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Have you ever wondered about the benefits of neurofeedback? In recent years, this innovative therapy has been gaining a lot of attention, particularly for its potential to train the brain to self-regulate, thus offering a unique approach to mental wellness that can lead to significant improvements in daily life.

As such, what are the benefits of neurofeedback? Below, you'll discover how your mental and physical well-being can reap the benefits of this training.

Key Takeaways

• Neurofeedback training can be used as a wellness practice to improve focus, stress management skills, memory skills, sleep patterns, and overall cognitive function.

• Neurofeedback therapy also offers non-invasive solutions for managing various mental health issues, including anxiety disorders, ADHD, PTSD, and depression, with long-term benefits reported even after the treatment ends.

• Neurofeedback is a personalized approach to mental health care, especially if the patient's goal is to manage the symptoms of a mental health condition. This should be done only in clinical settings. At-home neurofeedback is a wellness practice and does not substitute medical treatment.

Benefits of Neurofeedback

As you probably already know, neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback that targets brain function. Its mechanism of action is associated with:

• brain's neuroplasticity (brain's ability to change and adapt)

• a form of learning known as operant conditioning (e.g. our behavior changes based on the consequences of our actions; a positive outcome makes us more likely to repeat the behavior associated with it).

Neurofeedback training has been studied for decades, having been first demonstrated in the 1960s. Today, multiple studies focus on its effect on the brain, which is why this therapy is widely used in the mental health field to manage or alleviate the symptoms of various conditions. Plus, there are numerous at-home neurofeedback devices designed for wellness practices.

As such, this article will discuss the benefits of neurofeedback - whether it's used as in-clinic therapy or at-home wellness training. However, it is worth mentioning that the benefits of neurofeedback therapy are still widely researched, and many of the ones mentioned below, especially related to mental health conditions, aren't fully confirmed, and further research is required.

Furthermore, it is of the essence to understand that, when performed at a clinic, neurofeedback training varies from patient to patient. There are different protocols used to target different symptoms (e.g. theta/beta training, which aims to increase beta brain waves). Therefore, outlining one single protocol for all the benefits mentioned below would be impossible.

1. Enhancing Cognitive Functioning

One of the most praised benefits of neurofeedback training is improved cognitive functioning - our ability to think, as well as learn and remember things. Cognition comes into play when you need to make a decision, when planning for the future, when you're paying attention to something, or when you learn through memory.

Multiple studies have shown that neurofeedback can be a powerful tool in enhancing cognitive function. One study conducted in 2021 argues that "Neurofeedback can thus be used as a cognitive training tool in order to improve, replace or restore a given function. It relies on humans' learning abilities and plasticity."

Another study focused on the use of fNIRS neurofeedback (functional near-infrared spectroscopy) as a cognitive training tool documents the results of a 4-week cognitive training program involving 86 healthy adults who were divided into a treatment group and or a control group. The scientists concluded that the participants in the treatment group have shown significant cognitive improvements, particularly in terms of executive function (e.g. planning, staying focused, solving problems) and processing speed (how quickly the brain receives, interprets, and responds to information).

We'll discuss more about attention and memory skills below, so keep reading!

2. Reducing Anxiety and Stress

Anxiety disorders and stress affect millions of people worldwide. Neurofeedback training offers a promising solution by promoting relaxation, emotional stability, and better stress resilience through its potential to balance brain wave patterns.

Research shows a statistically significant improvement in anxiety symptoms among participants undergoing neurofeedback mental health treatment. One particular study outlined the results of two patients diagnosed with anxiety disorder who had undergone 30 sessions of EEG neurofeedback. The authors concluded that the patients had reported a significant reduction in anxiety-related symptoms.

Another study published in 2011 analyzed the use of biofeedback and neurofeedback in managing stress response. Fifteen elite athletes participated in this study. They reported that bio-neurofeedback helped them manage the stress of training and competition more effectively. According to the authors of this paper, optimizing the management of the stress response was done "through self-awareness and self-regulation of the activation levels of their autonomic and central nervous systems."

3. Improving Attention and Focus

Attention and focus are critical for success in many areas of life, and neurofeedback training can be a promising tool to enhance these cognitive abilities, especially given that, in recent years, the average human attention span has shortened significantly.

Neurofeedback training uses real-time EEG or fNIRS biofeedback data to help people recognize and modify their brain activity to lengthen their attention span, enhance their focus, and improve other brain functions. If performed in clinical settings, a neurofeedback healthcare expert chooses a specific EEG protocol targeting attention and focus, being commonly used for patients diagnosed with ADHD as well.

Improving attention and focus through neurofeedback can also be done at home using a wearable device - that is, if the users don't have any mental health conditions, in which case they need to perform neurofeedback under a doctor's supervision. But if the user is healthy, they can safely use an at-home neurofeedback device as a wellness tool.

