Mental Fitness: Using Biofeedback and Neurofeedback to improve your mental wellness

By: Tracy Alston, LPC, BCB, BCN Founder of New Mentality & Mental Edge Fitness Solutions, Inc.

Have you ever engaged in, what you thought to be a spectacular performance or presentation and not received any feedback? Frustrating right? Let’s be real, whether we want it or not, we all need feedback. Whether you’re giving a presentation, participating in a game or event, taking a test, feedback is important. How do we know how far we can go, if we don’t know where we are?

What if you could get feedback on your brain’s fitness and use that information to improve your mental performance? Meaning, what if you could know more about your mental fitness, how well you focus, perform under pressure, processing abilities, memory and sleep quality?

Well, you can. Through a process known as qEEG brain mapping and neurofeedback, you can get real-time information on how your brain is functioning. Utilizing that data, a training program is created to improve your brains performance through a process known as neurofeedback.

 

qEEG Brain mapping

A mental fitness assessment for your brain. A quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) is a highly sensitive and reliable assessment to evaluate brain waves. A qEEG brain map gives a visual representation on how your brain is functioning in real-time. This process allows you to see your unique patterns of mental strengths and weaknesses categorized into executive processing, memory processing, visual processing and more.

 

Biofeedback

Biofeedback is a mind-body technique used to improve your overall mental and emotional fitness. Biofeedback works by attaching sensors to various parts of your body to measure physiological activity like brain waves, heart rate, muscle tension and body temperature.

Through biofeedback you can learn to control things like your breathing, heart rate, muscle tension and even improve your brain function through a process known as neurofeedback.

 

Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback, also known as brain training or EEG biofeedback is a type of biofeedback for your brain. Brain training is used to improve mental performance, stress management or alleviate specific conditions. It works by placing sensors on the scalp to measure and monitor your brain activity intended to train someone to gain voluntary control over their brain function.

 

Why is it useful?

Bio and neurofeedback are often used for combating stress through relaxation training and techniques. Having access to this type of feedback provides insight and strengthens your awareness of how your thoughts and breathing affect the performance of your brain and your body. With this type of feedback and information you will have a better chance of learning and understanding how your brain and body respond to stress. With this information you will then learn how to make the necessary changes in your thinking, breathing and other behaviors in hopes of improving and gaining control over certain body functions and health concerns.

 

What is it used for?

Bio and neurofeedback have been around since the 1960’s and during that time was primarily used in a clinical and medical settings. With the advancements in technology, research and well documented benefits, biofeedback is not only used to treat physical, mental and medical conditions, biofeedback is also being used around the world for peak performance in the areas of sports, business, academics and life in general.

 

Bio and neurofeedback are used for:

  • Stress management
  • Mental and physical conditions like:
    • ADD/ADHD
    • Anxiety
    • Bedwetting
    • Chronic pain
    • Depression
    • Eating disorders
    • High blood pressure
    • Headaches
    • Learning disorders
    • Muscle spams
    • Trauma
    • Sleep issues

 

Who can benefit?

Everyone! Whether you are looking for an alternative treatment for a mental health condition or looking to improve your mental performance, biofeedback is a tool that can be beneficial for all. It’s a non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical, science-based approach to improving your mental wellness.

 

 

 

Tracy Alston (https://tracyalston.com) is a mental fitness consultant, a licensed professional counselor, board certified in bio and neurofeedback, a podcaster and a radio host for the Mental Fitness Matters show on WSIC radio station.

Tracy is the Founder and CEO of two companies located in Mooresville, N.C., New Mentality, (https://newmentalityinc.com), and Mental Edge Fitness Solutions, Inc., (https://mentaledge-fitness.com).

A graduate of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., Tracy’s passion is creating innovative strategies and solutions for improving the mental health and mental fitness of her clients, companies and the world.

 

 

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