Peak performance - exam anxiety

Neurofeedback for peak performance and test anxiety - innovative, scientifically sound

Who is Neuroflex suitable for?
For pupils, students, musicians, athletes and managers who want to stay calm and focused under pressure.

Do you know that?
Shortly before the competition or exam, does your heart rate rise, your hands get clammy and your head feels empty? Exam anxiety can jeopardize success despite good preparation.

How does neurofeedback help?
Alpha/theta training promotes a flow-like state; beta SMR training increases reaction speed and fine motor skills. The targeted alternation between activation and calmness is trained.

Are you a professional?
Experience has shown that working with top athletes, professional musicians or managers is very individual and can be done on site with the coachee if desired. References in the field of professional sports such as handball, football and ice hockey can be provided on request.

What makes Neuroflex special?
We combine neurofeedback with mental training, visualization and biofeedback to make peak performance predictable. We cooperate with professional coaches worldwide.

Studies on neurofeedback for peak performance and test anxiety

Improve mental performance with neurofeedback for test anxiety – now for students, athletes, managers and musicians

What is Neuroflex?
Neuroflex brings state-of-the-art neurofeedback training directly to you – flexibly, individually and regardless of location. Whether you are preparing for exams, want to develop your full potential in sports, advance your career or achieve peak musical performance: our mobile neurofeedback is designed to noticeably increase your mental performance and reduce stress at the same time.

1. students: Performing well in every exam

56% of students complain about exam anxiety
64% are under enormous pressure to perform
Every 10th person already suffers from burnout symptoms

Nowadays, studying and school demand much more than just specialist knowledge. Increasing amounts of material have to be mastered in less and less time. Added to this are exam nerves, pressure to perform and lack of sleep.

With Neuroflex you can:

Boost your learning performance: improve your concentration and receptiveness
Reduce exam anxiety: learn to calm yourself down quickly in stressful situations
Maintain motivation: stay focused and motivated, even if the learning material is extensive
Avoid blackouts: train your mental strength to be ready for the exam situation

What makes it special: Neurofeedback works effortlessly and can be flexibly integrated into your everyday life – without time-consuming explanations or complicated exercises. Your brain learns to optimally regulate its activities and to put itself in a concentrated, alert or relaxed state at the touch of a button.

2. athletes: Always one step ahead
Delivering top performance when it counts – that is the goal of every athlete. Whether football, tennis, golf, martial arts or winter sports: at the right moment, you need maximum power, maximum concentration and rapid regeneration.

With Neuroflex you achieve:

Efficient movement sequences: improve your coordination, reaction speed and timing
Quickly switch between on and off.
Relaxation: save energy and regenerate faster during and after training
Mental strength: stay motivated, focused and free from nervousness or stage fright
Long-term performance enhancement: benefit from a holistic approach that optimally combines body and mind

With 1-2 neurofeedback sessions per week, you can sustainably improve your mental and coordination performance – without additional stress or complicated additional training.

3. managers: stress-resistant and focused in everyday working life
As a manager, team leader or entrepreneur, you balance countless tasks, deadlines and to-dos. The carousel of thoughts rarely stands still and the few free hours often revolve around job-related issues.

Neurofeedback supports you specifically with:

Stress management: lower your stress levels and effectively prevent burnout
Focus & concentration: work in a concentrated manner without being thrown off track by constant interruptions
Creative output: create space for innovative ideas by reducing distractions and mental blocks
Energy and time management: Learn to get more done in less time by making the most of your mental resources

Our mobile Neuroflex range is perfectly tailored to the needs of high performers – so that you remain efficient in the long term.

4. musicians: Finding your flow – without stage fright
Top musical performances are the result of dedication, talent and lots of practice – but also mental strength. Whether you’re a professional musician or an amateur artist on stage, nervousness and stage fright can slow you down and prevent you from showing your full potential.