4. Promoting Peak Performance

Neurofeedback can truly be a game-changer for those looking to achieve optimal functioning! As already mentioned, neurofeedback can help improve your attention, creativity, and arousal levels, as well as reduce worry and rumination. It does so by training specific brain regions that are crucial for peak mental performance. This boost translates into better outcomes in both personal and professional settings.

Athletes, in particular, benefit from neurofeedback aimed to promote peak performance because it improves their motivation, helps them set goals and commit to them, and perform well under stress. Research also indicates that even a few neurofeedback sessions can increase confidence in athletes, which is of utmost importance for their success and performance.

5. Enhancing Emotion Regulation

Emotion regulation stands at the core of our quality of life. This term is used to describe one's ability to manage and respond to an emotional experience. The inability to do this effectively is linked to anxiety, PTSD, mood swings, and other mental health conditions. This is why mastering this skill can truly have a positive effect on people's lives, especially when it comes to maintaining healthy relationships and effective communication.

Neurofeedback training improves mental health by stabilizing brain wave patterns and helping individuals control their emotions better. For example, if your goal is to manage stressful situations more effectively, without exhausting yourself emotionally, the therapy protocol may focus on increasing alpha waves and theta waves (which are associated with relaxation and meditation) and reducing rapid brainwave activity.

The technique encourages the brain to learn healthier patterns for better emotional responses over time, leading to improved emotional stability.

6. Boosting Memory

Learning and memory are critical for success in both academic and professional settings. Neurofeedback training enhances these abilities by improving cognitive processing speed and executive function.

A meta-analysis - focused on 16 studies with 217 healthy participants - has shown that neurofeedback can potentially improve:

• working memory (short-term memory, meaning the cognitive ability that holds information temporarily, which plays a crucial role in making decisions and other functions)

• episodic memory (the ability to store everyday events, as well as associated emotions and experiences).

7. Alleviating Depression

Depression is a debilitating mental health disorder that affects millions. In recent years, clinical neurofeedback has been repeatedly used to target depression - the goal in this regard is to regulate brain waves so that patients can experience improved mood and reduce negative emotions.

This approach is particularly effective when the protocol focuses on regulating brain activity in specific brain regions associated with depression - the amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and nucleus accumbens. For example, it has been reported that an increase in relative right frontal alpha activity can be associated with an improvement in depressive symptoms.

Studies have shown that neurofeedback alongside heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback have the potential to become complementary strategies for treating depressive symptomatology.

8. Enhancing Sleep Quality

Quality sleep is the cornerstone of good health, and neurofeedback has been shown helpful in this regard.

Generally speaking, neurofeedback is a powerful tool in teaching us how to enter deep relaxation states, which, over time, can help us fall asleep faster, as well as improve the quality of our sleep. By promoting better sleep, neurofeedback also helps us improve focus, emotional stability, and cognitive performance during our waking hours.

Neurofeedback has also been used clinically to treat insomnia. A review paper (where 12 studies were assessed and discussed) mentions that neurofeedback training can be potentially used as treatment for insomnia alongside medication or cognitive behavioral therapy, but further research is required to support these conclusions.

Another study has shown that neurofeedback treatment led to a decrease in beta waves and an increase in theta and alpha waves, which reduced cortical hyperarousal and reduced insomnia - in simple terms, cortical hyperarousal is a marker used to detect the risk of insomnia.

9. Managing ADHD Symptoms

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that can affect both children and adults. In recent years, neurofeedback treatment has become a useful tool that can potentially help individuals diagnosed with ADHD manage their symptoms more efficiently.

Since the brain wave activity is different in patients with ADHD (depending on what type of ADHD they have), the protocol used for EEG neurofeedback varies from patient to patient. Nonetheless, the mechanism of action is the same - the goal is to adjust and balance brainwave patterns. However, neurofeedback is recommended only as a supplementary treatment alongside medication or behavioral therapies.

The positive effects of neurofeedback on ADHD patients have been confirmed by a number of research papers. For example, a recent study published in 2020 discusses the efficacy and long-term effects of neurofeedback on pediatric ADHD, registering 32-47% remission rates and sustained effects after 6-12 months.

However, it is important to note that not all studies support the above-mentioned claims. Some specialists confirm that neurofeedback can indeed lead to positive outcomes for ADHD patients, but these may be linked to a placebo effect.

10. Managing PTSD Symptoms

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe mental health issue that develops after a person witnesses or experiences a traumatic event. It can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. Neurofeedback therapy has shown moderate beneficial effects on PTSD symptoms. This therapy might help the brain interpret reality more accurately and promote a sense of calmness, thus reducing the intensity of PTSD symptoms.

A research paper published in 2023 (where the results of ten controlled studies were analyzed) concluded that the effect of neurofeedback on PTSD symptoms was moderate, but it had a positive effect on secondary outcomes like anxiety and depression. Although future research is required for a more rigorous treatment protocol, it is likely that, in the future, neurofeedback will become a standard treatment for PTSD patients.

11. Supporting Recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by a head injury that leads to concussions and long-lasting effects on an individual’s cognitive and physical abilities. In the last decades, neurofeedback has been proposed as a complementary therapy for TBI, helping patients reduce and manage their symptoms without fully relying on medication or invasive procedures.

