“RSA is the natural cycle of arrhythmia that occurs through the influence of breathing on the flow of sympathetic and vagus impulses to the sinoatrial node.” Dr Robert Nolan
Please tell us a little about yourself and your work?
I recently took on the position of Coordinator of Behavioral Cardiology Research at the Toronto General Hospital-University Health Network. I have been doing research into cardiovascular response to stress, smoking cessation treatments, and behavioral adjustment to heart disease for the past ten years. I am excited about my current opportunities and resources for developing an active program of clinical research regarding heart rate variability (HRV) and biofeedback treatments to reduce the negative effect of stress on the cardiovascular system. I am pleased to have recently been awarded a grant from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada to assess whether HRV biofeedback training can significantly help smokers who are trying to control their urge to smoke in the early stage of quitting. The pilot phase for this research was supported by a grant from the Biofeedback Foundation of Europe (BFE www.bfe.org). It is in this capacity that I have also begun a workshop training series on HRV biofeedback in association with the Biofeedback Foundation of Europe. Read the rest of this entry »