Neuroflex can help you reach your flow state faster so that you can fully immerse yourself in your music
Reduce stage fright and remain calm in crucial moments
Strengthen creative impulses by reducing distracting thoughts
improve regeneration so that you can organize your exercise phases more effectively

Overview and central questions

Goal: Improvement of mental performance in healthy people, for example faster decision-making processes, more stable concentration, stress reduction or greater creativity.

Methodology: Usually EEG-based feedback; the alpha band (8-12 Hz) or sensorimotor rhythm (SMR, approx. 12-15 Hz) is often trained in order to promote states of calmness combined with high alertness (relaxed alertness).

Areas of application: Peak performance training is popular with sportswomen (e.g. golf, archery), musicians (stage presence, stage fright) or managers (stress resilience, attention).

Main results and trends

Performance optimization: Studies suggest that NF can improve focus and alertness, which is used in sports and artistic fields (music, dance, acting).

Stress control: At the same time, it is often reported that participants feel more relaxed and self-confident (reduction of performance anxiety, greater concentration under pressure).

Individualization: The choice of frequency band (e.g. alpha, SMR) and the exact parameters of the training vary greatly. The goal (stress reduction vs. attention enhancement) often influences the chosen protocol.

Need for research: Despite positive individual findings, there are few large-scale, methodologically sound RCTs. In addition, the extent of the improvements can vary greatly from individual to individual.

Important studies and reviews

Gruzelier JH. (2014). EEG-neurofeedback for optimizing performance. I: A review of cognitive and affective outcome in healthy participants. Neurosci Biobehav Rev, 44, 124-141.

Content: Comprehensive overview of studies on NF in healthy subjects in areas such as sports, music and cognitive performance.
Result: Shows significant improvements in concentration, motor performance and creativity, especially in protocols such as alpha/theta training and SMR training.

Zoefel B, Huster RJ, Herrmann CS. (2011). Neurofeedback training of the upper alpha frequency band in EEG improves cognitive performance. Neuroimage, 54(2), 1427-1431.

Content: Experimental study on the effects of upper alpha training on cognitive tasks (e.g. working memory).
Result: Higher accuracy and faster reaction times after several sessions; EEG data showed increased alpha performance in parietal regions.

Landers DM, Han M, Salazar W, et al. (1991). Effect of learning on electroencephalographic patterns in archers. Int J Sport Psychol, 22(1), 56-71.

Content: Earlier work that analyzed EEG patterns (especially alpha asymmetry) of archers and outlined starting points for NF training.
Result: Showed that better archers exhibited pronounced alpha synchronization in certain brain areas; NF could help to consciously generate this pattern.

Egner T, Gruzelier JH. (2003). EEG biofeedback of low beta band components: frequency-specific effects on variables of attention and event-related brain potentials. Clin Neurophysiol, 114(7), 131-139.

Content: Beta (12-15 Hz) AF training and its effects on attentional control in healthy subjects.
Result: Significant improvements in attention tests and changes in event-related potentials (ERP); evidence of increased cognitive alertness.

Vernon D, Egner T, Cooper N, et al. (2003). The effect of training distinct neurofeedback protocols on aspects of cognitive performance. Int J Psychophysiol, 47(1), 75-85.

Content: Comparison of different NF protocols (e.g. SMR, alpha, theta) on cognitive variables in healthy participants.
Result: SMR training correlated with improved attention and vigilance performance; alpha training, on the other hand, tended to correlate with relaxation.

Do you have any questions? I am here for you.

Wolfgang Maier

MA in Special Education HfH
MAS in Neuropsychology UZH

Wolfgang Maier

MA in Special Education HfH
MAS in Neuropsychology UZH

Areas of application of neurofeedback

Conclusion

The studies on neurofeedback for peak performance show promising effects in healthy individuals who want to improve their cognitive, motor or creative skills. Many studies point to optimized attention, faster reactions or reduced anxiety in performance situations. However, the methodological range is wide – there are often no comparison groups or placebo controls, and the samples are relatively small. Larger, standardized studies could provide more clarity here and develop valid protocols for specific performance contexts (e.g. sport, music, work).