Biofeedback, as the word suggests:
“Bio” refers to the body and “feedback” means to provide information.
It aims to capture changes in the body through physiological means and provide feedback in a visible form. This method aims to understand the body’s states that are not usually noticed and adjust the mind and body to a better state.
The Body is Dynamic
The body at “now” is different from the body in the “past” (e.g., one hour ago), and the body in the “future” (e.g., one hour later) is also changing. The heart beats constantly, blood circulates through the body, causing pulses in the blood vessels, and skin temperature changes. Sweating varies to regulate body temperature, the gastrointestinal tract undergoes peristalsis, and muscles alternate between tension and relaxation.
These movements change significantly due to situations and psychological stress. Biofeedback uses physiological indicators to easily capture such changes in the body.
Psychophysiological Indicators
Specifically:
- Electromyography (to observe muscle tension related to conditions like stiff shoulders and headaches)
- Skin Conductance (to observe emotional tension, stability, relaxation, etc.)
- Skin Temperature (to capture blood circulation related to pain and swelling)
- Blood Volume Pulse (to capture blood circulation through peripheral blood vessel constriction/dilation and observe heart rate)
- Respiration (to observe the pattern, depth, and speed of breathing, the connection between mind and body)
- Electrocardiography (to observe heart function related to conditions like blood pressure and palpitations)
- Heart Rate Variability (to observe autonomic nervous system function related to various symptoms such as sweating, flushing, dizziness, abdominal pain, and constipation)
All of these can be measured easily by simply attaching tapes to fingertips while wearing clothes, without pain or itching.
⇒ For more explanation, please refer to “Psychophysiological Indicators Used in Stress Profiles and Biofeedback”.
“Dialogue between Mind and Body”
The greatest advantage of biofeedback is that it allows adjustment of the mind and body while objectively confirming indicators. Through this dynamic process, adjustments are made to the mind and body, and in psychosomatic medicine, it is used for evaluation and treatment of psychosomatic disorders. It is also applied in sports for peak performance, health promotion, and prevention.
In biofeedback in psychosomatic medicine, it is important to become aware of one’s own body state through the above process. It involves dialogue with one’s own body, advancing the “dialogue between mind and body.”
Biofeedback includes the process of objectively capturing the state of the body and returning it to subjective experience. It is like having a conversation between the subjectively experienced and objectively displayed.
The objectively displayed information can be shared between therapists and clients. Through such a process, biofeedback listens to the voice of the body and pays attention to the voice of the mind.
(Kanbara K, LABs Psychosomatic Medicine, https://psychosom.net/en/biofeedback, Jan 2022)