Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback
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Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback · Jun 2020
Randomized Controlled TrialSymptom Management Among Cancer Survivors: Randomized Pilot Intervention Trial of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback.
Chronic cancer-related symptoms (stress, fatigue, pain, depression, insomnia) may be linked with sympathetic nervous system over-activation and autonomic imbalance. Decreased heart rate variability (HRV) is an indicator of autonomic dysregulation that is commonly observed among cancer survivors. HRV biofeedback (HRVB) training induces HRV coherence, which maximizes HRV and facilitates autonomic and cardiorespiratory homeostasis. ⋯ This pilot intervention found that HRVB training reduced symptoms of sleep disturbance among cancer survivors. Larger-scale interventions are warranted to further evaluate the role of HRVB for managing symptoms in this population. Registration: NCT03692624 www.clinicaltrials.gov.