If you were to walk through either of the Mercy Home campuses, you may notice the presence of fish tanks in various parts of our Home. This isn’t by accident! Aquariums are proven to have therapeutic benefits.
One of the most basic ways fish tanks provide a soothing environment is through the sound of running water. You can see this in the way people find comfort in the noise of a running stream or waves crashing on a beach.
This kind of benefit can be replicated through aquariums kept in a home or office. Using fish tanks to aid our emotional wellbeing is often called aquarium therapy.
One of the largest benefits fish tanks provide to our children is the reduction of anxiety. Did you know the reason you often see fish tanks in doctors’ or dentists’ offices is to reduce stress and anxiety in patients?
Our children receive the same benefits from our fish tanks. Many of the young people at Mercy Home experience depression and/or anxiety related to the trauma they experienced before coming to our Home. Studies have shown that simply being near a fish tank lowers anxiety levels. Other studies have shown that it reduces heart rate and blood pressure levels.
“…seeing the fish swimming, floating, playing, and being cared for represents both a regulating and aspirational activity.”
So why does water have this effect on us? According to marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols, people have a “blue mind” that activates when we are in or near water. This state is described as “a mildly meditative state characterized by calm, peacefulness, unity, and a sense of general happiness and satisfaction with life in the moment.”
This “blue mind” state allows your brain to rest from overstimulation and stimulate a meditative state, both of which are critical in helping our kids deal with the effects of trauma.
What is "blue mind?"
- a state our mind enters when in or near water
- mildly meditative
- characterized by calm, peacefulness, unity
- gives a sense of general happiness and satisfaction
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