Do-it-Yourself Biofeedback
We tried out three devices
Want to try biofeedback without formal therapy? Several new devices promise to teach the techniques at home. "They're very effective to help you engage in breathing that lowers the stress response," says Paul Rosch, a clinical professor of medicine and psychiatry at New York Medical College and president of the American Institute of Stress. U.S. News reporters tested them out.
StressEraser, $300: This device measures subtle changes in your heart rate—called heart rate variability—that are influenced by your breathing. It guides you to breathe slowly and evenly so as to achieve a pattern of waves that looks like roller coaster peaks and valleys.
Comment: "My gadget was definitely easy to use, but to get a good breathing score, I had to take extremely deep breaths, which made me lightheaded and dizzy. I don't think the device helped me much because I wouldn't want to replicate that breathing pattern when stressed. Perhaps exercise would suit me better."
RESPeRATE, $300: This device, approved by the Food and Drug Administration to lower blood pressure, isn't technically a biofeedback machine, but it does help you achieve the same goal: proper breathing to lower stress. You strap a belt with a breathing sensor around your abdomen or chest and listen to instructions through headphones.
Comment: "Pleasant music guides you when to inhale and exhale, an overall experience I found very relaxing. My one gripe: a distracting voice that came on repeatedly to tell me to adjust my belt."
emWave, $200: Pressing your thumb on the iPod-size device also monitors your heart rate variability, letting you know through a rising and falling bar of lights when to inhale and exhale. A light at the top tells you when you're in the red "stressed" zone, the blue "medium" zone, or the green "relaxed" zone.
Comment: "On the plus side, emWave is easy to use. I didn't have too much difficulty moving from the red zone to the green. But then I'd slide back down again, which would jack up my stress. I tried several sessions, but whatever mellowness I felt dissipated within a few minutes."
Reader Comments
Healing Rhythms Biofeedback
We have been using the Healing Rhythms system now at Planet Massage for a couple of months. We are very excited and happy with the results. Our therapists loved it so much, I sold out of our first shipment in to days. We are offering the treatment in our clinic/spa packaged with a special stress reducing massage, as well as for client’s home use. It is very affordably priced, so if you wish to continue at home, that option is readily available. Visit us at Planet Massage for more information. http://www.PlanetMassage.com
A friend of mine uses Healing Rhythms
A girl friend of mine recently got Healing Rhythms. I have not used it, but she likes it a lot.
The main difference between it and the others is that it is set up more like a game. Very visual.
I think it is about the same price.
It's About Emotion, Not Breathing
I agree completely with Yara's response (above). The emWave, in particular, encourages the practice of shifting your emotional state to bring about a regulation in your system. Continued practice of 20 - 30 minutes a day empowers most people to begin to respond to stress with more appropriate positive emotions rather than the usual response of negative emotions. Positive emotions trigger a cascade of hormonal, neurological, and immunological events that are very healthy for your body and psychology of mind. I beat a 23+ year long depression in 3 months using the HeartMath tools and have trained over 300 people to similar effects.
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