Electroencephalogram biofeedback is a drug-free, non-invasive way to:

• Enhance one’s attention, memory and creativity
• Improve your sleep pattern and moods
• Ease you of anxiety, fatigue and chronic pain
• Reduce your seizure frequency, and
• Help restore cognitive skills and emotional peace after a trauma

What is EEG biofeedback?

This is the biofeedback given by brainwave patterns. The nerve cells of the brain produce a constantly changing pattern of electrical activity, measured by a device called an electroencephalogram (EEG). If there is an increase n the strength of particular frequencies of this signal, it means the subject is going through a particular mental state. If, for example, you read slow-wave patterns or theta waves, it means the subject is inattentive or drowsy.

To measure the brain’s activity on an EEG, sensors are placed on the scalp with water soluble paste and are linked to a computer with an EEG-biofeedback instrument. This gives every possible bit of information and records random changes that take place in your brainwave patterns.

With this feedback, you can help yourself by increasing the amplitude of particular patterns. By doing this, you give yourself therapeutic help. EEG biofeedback is also called neurofeedback and helps maximises your brain functions while your brain goes through various activities and states and transits between two states.

Benefits of EEG biofeedback:

1. Increased concentration and learning:

EEG biofeedback plays an important role in enhancing your concentration and reducing spontaneous action and hyperactivity. It can help increase your I.Q. scores, pay attention to learning, and grades at school among children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and abnormal college students. It can also improve memory and mental alertness among business people, artists and athletes.

2. Improves mood and energy levels:

EEG biofeedback is a mood elevator and also helps reduce pain. So, if you undergo a head injury, trauma, chronic pain and fatigue, you will show great mental clarity and less anger, if you undergo EEG biofeedback.

3. Allows for better sleep and lessens anxiety:

If you practice increasing sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) during the day, you will be able to sleep better at night and reduce the number of times you wake up at night. You can also try to reduce muscle tension, get rid of anxiety, anxiety-related insomnia, and other stress-related disorders by doing relaxation exercises.

4. Brings stability to the brain:

An EEG biofeedback helps to increase your resistance to any seizures you experience, while reducing their frequency, besides helping to get rid of migraines, asthma, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and neurobehavioral spectrum disorders such as autism, Asperger’s and Tourette’s syndromes.

5. Trains the brain to improve functioning:

With EEG biofeedback, your brain can receive enough training so that it stretches and strengthens for better performance, and become more flexible and stable by changing behavior. Over time, when these skills are learnt, they can bring about positive effects in the long term.

Depending on the severity of the problem, treatment sessions can take from up to six sessions to 20 or even 50, as in the case of seizures or stroke sequelae. But with a well-chosen diet, and regular relaxation techniques at home, success can be expedited.