How is Biofeedback Used to Manage Stress?

Biofeedback is an interesting new technology that has far-reaching medical implications. The method utilizes electronic monitoring equipment to track normal automatic bodily functions (such as heartbeat or muscle tension). The goal is to teach the patient how to learn, or relearn, these functions. Biofeedback helps doctors learn how a patient’s brain is functioning. They can then teach the patient both mental and physical exercises that will help them control the function in question. A wide range of health conditions can be managed with biofeedback. Among the most exciting of these is stress and anxiety management.

Biofeedback for Stress Management  

Biofeedback helps manage stress by allowing the patient to control physical issues that lead to stress in the first place. By managing issues like blood flow and blood pressure, patients can learn to control the amount of stress and anxiety they feel on a day-to-day basis. This, in turn, reduces other health issues linked to stress like headaches and insomnia. Simply put, biofeedback reverses the body’s response to stress. It allows you to regain control and reduce anxiety.

How Biofeedback Works

The primary way that biofeedback helps patients manage stress and anxiety is by helping them realize the warning signs of these conditions. Biofeedback notifies the patient of physical signs of stress so that they can then employ techniques like deep breathing and meditation. The physiological employment of these methods relaxes the fight-or-flight response we often have while experiencing stress. Because stress and related health issues operate as a cycle, biofeedback is often the first step in healing these other conditions. Knowing how and why your body functions like it does makes it much easier to make concrete and long-lasting changes.

The Next Step 

Biofeedback is undoubtedly one of the most exciting new medical technologies geared towards stress management. Those interested in trying it for themselves should contact an expert like Northwest Biofeedback Center. Call us today for more information on how biofeedback can help you regain control over your stress and anxiety.