biofeedback
BY-oh-feed-bak
/ˌbaɪoʊˈfiːdbæk/
A technique in which people are trained to improve their health by using signals from their own bodies, such as heart rate or muscle tension.
It uses electronic monitoring to provide real-time data, allowing a person to develop voluntary control over involuntary functions.
The story behind the word. The term was coined in the late 1960s as researchers began to discover that the autonomic nervous system (which controls things like heart rate) wasn't as 'automatic' as previously thought.
Word relationships
- neurofeedback: Neurofeedback is a specific type of biofeedback that focuses exclusively on brain wave activity.
Commonly confused with
- meditation: Meditation is a mental practice to achieve calm; biofeedback is a technology-assisted technique to control physiological responses.
Collocations
- biofeedback therapy
- biofeedback training
- thermal biofeedback
- EMG biofeedback
Example sentences
- "Biofeedback can help people with chronic migraines learn to relax specific muscles and reduce the frequency of their headaches." Clinical application.
- "During a biofeedback session, electrodes are attached to your skin to measure various physiological functions." Scientific explanation.
Memory hook
BIO-FEEDBACK: Getting 'FEEDBACK' from your 'BIO-logy.' Body signals as feedback.
When not to use
Don't use it for simple self-reflection; it requires some form of external monitoring device.
Fun facts
- NASA has used biofeedback to help pilots and astronauts manage the physical stress of high-speed flight.
Related words
Explore more words
cybernetic, non-invasive, feedback, biomechanics, proprioception, placebo
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