Most people are aware, even if just intuitively, that the sights and sounds of nature are perfect for stress reduction. Particularly the sound of moving water; think bubbling brooks, tinkling streams, even a roaring river can offer peace and tranquility.
An easy way to bring this calming effect inside is to keep and care for fish in your living space. Setting up and maintaining a fish tank can be therapeutic. Many studies show evidence that watching not just the fish, but the other aspects associated with an aquarium (ethereal lighting, flowing plants, bubbling water), are beneficial for promoting peace and calm.
The physiological benefits of watching fish gently zip or float through water include a reduced blood pressure and heart rates. The same studies that proved this, also show that higher biodiversity, meaning more variety in the types of fish and plants in the aquarium, leads to higher, longer sustained stress reduction. Although even the smallest of fish tanks affect moods positively.
If you are considering an aquarium to lower your stress levels and get in touch with the scenes of nature, but don’t have a surplus of time or space, consider a betta fish tank. Betta fish prefer solitude and small spaces, and are therefore easier to care for. Also consider an artificial fish tank, there are many options out there for you to stream the scenes of an aquarium to your computer, phone, or television if you are in need of the relaxation of the natural world, but currently unable to get out in to nature.