Something fishy.

How many of us have spent many minutes staring into fish tanks as children? A lot, I’m willing to bet. I, for one, used to love tracking the movement of the fish and sometimes teasing them, whenever I came across a fish tank. Visits to the aquarium were always looked forward to, and completed with much excitement. It’s something every child does, for the aquatic world is a fascinating one. One thing that I always noticed was that the waiting lounge of my dentist’s office had a fish tank, the only reason I liked going there.

Today I understand why. Studies have shown that observing fish in a fish tank has a calming effect on people and lowers blood pressure. The movement of live fish and the calmness of the water make them feel stress free and have a similar effect as that of a mood-enhancer. Hence, many physicians and dentists set up fish tanks in their waiting lounges, to work as a natural anesthetic that numbs and reduces the intensity of the pain. It’s funny how simple things, that seem to be present only for the purpose of decorating, have a much higher meaning in the bigger picture. Whoever would have guessed that the pretty fish tank was actually hypnotizing you into not feeling pain?