What is Biofeedback?
Biofeedback is a treatment technique in which people are trained to improve their health by using signals from their own bodies. Therapists use biofeedback to help patients learn to breathe, relax, and decrease the engagement of their fight and flight system in their body. Patients have their heart monitored and are able to visually see how their heart rate affects their rate of breathing. Through this visual feedback loop, patients are able to learn to slow their breathing to the pace of their heart beat when at rest. When a patient learns to purposefully control their breathing, they are able to slow their heart rate and they are able decrease the engagement of their fight or flight system. Once achieved their brain will become in a state of coherence, which is where our best thinking can occur. In coherence, we can begin to look at situations from the perception of others, feel things that we have stuffed down, and even control emotional and physical pain levels. Have you ever worked out your muscles and became really sore? Were you at your best the next day when you were tired, sore and achy? The day after your workout, when you are sore and tired, is compared to those who are attempting to recover. They too are not at their best. Biofeedback helps others feel strong, capable, rested, relaxed, and competent. They are able to think, feel, and sense the world around them in a calm, relaxed, and purposeful way rather than in a tense, stressed, worried, fearful, scared, depressed, anxious, and angry way.
For more information on the benefits and research of HeartMath please visit both the HeartMath research and product sites at www.heartmath.org and www.heartmath.com.
