Biofeedback Explained

Biofeedback is applied in stress management for optimal health, and in sport psychology services for peak performance.

Individual reaction patterns to stress are identified via biofeedback (objective biosignal measurement, e.g. breathing, pulse, skin temperature, heart rate, heart rate variability) and can be permanently changed through targeted individual training. Biofeedback therapy reduces anxiety, improves mood, enhances focus, and reduces muscle tension.

The body's own internal regulation processes are often not directly accessible to the human consciousness, so that in the event of imbalances induced by stress it is also not possible to consciously act on the human body control loop.

Biofeedback is used to make a body function (such as pulse, skin conductance or brain waves) accessible to consciousness by means of physiological measurements. This is generally done through tones (volume, pitch or timbre) or visualizations (e.g. pointers or bar graphics). Based on this feedback, the patient tries to improve the regulation through operant control.

Through state-of-the-art biofeedback training patients can realize multiple benefits including:

• Enhanced cardiac health
• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Improved mood
• Increased attention and focus
• Reduced muscle tension
• Improved hormone balance
• Remove brain fog, clearer thinking

A mixture of neurofeedback and biofeedback therapy can help you to achieve optimal performance in health, career, and relationships. Through this process, the I-NFBF teaches patients the self-regulation tools they need to perform at their peak.

Biofeedback Training can help in cases of:

• Anxiety
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chest Pain
• Chronic Pain
• Concussion
• Depression
• Disordered Eating
• Epilepsy/Seizure
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches
• High Blood Pressure
• Hypertension
• Hyperventilation
• Injury Rehabilitation
• Insomnia
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Pain
• PTSD
• Reynaud's Syndrome
• Smoking Cessation
• Stress
• TMJ/TMD

A key area of biofeedback therapy is the heart rate variability measurement and improvement.

Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback lets a patient gain control over his/her body’s responses to stress. It is an evidence-based treatment during which the patient is trained to improve his/her mental and physical health by using signals from his/her own body.

What Does Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback involve?

It is a technique that has proven effective for patients dealing with a variety of health and performance issues. At the I-NFBF treatment center a patient can experience first-hand the difference biofeedback therapy can make in dealing with stress management, achieving optimal health and any other areas a patient may be looking to improve. Biofeedback therapy gives within millisecond accurate mirroring of what a patient's heart is communicating to the rest of your body, eventually allowing a patient to gain control over how his/her body reacts to stress. Sessions last 45-60 minutes and the techniques are non-invasive, allowing the patient to improve control over how his/her react to internal and external stressors.

The Institute for Neurofeedback and Biofeedback (I-NFBF) offers biofeedback services to children, adults, athletes, managers, and others in Switzerland at two locations, Zürich area and Lake Geneva area.

Are you interested? Dr. Eva Otzen of the Mind&Body Performance Center of the Institute for Neurofeedback and Biofeedback can help you to regain focus in your life. She will personalize your treatment plan in order to facilitate the best results for you. Please, call 0041 78 7141415 or send an email to [email protected].