Biofeedback y coherencia cardiaca en el manejo y prevención del estrés

Abstract

Introduction: Stress affects physical and mental health worldwide. Studies show that stress is the cause of about 90% of pathologies. Moreover, it is also one of the most frequent reasons for consultation, which is why techniques have been develop to manage and prevent stress. These techniques allow people to visualize and consciously control the psychological processes and physiological functions, such as heart rate. These techniques aim to achieve cardiac coherence, synchronizing the heart’s activity with emotions and the brain. Literature Review: Evidence shows that the heart is taken as the main organ to regulate stress due to its significant capacity to maintain the body's harmony, known as cardiac coherence. Studies on stress management and prevention have shown that applying feedback techniques significantly improves performance and emotional self-control during stressful situations. Conclusion: Finally, research shows positive results when subjects self-regulate their cardiac coherence, especially when associated with positive emotions or thoughts. Furthermore, it seems that the rhythmic pattern of the heart rate can be synchronized even between people in proximity. Although studies on cardiac coherence have been conducted, more research is nowadays needed to incorporate these techniques into clinical treatments.