We’ve put together this beginner’s guide to ASMR – the Youtube phenomenon that seems to be a mystery to people over 30. Here you’ll learn what it is and why you should try it. We think there are some promising aspects for mental health and women’s wellness specifically. So what is it, and why is it trending?
What is ASMR
ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response. It’s a feeling of tingling usually triggered by certain sounds or visual stimuli.
What does it do
The pleasant tingles produced by ASMR typically begin on the scalp and move down the back of the neck and upper spine – with some individual variations. It is not (necessarily?) sexual.
ASMR is used colloquially to describe a wide range of low-volume, soothing video content that may be intentional or consequential (“unintentional ASMR”). Painter Bob Ross’s instructional videos are often used as an example of unintentional ASMR, thanks to his calm voice and tingle-triggering sounds of brushes on canvas.
How do you know if you have it
The most common trigger is whispering, but environmental sounds, incidental or repetitive sounds such as fingers tapping on a surface, or crinkling product packaging may create the tingles.
Another very common trigger is what is known as personal attention or clinical roleplay. This is where the video is created from the viewer’s point of view and the performer roleplays care services such as a haircut, spa service, or a medical exam. This offers the calming sensation of receiving personal care mixed with the possibly-trigger-inducing visual or audio cues.
Kate Sztabnik, writing for Oprah Magazine, said about her experience with using ASMR to help fall asleep:
For me, discovering ASMR put a name to a sensation I’d experienced occasionally throughout my life, without ever knowing why. Everyone has different triggers. I’ve learned that mine include whispers, accents, crinkling candy wrappers, gentle handling of valuable objects,a nd spa role-play. While I sometimes feel sheepish clicking on these low-budget, banal, slightly perverse sleep aids, the feeling – fuzzy-tipped, hypnotic, like a soft rainforest shower straight to the skull – soon erases every thought in my mind.
Kate Sztabnik
How to experience ASMR
To intentionally trigger this response, you can watch videos or listen to audio created intentionally to elicit ASMR. Of course, because it is a neurological response, it can also happen unintentionally in response to environmental sounds.
The ASMR community mostly convenes on Youtube where you’ll find videos for every trigger. There are lots of different themes and subcategories to appeal to your comfort level and interests.
People who create content intended to trigger ASMR are known as ASMRtists.
Because the response relies on realistic “3-D” or stereo sound, it’s best to listen using high quality headphones that allow you to hear the different audio tracks separately in each ear.
Why is it helpful
If you have ASMR, the right triggers performed by a skillful ASMRtist will give you the tingles, described as being mildly euphoric.
Even if you don’t have ASMR, it may still help you fall asleep, or simply relax from daily stress. Many people with depression, anxiety, or panic disorders have reported feeling calmed by ASMR videos. People watch ASMR videos to help them relax and fall asleep. I’ve also seen positive (and grateful) comments from people who cannot experience physical comfort in real life, but receive some similar benefits from personal attention ASMR videos.
More broadly, a Dartmouth study that used MRI to analyze brain waves in people experiencing ASMR tingles found that the brain regions stimulated during the response were similar to those that are active during social bonding. This suggests that ASMR may be releasing the neurochemicals that increase oxytocin, decrease stress hormones, and decrease anxiety-like responses and behaviors.
See also: Binaural Beats
Similarly there has been a lot of anecdotal chatter about the therapeutic benefits of binaural beats, but there’s no research to back that up yet.
Cautions…
Contrary to the strict definition of ASMR, there’s some gray-area-overlap with porn-ish content. Thankfully, you‘ll be able to tell by the video title and cover image so you can avoid it if you want to.
Beyond that, as in most media, a lot of ASMR seems to be produced for the male gaze, with lots of cleavage in frame…
Additionally, both the average age of an ASMRtist and the majority of the audience appears to skew quite young, I would guess below 30. Therefore it may be challenging for an older person to strongly relate to the performer and fully benefit from the “social-bonding” dynamic that seems to produce much of the benefit of ASMR.
As with most other media, there’s also a lack of racial diversity among ASMRtists, which may be a barrier for people of color to fully benefit from ASMR.
As always on Youtube, I recommend you avoid reading the comments – ASMR comments are overall less vile than most, but it’s still my word to the wise.
More help for self-care
Check out our guide to CBD for wellness if you missed it.
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