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How to Maximize Your Neurofeedback Experience
A Note from Dr. Mitchell Sadar
Neurofeedback is a biofeedback therapy. Our instruments read information about the electrical activity of the brain. Brain waves cycle up and down constantly. Each time the brain produces rhythms or patterns in the direction of the goals set, trainees receive feedback in the form of tones and/or graphics. In this way, the brain learns to improve at self-regulation. As training progresses, trainees often report improved cognitive, emotional, and or/ behavioral functioning. After sufficient training, the biofeedback learning and improved self-regulation can usually be maintained without training.
Both the initial learning and the maintenance of the improved self-regulation in real life situations can be facilitated by several factors. Our training program also emphasizes these factors as a way to maximize the neurofeedback.
Neurofeedback is aimed at optimizing brain functioning. In order to maximize the benefits of the training, it is important to address three major components that support good brain regulation. These components are: adequate sleep; a healthy, basic diet; and sufficient physical activity/exercise. Consequently, we will be assessing and monitoring these. If it is thought that improvement in one of more of these areas would benefit your neurofeedback training, we will talk with you about our thoughts and what might be done to enhance your functioning.
Our emphasis will be to help establish a basic healthy lifestyle in these three areas, if it does not already exist. By “basic” we are referring to:
a) sleep: seven to nine hours of restful sleep at least eighty percent of the time,
b) diet: a diet consisting of enough protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats to support healthy
brain and body cells, and
c) physical activity/exercise: enough physical activity to promote good sleep, good appetite, and a relative
sense of physical well being.
Our goal is to facility good, basic functioning in those areas. If an individual is functioning at a basic, healthy level in these areas, especially diet and exercise, and wants to maximize their functioning, we will be happy to help the person find a qualified nutritionist or physical trainer with whom to work.
For children, the probability of success of training can be increased in the following ways:
We encourage the family to set forth standards and routines for bedtime, chores, and for homework being
done before pleasurable activities.
We ask that video games and television be limited particularly during the week.
We encourage the family to try and eat meals together.
We also ask that children be taught and expected to behave in polite, socially cooperative ways.
A psychologist will meet with parents early in the training process to discuss these factors and see if any adjustments in any of the above areas should be considered.
Finally, neurofeedback is a training process, and as such, cooperation and motivation to participate fully increase the probability of success. For some children, the novelty of training wears off before the training is completed. We are then put in a position to find ways to maintain good participation. We have many ways of trying to do this, but the more we can enlist the help of parents to facility the motivation and cooperation of their child, the better the process will be for all concerned.
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