In 2016, we have watches that count each step we take, phone applications that tally each calorie swallowed and burned, “smartshirts” that measure our heart rate and respiration. We are living in an era of personal data tracking — yet many experts say we’re missing a huge opportunity to use our body’s data to change our physiological activity for the better.
Biofeedback is hardly new; its therapeutic use dates back nearly 50 years. Yet the technique is easier than ever, says Paul Lehrer, PhD, a psychologist at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.