Whether it's you, your children, or your grandparents, going to the doctor's office is rarely a fun event. The environment of a doctor’s office is not necessarily cheerful or welcoming and often features a windowless waiting area and cold reception desks. Typically, this environment adds to feelings of stress, anxiety, and nervousness. The truth is, most of us dread going to the doctor's office altogether.

That's why doctor offices often feature aquariums in their waiting room. It's not just for decor. It's designed to reduce patient stress and increase comfort. Here are a few reasons why aquariums are commonly used in doctor's offices.

1. Calms the Doctor's Office Jitters

Long waits at the doctor's office can be quite stressful. If you're worried or stressed about your appointment, then aquariums can be helpful. They keep your mind diverted as you look at the colorful array of fish swimming along. Aquariums are more than just "nice-to-look-at." One recent study found that aquariums can reduce people's heart rates, blood pressure and improve their mood.

Another finding revealed that dental patients in clinics were more relaxed when watching an aquarium containing living fish compared to sitting in a typical waiting room with nothing to look at. It's no surprise then that many doctor's offices keep an aquarium to help calm their patient's jitters and keep them relaxed before seeing their doctor. 

2. Improves Humidity 

While aquariums add beauty and make the waiting room livelier, they also increase humidity. According to Oregon State University, fish tanks and indoor plants add significant moisture to the air. This is essential for the skin and lungs. The humidity that comes from the tank helps patients and workers avoid dry air even in the coldest, driest, and most skin-chapping seasons. 

It also helps patients with breathing and getting more oxygen into their bodies. During colder seasons, patients can come into the office with dry mouth and lungs, which can cause a dry cough. 

3. Enhances Aesthetics

With proper fish care, aquariums can enhance the look of any patient waiting room. Filled with color species of fish swimming together along with the landscape inside the tank, they tend to light up the space. A bright aquarium filled with lots of different species and aquarium decor helps turn a dull office into an inviting one. Not to mention, the repetitive swimming motion of the fish and movement of the plants create a mesmerizing experience that may improve your mood. 

If you've ever spent time gazing in aquariums, you'll know that they provide a meditative, therapeutic, and somewhat hypnotic aura that can switch your state of mind from frantic and stressed to calm and tranquil. The next time you're sitting waiting for your doctor, don't focus on the sounds of groans from other patients or the dead silence of the room. Instead, take a look at the fish if you’re lucky enough to have an aquarium in the doctor’s office that you are visiting.

But what if you want an aquarium for your own office? Like taking care of any other pet, ensuring your fish and the tank is well-maintained is imperative. If you're deciding on getting an aquarium for your own office, make sure to have all water care to keep your fish healthy so that they can provide all the wonderful health benefits. Also, you can find a professional to take care of aquarium in an easy way.