Therapeutic Benefits of Aquarium Therapy

By Sneha A

Saturday, October 10, 2015, 11:10 [IST]

Having a pet means having unconditional love and companionship. This also gives us the strength to cope with the stress of daily life. We have read numerous stories of how a dog or a cat has proved itself to be an honest and loving companion to its owner but there is one more species of animals who have been pets to human beings from a very long time but their contribution to our physical and emotional state is not so much known. Nevertheless, the truth is that their soothing effects cannot be ignored. These silent comforters are none other than the fishes within those aquariums.

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It may sound silly but there a number of health benefits of just watching fish in the aquarium. It has been proved in various researches that watching fishes in aquarium tanks also known as aquarium therapy has a soothing effect on a restless mind. Their peaceful and calming nature and the serenity that surrounds them can simply leave the observer hypnotized and fill him up with a sense of undefined calmness, magically relieving them of the stress they have been carrying in those few moments. The health benefits of watching the fishes in the aquarium tank is not just limited to emotional aspects but scientists have also found it to be helpful in certain psychiatric conditions as well.

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Who could have thought that a simple hobby like this could have had such amazing benefits? Read on to know all the benefits of this incredible aquarium therapy.

1. Reduces Stress:
A number of studies have concluded that watching fishes in aquariums have proved to be having therapeutic effects on emotional and physiological being of people. It helps in reducing and calming down the anxiety level as well as in relaxing the mind. You might have observed that many hospitals have aquariums in their waiting area, now you know why!

2. Strengthens Your Heart:
As aquarium therapy helps in calming a person on the edge it also helps in getting the blood pressure back to normal. It brings about a beneficial amount of decrease in the pulse rate and relaxes the tension in the muscles. Sparing some time to spend with our colorful little friends can not only uplift our mood but can also prove to be a healthy habit for our cardiovascular system, ultimately giving a boost to our longevity.

3. Beneficial For Alzheimer’s Patients:
In a study conducted on Alzheimer’s patients concluded that opening up the patients to aquarium tanks containing colorful and bright fishes as well as corals can result in an improved behavior ( Alzheimer’s patients are often found to be very aggressive and troublesome). With this an improvement in eating habits had also been observed.

4. Helpful For Autistic kids:
Autistic kids are very much prone to having emotional outbursts hence by adding visits to therapeutic aquariums between the table sessions their aggression and stimulation can be calmed by allowing them to watch the beautiful colors and the movements of the fishes and other aquatic life.

5. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):
Children with ADHD disorder have been found to benefit from aquarium therapy. As it calms the nerves and relaxes the mind it helps in building better a concentration level.