What is Biofeedback (BFB)?
Article author: Andrey Patrushev
Biofeedback (BFB) is an educational process in which people learn to improve their health and psychological state by observing signals coming from their own body. This method is scientifically sound and based on numerous experiments and extensive clinical practice. This is a very effective way to control the level of tension, achieve true relaxation and help achieve personal goals.
Fear, overeating, smoking, anxiety, and other problems are directly related to stress or aggravated by it. For some, stress is a stimulant of effective activity, but for most it is a barrier to self-realization. The secret is to recognize your reaction to stress and then use this knowledge as a springboard to gain full control over your life, when you can realize the full potential of your brain to achieve success in life and maintain good health.
Until now, biofeedback has been widely used in medical practice to teach you how to control stress, achieve deep relaxation and channel talent and energy towards self-realization and the full disclosure of your human potential. Now, thanks to modern advances in electronics, compact, reliable and accurate devices that can easily be used at home have appeared at our disposal.
These devices allow us ourselves to examine the unconscious involuntary reactions of our body to various types of stress, returning in feedback form our efforts to change this level of stress (these usually unconscious signals) in the form of auditory or (and) visual stimuli. So that you can immediately hear and (or) see the slightest changes and learn to manage them very quickly!
All troubles associated with stress have now been identified and documented. We now know that stress has a very real and significant effect on health, performance, relationships and athletic performance.
BOS offers us an open window through which we can see how our own body responds to stress.
BFB monitors and gives us feedback - what successes we have achieved in regulating the level of stress. For example, when you tensed up, you immediately hear a tone increase in the headphones, when you apply the appropriate relaxation technique, the tone starts to decrease, immediately informing us of success. This gives us a direct understanding of which technique works for us and which does not.
BFB shows us how to use our consciousness to directly control our own body. When we use devices with biological feedback, the signals of our nervous system become available to us in a tangible and measurable form. Thus, we can make the appropriate changes to achieve the results we need.
There are several types of biofeedback.
BFB, based on measuring the electrical resistance of the skin (in the Russian version of the Skin-Galvanic Reaction), which directly depends on the level of relaxation, that is, on psychological states and emotions. The sensors are put on the arm, and we hear an increase in tone in the headphones if our emotions or conditions become more tense and lower when we relax.
BFB based on measuring muscle tension. Relaxation of the forehead muscles, for example, helps to reduce headaches, relieve tension in the masticatory muscles, and relax the cervical-shoulder region. A pair of headphones with an integrated interface and a headband with sensors around the head. When we relax the forehead muscles, the tone in the headphones starts to drop.
BFB based on measuring the quality of the bioelectric wave activity of the brain. Improving the quality of wave activity helps us in training and focusing, reducing mental chaos, quickly achieving deep relaxation, and improving the quality of night sleep.
Two electrodes are mounted on the head, and through the computer interface we can see the wave activity of our brain in the form of wavy lines on the screen, similar to sea waves. When the waves are close to each other - we are active and attentive, when they diverge - we relax, and our attention is scattered.
When we see irregular waves, this means that now we are far from in our best condition. When the waves become regular and with smoother vertices, we find ourselves in a more focused state.
BFB, based on measuring heart rate variability, shows us how our heart responds to changes in emotional, mental and physical stress and helps to train the ability to return to a more relaxed and effective state. This helps to achieve overall relaxation and relieve tension from the cardiovascular system.
We put the sensor on the finger, and the computer interface helps us see the work of our heart in the form of wavy lines on the screen, similar to sea waves. Irregular constantly changing waves indicate that we are easily amenable to various disorders for any reason. While smooth waves mean that we are able to remain calm in any tense situation.
BFB based on measuring skin temperature. The warmer the skin, the deeper the relaxation. Skin temperature is determined by the amount of blood circulating in the subcutaneous layer. The greater the volume of circulation, the faster healing and self-healing takes place in this place.
We place temperature sensors where we need to increase the blood flow, for example on the arm. The higher the stress level, the colder the hands are usually colder. A digital thermometer measures the temperature, then tells us that the temperature in this place has increased or not increased.
The hardware-software complex of BFB "Mental Games" is based on measuring the electrical resistance of the skin. This modern system takes BFB-training to a new level through the use of a game interface.
Now we can not just watch the monotonous waves on the computer screen and listen to the boring squeak in the headphones, but with enthusiasm put the spaceship on the landing platform, navigate it between obstacles, compose music and much, much more, just controlling our thoughts. Needless to say, the results with this approach grow much faster, and the effectiveness of training increases. The complex is constantly being improved - game modules are added, the interface is improved.
Due to the good feedback from the developers, you can add your ideas on improving the games or creating a completely new game there.