To determine a protocol that would assist in recovery from TBIs, a neurofeedback expert must first identify areas of dysregulation through brain mapping. Only then do they design a treatment protocol that is fully personalized based on the patient's needs and brain patterns.

Although the treatment remains experimental, multiple studies have suggested that neurofeedback can potentially be leveraged for TBI survivors. There's a high possibility that neurofeedback can lead to improvements in motivation, attention, mood, and mindfulness.

12. Other Potential Neurofeedback Benefits

Besides the benefits mentioned above, which are undoubtedly the most praised and researched in the health industry, neurofeedback can also potentially help with the following:

• OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), as per this meta-analysis.

• Tourette Syndrome, as per this fMRI neurofeedback study.

• Tinnitus, as per this study.

• Fibromyalgia, as per this study.

• Eating disorders, as per this study that focuses on binge-eating disorder.

• Headaches and migraines, as per this study.

• Addiction, as per this study.

Remember that these studies are not definitive confirmations that neurofeedback is 100% effective in managing these conditions. The neurofeedback field is still developing, and future research is undoubtedly required.

Neurofeedback: A Non-Invasive Training Option

One of the most appealing aspects of neurofeedback is its non-invasive nature. Unlike traditional treatments that may rely on medication, neurofeedback focuses on fostering balanced brainwave frequencies without the need for drugs. Nonetheless, it needs to be performed under a specialist's supervision if the goal is to manage the symptoms of a mental health condition.

On the other hand, if your goal is to use neurofeedback as a wellness practice to improve the quality of your life, you can safely do so at home using a wearable device like Mendi. It can help you improve your resilience to stress, learn how to relax after a busy day at work, as well as enhance your focus and attention for everyday tasks.

Something to keep in mind is that neurofeedback is usually more effective when combined with other therapies, whether done at a clinic or at home. For example, patients who undergo neurofeedback training at a clinic may also need to continue cognitive behavioral therapy or medication, while those practicing neurofeedback at home should also focus on a healthy lifestyle and other mindfulness practices.

Long-Term Benefits

Neurofeedback fosters lasting cognitive improvements by teaching patients to self-regulate their brain activity, with benefits that persist even after the treatment ends.

Some studies have demonstrated that the patients may show positive outcomes even 12 months after the treatment has finished. Therefore, this potential makes neurofeedback a valuable investment in one's mental health.

Nonetheless, as mentioned above, neurofeedback leads to the best outcomes only when used as a complementary practice and performed in the right settings, based on one's goals.

Minimal Side Effects

Neurofeedback is generally viewed as a safe treatment option with minimal to no adverse effects for most patients. In rare cases, individuals may report unexpected reactions during or after their neurofeedback sessions (headaches, for example), but these side effects typically resolve within 24 to 48 hours.

When discussing side effects, it is essential to mention the importance of personalized neurofeedback treatment protocols in the case of clinical neurofeedback. These protocols are personalized particularly because brainwave activity is different in everyone, so each patient has to target specific brain waves and brain areas. If the protocols aren't established correctly, there may be some side effects, in which case the patient should inform their therapist, who can adjust the protocol accordingly.

Curious to Try Neurofeedback at Home? Get Your Mendi!

Discover a new way to boost your mental well-being with the Mendi headband, a revolutionary neurofeedback device designed specifically for at-home use! By employing fNIRS technology, Mendi helps you improve focus, reduce stress, and enhance overall cognitive performance - in other words, the perfect wellness tool to change your life for the better!

Mendi combines advanced brain-monitoring technology with fun training exercises by linking the headband to an intuitive app that provides you with real-time feedback on the activity of your prefrontal cortex.

Join thousands who are already training with Mendi and reap the benefits of this wellness practice!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is neurofeedback therapy good for?

Neurofeedback therapy is often used to enhance cognitive performance, improve sleep patterns, promote relaxation and well-being, as well as treat various mental health conditions like ADHD or depression.

Can neurofeedback therapy help children with ADHD?

Yes, neurofeedback therapy can potentially improve focus and reduce behavioral issues in children with ADHD, enhancing their executive functioning skills.

How long does it take to see results from neurofeedback?

It can take several weeks to see results from neurofeedback. This generally depends on your training goal, the duration and frequency of your sessions, and the used protocol (for in-clinic therapy) or device (for at-home training).

Does neurofeedback work permanently?

Neurofeedback training offers long-lasting benefits, including sustained cognitive improvements and ongoing symptom relief even after the treatment has concluded.

Are there any side effects associated with neurofeedback therapy?

Neurofeedback is generally safe with minimal side effects, which usually resolve within 24 to 48 hours if they do occur. It's always best to consult a professional if you experience any concerns.

Is neurofeedback therapy suitable for treating insomnia?

Neurofeedback therapy is indeed suitable for treating insomnia, as it helps patients reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, increases total sleep duration, and enhances overall sleep quality.