Have you ever been just going about your day – maybe you’re getting a haircut, or you’re at the doctor – and something you hear causes the back of your neck to tingle? It happens to me when someone pays close attention to me, especially if they’re quiet or soft-spoken. If it’s happened to you, you’ve experienced ASMR, or Autonomic Sensory Meridian Response.
In simple terms, ASMR refers to a pleasant tingling feeling that a person experiences when they hear unique, soft voices, or when they hear certain soothing sounds like scratching and tapping, brushing and whispering. The tingling sensation is euphoric. It usually starts at the back of the head, then travels down through the spine into the limbs relaxing you and giving you a unique feeling of well-being.
Not everyone experiences these tingles, and scientists aren’t sure why. In fact, ASMR is still so new there really isn’t a lot of scientific understanding of it. But some people who don’t experience the tingle feeling (and most who do) say that watching these videos on YouTube is a great way to calm stress and anxiety.
What Is ASMR?
I will let my favorite ASMR Artist, Maria, explain to you:
Did you feel the tingle? If not, don’t worry – not only is it not something everyone feels, but there are lots of different ASMR Triggers that could work for you.
Some of the most popular include:
- Whispering
- Scratching and Tapping
- Blowing
- Physical Touch
- Personal Attention
- Page Turning
- Visual ASMR (hand movements, etc.)
- Hair Play
- Role Play
- Concentration
- Eating
- Sticky Fingers
I personally can’t stand to hear people eating, so that one doesn’t work for me. Personal Attention and concentration, along with some hand movements are the ones that get my neck all tingly.
BTW, ASMR is NOT sexual in any way, in case you were wondering. I was watching videos in the living room once and my son told me not to “do that in public.” I had to school him, so if ASMR is new for you it’s something you’ll want to know as well. There IS a subgenre of ASMR that includes sexy stuff, and that IS sexual, but the tingly response of standard ASMR is not.
ASMR For Anxiety
Another one of my favorite YouTube Artists has a great video for anxiety attacks:
I’ve bookmarked this video and used it many times!
Another Artist I want to highlight, and a video I’ve watched many times, is this role play from Be Brave Be You ASMR. I’ve watched so many of her videos I relax the minute I hear, “Hello, Lovely!”
Do you have any experience with ASMR? What do you think about it? Tell us in the comments!