Muscle Tension Biofeedback in York

Muscle tension is a simple and powerful biofeedback parameter: simple because it's easy to sense, or to relate your subjective experience to the feedback, as well as easy to influence. Powerful because it's subject to non-volitional mental and emotional influences that you can easily not be aware of.

Most people will be familiar with the experience of stress manifesting as tightness in the body. Even passing thoughts can provoke tightening. In other words, muscle tension biofeedback demonstrates the reality of the mind-body connection.

Measuring Muscle Tension

Muscle tension is measured via an electrical correlate known as electromyography or EMG. It's easy to monitor EMG with simple sensors in contact with the skin. Which muscles are measured depends on where you place the sensors. The two most common placements are:

• Forehead - picks up tension from the whole head. This picks up facial expressions of emotion, and inner dialogue manifesting as subliminal activity in speech muscles. Even how you pay attention can influence this measure.
• Wrists - picks up tension in the shoulders, arms and hands. It's useful for distinguishing chest-based breathing from more relaxed abdominal breathing.

Renting Biofeedback Equipment

You can rent a device capable of measuring muscle tension, plus other biofeedback parameters, enabling you to practise at home.