ASMR – What’s All The Fuss About?
Updated: Feb 22, 2024
Written by: Lisa Treasure, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I first heard the term ASMR about three years ago when my thirteen-year-old daughter was struggling to get to sleep. One evening, I went into her bedroom to say goodnight and noticed that she was listening to something on her phone. When I asked her about it, she told me that she was listening to someone chewing! As you can imagine, I was baffled by this as the sound of other people chewing repulses me, as I’m sure it does many other people. However, she assured me that it was helping her to relax and drift off to sleep. Since then, I have become intrigued by this relatively new phenomenon and have to confess to becoming slightly addicted to listening to ASMR videos on YouTube as a way to wind down at the end of the day.
So, what exactly does the acronym mean? ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response: autonomous as it happens without our control; sensory as it involves the senses; meridian as it has a climax, and response as it is triggered by something internal or external.
Although the phrase was first coined in 2010, there is still surprisingly little research available explaining the meaning of ASMR is, and descriptions vary immensely. In fact, it can be so difficult to pinpoint that it is often referred to as ‘the nameless feeling’. However, the most commonly accepted explanation is that it is the feeling of pleasurable head tingles that begin on the scalp and move down the neck.
There are a number of external stimuli that are believed to activate ASMR, but they are so subjective that it is impossible to name them all. What gives one person tingles, might make another person’s blood run cold, and some people don’t seem able to experience the tingles at all. My personal favourite ASMR triggers are gentle whispering and crunching sounds which I find very therapeutic. Here are some other known triggers:
ASMR whispering;
ASMR slow speech patterns;
ASMR watching someone complete a task;
ASMR close personal attention;
ASMR hair cut;
ASMR makeup;
ASMR sounds like tapping, crunching, and scratching;
ASMR eating;
ASMR watching a demonstration;
ASMR massage;
ASMR eye gazing.
When we look at this list we can see that there is potentially a common thread running through it, and that is the idea of social bonding. Triggers like whispering, eye gazing, grooming, and close personal attention are all soothing behaviours that we use to create intimacy and strengthen relationships. They are also known to activate certain regions of the brain and release feel-good hormones like oxytocin. There is even some research that shows that watching ASMR videos can reduce your heart rate, reduce stress and anxiety and help you sleep.
Since 2010 when ASMR was first discovered, it has become one of the fastest-growing YouTube trends with the number of videos soaring to over thirteen million in a hundred and thirty countries and being searched more times than chocolate! It is certainly something that divides opinion with some people becoming addicted to the low-level feelings of euphoria while others just can’t fathom what all the fuss is about. Before you dismiss ASMR as a weird fad though, I wonder if you can remember the painter Bob Ross? If you’re anything like me, and millions of others, you found something incredibly soothing and relaxing about his soft voice and quiet demeanour. Without realising it, perhaps you experienced that unknown feeling that we now call ASMR.
As a hypnotherapist, I am always looking for new ways to deliver therapy to clients to get the best results. I am beginning to incorporate whispering into some of my sessions as a way to encourage comfort and relaxation. Go to the resources section of my website to download my free whispering hypnosis session for sleep.
I’ve also created an ASMR video on YouTube called ASMR Frosty Crunches. Try it out to see if it gives you the tingles!
Lisa Treasure, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Lisa Treasure is a multi-award-winning therapist who has worked with clients worldwide. Her articles have appeared in various industry publications, and her teachings and methods are best sellers on platforms such as Udemy. Lisa is also a published children’s author, with her debut book for adults due to hit the shelves later this year.
