Reduce Your Blood Pressure As You Enjoy a Crackling Fire

Categories: Mood Tips

The Winter season in California presents some chilly weather (at least when you compare it to our normally warm days). And throughout the world, winters can be brutally cold. But there is a great advantage to us when we light and burn a roaring fire.

Did you know that watching an open fire (one that crackels and pops) can help reduce your blood pressure? Although not shocking news, you may not know that you don't even need a fireplace to get the benefit. 

All you have to do is watch a video and make sure there are sound effects.

It turns out Dr Christopher Dana Lynn, an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Alabama, has a theory that fire is relaxing to human beings. He conducted a three-year study which found a link between watching burning fires and a reduction in blood pressure. When the fires are vigorous, crackling and making roaring sounds, we tend to feel calmer - more relaxed. They can also help us feel closer to the people watching the fire with us.

If you want to read about Dr Lynn's findings, here is a link to his journal article: “Hearth and Campfire Influences on Arterial Blood Pressure: Defraying the Costs of the Social Brain through Fireside Relaxation” 

​​Reference: Dana Lynn, C. (2014). Hearth and Campfire Influences on Arterial Blood Pressure: Defraying the Costs of the Social Brain through Fireside Relaxation. Evolutionary Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/147470491401200509

​Here's our favorite video of a wonderful, live fire. You know it is not CGI when you see a hand and arm come into the frame to add more logs and adjust them. It pops, it crackles and it roars. Since research shows that the more natural the fire and the longer you watch, the more significant decreases in blood pressure, we're posting the three hour version. - ENJOY

Photo credit: Roaring Fire by terren in Virginia. Licensed under CC BY 2.0