“You aren’t going to believe this,” wrote a good friend of mine in an email, “I’ve just returned from the dentist and I was watching fish the entire time!”
My friend went on to say that while he was lying in the chair having his exam performed, he was also viewing a giant aquarium which had been installed.
This was different from his usual exams with his previous dentist. In an attempt to make him feel relaxed, he believed, they asked him questions which required him to try to talk while having dental instruments in his mouth.
This was different, while not a huge fan of “fish gazing,” he said the experience was almost surreal. He couldn’t believe how relaxed he was after his exam – all, he believed because of watching fish swim.
Having grown up with plenty of nature surrounding me, I wasn’t at all surprised. For me, it was communing with horses where I felt (and still do) calm and grounded. While actual contact (riding, petting) with horses offered the most reward, I also felt at peace just watching them eating or interacting with each other.
Several studies involving animals and people suffering from high blood pressure, or hypertension, found that petting a dog or cat or even watching a fish swim in its bowl lowered blood pressure dramatically.
Other studies have shown that pet owners suffer from fewer anxious outbursts and in general, have lowered blood pressure.
Why is this? It is believed that interacting with animals lowers stress levels. To reinforce this, studies have been performed to measure neurochemicals in the brain before and after spending time with animals (in as few as twenty minutes).
The release of the neurochemical, cortisol, (shown at higher levels in patients with elevated stress levels) was measured lower in those who spent time watching or petting animals versus the control group.
It is well known that stress, especially chronic stress, can lead to high blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure can contribute to organ damage, including the kidneys and heart, blindness, stroke and heart attack. This effect can be increased by drinking alcohol in excess and smoking.
Does this mean you have to run out and buy a pet? As a pet owner, I highly encourage you to consider whether or not this is realistic to you. Pets require time, energy and money and an unprepared pet owner is an irresponsible pet owner.
Additionally, many of my clients have allergies which don’t entertain the idea of pet ownership. Why not try turning on your local animal channel and watching animals in nature. The lion killing the gazelle aside, many of these programs (I especially enjoy the ones relating to sea life) are a relaxing way to “chill” for a half hour or so.
If high blood pressure is a concern for you, I highly encourage you to try my all natural Hypertension No More program . It’s all natural and best of all, it works!
EL331002
