Tracking the parasympathetic nervous system, emotions, and wellbeing in chronic pain conditions – Part 2

Wearable body sensors are groundbreaking in that they allow for continuous and unobtrusive physiological measurements. The promise is that someday soon, smartphones will monitor our bodily state and thus prevent all kinds of wellbeing implications: acute physiological issues like stroke or heart attack; less acute but still serious illness, such as chronic illnesses caused by destructive behavioural patterns; and everyday psychological experiences such as stress and bad mood. But this is not yet a plug and play matter; simply attaching a heart rate sensor does not fulfill this dream. Physiological data is complex and the scientific validation of continuous real-life physiological measurements is still scarce. There’s a lot to be learned about how different physiological markers can be used to inform us about underlying physiological and psychological processes. The present study is a first step in a program aimed at exploring whether readings from a wearable sensor can be used to improve physical wellbeing by way of improving emotional regulation.

Faculty Supervisor:

James Enns

Student:

Veronica Dudarev

Partner:

HealthQB Technologies

Discipline:

Psychology

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of British Columbia