Nothing compares to the warmth of the fireplace as the dancing flames and the merry crackling of the wood washes away the tiredness and worries from your mind, lulling you into complete relaxation.
Did you know that sitting by the fireplace can have several mental and physical health benefits? Not only does fire promote pro-social behaviors, but it also lowers blood pressure.
What Does the Research Say?
Fire can lead to trance-like relaxation effects. These effects have been backed by research that shows that watching an open flame can decrease blood pressure. The longer you sit by the fire, the more relaxed you’ll feel.
Brain scans of people show that even when the crackling noise of the burning wood and the roaring flames is stimulated in a lab experiment, a person can experience reduced blood pressure. These findings are backed by an experiment carried out in Norway when a television program broadcasted a virtual fireplace for 12 hours straight. The program became popular because it relaxed people.
From fireplaces to campfires, fire has played a crucial role in our evolution, with crackling logs and flickering fire being directly linked with our psychology.
A psychological and medical anthropologist, Dr. Christopher Lynn carried out several tests to explore the reaction of hundreds of volunteers after seeing virtual fire. This three-year-long study was carried out at the University of Alabama which discovered that even a recorded video of a fireplace can prompt primeval instincts, helping people to calm down.
Crackling Sound Decreases the Blood Pressure
The study conducted by the researchers of the University of Alabama mentioned above had 226 participants. All the participants were asked to watch the video of a fireplace with and without the sound. The blood pressure of the participants was noted before and after watching the fireplace video.
The researchers discovered that hearing the crackling sound of the burning wood led to a decrease in blood pressure. The longer the people listened to the sound, the lower their blood pressure went. However, the people who viewed the video without sound have differing levels of increase and decrease in blood pressure. The brain scans of the people also unveiled that when sound and flamed were simulated in the lab, they can still decrease the blood pressure levels.
Fire Can Relax the Mind
According to a study, fire can relax the mind because of evolutionary adaptation. Early human beings were prone to relaxing by the fire because the fire gave them an advantage of survival. Trataka is a Sanskrit word that means ‘to gaze.’ This is an old practice of meditation in the realm of ayurvedic medicine where a person has to focus their eyes on an object.
The best way to conduct this medication and soothe your mind is to look at the fire in a fireplace. The human eye is naturally attracted to fire. This meditative gazing will help you relax your mind.
Fire Helps You Connect
How can sitting by the fireplace help you socialize? We are social animals and need to belong and stay connected to live a healthy and happy life. When we’re relaxing, especially by the fire, we can have positive conversations and find mutual interests to discuss with other people.
As you relax by the fireplace with your loved ones this winter, you should take a moment to appreciate that the fire that’s warming you is also a tool to help you stay warm and live a healthier life.
An Empty Mind Can Lead to a Relaxed Body
We experience relaxation by watching the fire because our minds are attracted to its roaring flames. The longer we watch the fire, the more we tend to escape from the daily hustle and bustle of every day. This peaceful and non-distracted state causes anxiety to placate naturally.
The discovery that relaxing by the fire can lead to lower blood pressure was especially found among the study participants who had high scores for positive social behaviors like empathy and generosity.
Being attracted to fire isn’t a new phenomenon. Since the beginning of time, humans have been attracted to fire, and sitting by the fire was a part of our routine for us. Fire has been psychologically impacting our and our ancestors’ lives since ancient times.
Hire Professionals to Rock Your Fireplaces
You must hire professionals for the installation and inspection of your fireplace and firepits. The trained team at Stone Solutions Maine offers outdoor landscaping services in Saco and the Greater Portland area. They ensure that the landscaping is done to perfection and within time.
Their landscaping services also include stonewalls and veneers, firepit and fireplace building, patios, driveways, and more. They also offer our services in South Portland, Falmouth, and Yarmouth, ME.
Contact us today to upgrade your outdoor space.