Sunday, January 20, 2008

Biofeedback for Relaxation and Stress Control

For the past couple weeks I have been trying a new method of stress control. This is a computer program with sensors that you attach to your fingers that monitors your pulse and heart rate. Biofeedback, in other words.

I have been wanting this program for a long time, since a Life Coach in my area did a demo, but had no justification to buy it until my doctor, when I asked her what I could do to control stress, recommended biofeedback.

The last week has been stressful with work. I am a caregiver, and I also have to interact with my client’s family. They started crossing my boundaries big time and I started feeling really stressed.

Besides talking to my boss about what the family was doing that they shouldn’t, I took some evenings out to try out my new biofeedback software.

I found that the gentle music in the program put me right to sleep the first few times, but as I have been practicing with the program more and more, I am learning to control my heart rate (which is an issue to me), and effectively reduce my stress level.


The imagery in the program is stunningly beautiful. I like the exercise where you breathe to raise your energy, and you juggle balls in the air just by the way you are breathing. There are other exercises where you must be calmly breathing, like the fog horn.

All in all it has given me a sense of calm and relaxation and peace that I didn’t have before, and as each stressful moment occurs, even while I am still at work, and I feel stressed (by a poor set of directions to a store that makes me get lost, for example) I say, I am going home after work to use my biofeedback software.

I bought both the sets because it was more cost effective that way. When I master the first set, the second set will be the advanced meditation techniques.

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