater aquarium filled with fish. Watching fish calms children suffering from hyperactivity disorder to a great extent. Studies also proved that Dental patients too benefit from the aquarium. They required less pain medication after having watched fish in the office.

Research shows Alzheimer patients experiencing a variety of health benefits from watching freshwater aquariums. At Purdue University, researchers found that displaying tanks of brightly colored fish may curtail disruptive behaviors and improve eating habits of people with Alzheimer's disease. Their diet increased and required fewer supplements after an aquarium was placed in the dining room. They also exhibited less physically aggressive behaviors.

Nursing Professor Nancy Edwards Purdue News August 1999 reports 60 individuals residing in specialized units in three Indiana nursing homes, who were exposed to the fish tanks appeared to be more relaxed and alert. They ate up to 21 percent more food than they had before the introduction of the fish tanks which is an average increase of 17.2 percent."

So let's take advantage of the stress-relieving benefits of aquarium fish whenever, and wherever we can!It's therefore a little wonder these days that physician offices, dental clinics and waiting rooms for counselors keep an aquarium in the waiting room.