Heart Rate Variability (HRV) biofeedback: A new training approach for operator’s performance enhancement

Abstract

The widespread implementation of advanced and complex systems requires predominantly operators' cognitive functions and less importance of human manual control. On the other hand, most operators perform their cognitive functions below their peak cognitive capacity level due to fatigue, stress, and boredom. Thus, there is a need to improve their cognitive functions during work. The goal of this paper is to present a psychophysiology training approach derived from cardiovascular response named heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback. Description of resonant frequency biofeedback-a specific HRV training protocol-is discussed as well as its supported researches for the performance enhancement. HRV biofeedback training works by teaching people to recognize their involuntary HRV and to control patterns of this physiological response. The training is directed to increase HRV amplitude that promotes autonomic nervous system balance. This balance is associated with improved physiological functioning as well as psychological benefits. Most individuals can learn HRV biofeedback training easily which involves slowing the breathing rate (around six breaths/min) to each individual's resonant frequency at which the amplitude of HRV is maximized. Maximal control over HRV can be obtained in most people after approximately four sessions of training. Recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of HRV biofeedback to the improvement of some cognitive functions in both simulated and real industrial operators.

The Study on the Effect of Zikir Protocols Training towards Performance of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Academic Achievement among Secondary Schools Students

“…Most of the participant that had been undergone the training previously had been significantly resulted in a better HRV amplitude than before. Maximal performance control over the HRV can be obtained after series of approximately four sessions of training [12]. The students that have the good result on the HF score meaning that they are capable of control themselves to be in a relaxing state.…”

“…Recent researches [12] have publicized the consequence of HRV biofeedback to the development of some cognitive functions in both simulated and real industrial operators. Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) have psychological stress exhibit decreased vagal control of heart rate (HR), as measured by spectral analysis of HR variability (HRV) [13].…”

Cognitive Performance Enhancement: Do Biofeedback and Neurofeedback Work?

“…For instance, Sutarto, Wahab, and Zin (2010) showed in two different studies the beneficial effect of slow breathing training on the cognition in a group of university students acting as simulated operators, as well as in a group of real operators. In a first preliminary study, the university students showed a significant improvement in verbal memory and decision-making after the BFB training but not in cognitive flexibility (Sutarto et al 2010).…”

“…Both intellectual and non-intellectual factors such as fatigue, stress, motivation (Megaw 1979;Newell et al 2008;Sutarto et al 2010), and an individual's affective state (Sutarto et al 2013) can have their influence. To select an example, stress is an important moderating factor in cognitive performance and the concept knows a long research history.…”

“…This feedback information is commonly displayed in the form of auditory tones or visual representations. By relying on the provided feedback information, the trainee can learn to adjust to the required levels of physiological activation, to gradually gain direct control over his or her own physiological processes and, thus, to optimize his or her psychophysiological functioning (Egner and Gruzelier 2004;Sutarto et al 2010;Sutarto et al 2013). Within a clinical context, there are several types of BFB available (Yucha & Montgomery 2008), such as the electromyographic biofeedback to provide information about muscle activity (e.g., Sharpley and Rogers 1984), the temperature biofeedback that returns information about the skin's temperature related to blood circulation and the sympathetic nervous system (e.g., Kewman and Roberts 1980), or the electrodermal biofeedback providing information on skin conductance (e.g., Peek 2003), to give some examples.…”