People who spend time watching aquariums and fish tanks could see improvements in their physical and mental wellbeing, according to new research published in the journal Environment & Behavior.
In the first study of its kind, experts from the National Marine Aquarium, the 探花视频 and the University of Exeter assessed people鈥檚 physical and mental responses to tanks containing varying levels of fish.
The team found that viewing aquarium displays led to noticeable reductions in blood pressure and heart rate, and that higher numbers of fish helped to hold people鈥檚 attention for longer and improve their moods.
While spending time in 鈥榥atural鈥 environments has been shown to provide calming effects on humans, there has been very little research into the role that underwater settings could have on health and wellbeing.
Deborah Cracknell, a PhD student at the 探花视频 and Lead Researcher at the National Marine Aquarium, conducted the study and believes it provides an important first step in our understanding. She said:
鈥淔ish tanks and displays are often associated with attempts at calming patients in doctors鈥 surgeries and dental waiting rooms. This study has, for the first time, provided robust evidence that 鈥榙oses鈥 of exposure to underwater settings could actually have a positive impact on people鈥檚 wellbeing.鈥
The researchers benefited from a unique opportunity in order to conduct their study when the National Marine Aquarium refurbished one of its main exhibits, in a large 550,000-litre tank, and began a phased introduction of different fish species.
They were able to assess the mood, heart rate and blood pressure of study participants in precisely the same setting, as fish numbers in the main exhibit gradually increased.
Dr Sabine Pahl, Associate Professor in Psychology at the 探花视频 said:
鈥淲hile large public aquariums typically focus on their educational mission, our study suggests they could offer a number of previously undiscovered benefits. In times of higher work stress and crowded urban living, perhaps aquariums can step in and provide an oasis of calm and relaxation.鈥
Dr Mathew White, an environmental psychologist at the University of Exeter, said:
鈥淥ur findings have shown improvements for health and wellbeing in highly managed settings, providing an exciting possibility for people who aren鈥檛 able to access outdoor natural environments. If we can identify the mechanisms that underpin the benefits we鈥檙e seeing, we can effectively bring some of the 鈥榦utside inside鈥 and improve the wellbeing of people without ready access to nature.鈥