A brief augmented reality (AR) meditation experience, with or without integrated neurofeedback, reduced negative mood and increased positive mood in participants with moderate anxiety or depression. Both versions of the open heart meditation AR experience produced comparable improvements in self-reported mood and resting-state EEG activity, with some trending differences in brain activity consistent with loving-kindness meditations. Engagement was favorable for both groups, and higher engagement was reported when neurofeedback was added. The findings offer early support for AR-integrated meditations as a tool for self-regulating mood and emotion.
EEG biofeedback can help meditators learn to enter and maintain desired states of consciousness by tracking brainwave activity associated with focus, relaxation, mind-wandering, body-based emotions, and internal quiet. This technology may address common challenges for beginning meditators who are unsure if they are meditating correctly and for advanced meditators who hit a plateau. The chapter reviews early research, presents an original case study, and describes how EEG biofeedback is used as a treatment for ADHD, anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
A brief nature-based mindfulness virtual reality (VR) experience and quiet rest both reduced self-reported anxiety and increased Alpha brain wave power in anxious participants. The VR intervention uniquely shifted proportional power from higher to lower Beta frequencies and reduced broadband Beta activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, consistent with a physiological reduction of anxiety. These preliminary findings suggest VR may have therapeutic potential for anxiety management and stress reduction.