The sound of the popcorn bag being crushed when someone is waiting for the movie to start... The sound of the rain when we're inside the house... The croc-croc you make when you chew the peanuts... You've certainly heard one of these noises, haven't you? It is? And what sensation do they arouse you?
We often hear everyday sounds that are very pleasurable, even if they only last for a short time. In some cases, we even feel like recording what we're listening to, to keep repeating that harmonious and satisfying pattern. If you relate to this feeling, you will easily understand what ASMR is.
With the following content, learn what these lyrics mean, why they are so popular, and how they can improve your quality of life. Surprise yourself with this simple and delicious way to please your ears!
What is ASMR?
In 2007, in an online health discussion forum, a user reported that he had some strange sensations, such as feeling like he was running his fingers over his skin, due to some trigger that was not related to touch. That is, he felt the pleasure of touching someone without actually doing so after receiving a certain stimulus.
After that statement, more people on the forum said they felt something similar. It was from this phenomenon that the acronym ASMR was developed, capable of describing this feeling of satisfaction stimulated by something supposedly random. But what does that mean?
Meaning of ASMR
Each of the letters of the English acronym ASMR refers to a word. When joined together, they describe the event that was identified by forum participants. Analyze each one:
A – Autonomous (autonomous, in Portuguese translation)
S – Sensory (sensory, in Portuguese translation)
M – Meridian (meridian, in Portuguese translation)
R – Response (response, in Portuguese translation)
Therefore, ASMR, Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, could be translated as “Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response”. A little hard to understand, isn't it? Ignoring the more technical meaning of ASMR, it is understood that the expression defines an involuntary sensory experience triggered by something external.
So when you feel comfort or pleasure when you hear a familiar or relaxing sound or when you see something that reminds you of something positive, you experience the phenomenon of ASMR. Also, some people liken the feeling of ASMR to a tingling in the head or a mental orgasm.
Benefits of ASMR
As ASMR is an acronym that was defined from discussions on an internet forum, there is still little research on the topic. The more in-depth contents were collected informally, by Craig Richard. He is a professor of biopharmaceutical sciences and became interested in the topic and created the ASMR University to explore the phenomenon.
Despite this, the scientific community argues that there is no solid evidence that seeing or hearing something pleasant actually makes the head tingle. For Alvaro Sánchez Ferro, a neurologist at the Spanish Society of Neurology, most people who undergo research involving ASMR are already prone to feeling the tingling and there are no renowned studies offering biological explanations for it.
Still, people all over the world report feeling certain sensations from ASMR. In fact, on the ASMR University website, it is possible to follow the research that is being developed on the subject. Many of them point out the benefits of ASMR, which include:
- Reduction of stress and anxiety;
- Heartbeat control;
- Ease of falling asleep;
- Reduction of chronic pain;
- Feeling of relaxation;
- Relief from sadness;
- Feeling of pleasure.
Binaural effect on ASMR
Binaural effect is one of the techniques used in ASMR videos. It consists of recording sounds with binaural effects, that is, the sound will be perceived differently depending on which side of the headphone it is emitted.
This technique is even closer to a real ambient sound, as we hear the noises of different shapes and heights, depending on which side the noise originates from. This effect ensures an even greater proximity to who is watching the video and contributes even more to the listener's concentration.
ASMR e YouTube
The platform is full of ASMR channels from both Spanish and foreign creators. To ensure greater concentration and provide a feeling of comfort and welcome to those who are watching, most videos frame only the person's face or focus on objects and scenes where sounds are produced.
Among the types of videos, there are for all tastes and ages. The “triggers”, as the noises that activate the sensations of those who appreciate the technique are called, can be used as keywords to find the ideal ASMR.
Adepts' favorite triggers are "whispering" first, followed by "clear sounds" (like hitting or scratching objects), "slow, repetitive sounds" (like rainwater falling), plus specific noises like vacuum cleaner or blowers.
Perhaps the most popular videos are “roleplays”, where a simulation of some everyday situation is made with speeches and noises. In this category are skin cleaning videos, going to the hairdresser, visiting the dentist, packing Christmas gifts, among others. Here is a list of some of the most famous and sought after ASMR channels by those who are in need of help at bedtime:
- Sweet Carol: It is currently the largest channel of its kind on YouTube in España, surpassing the 2 million subscriber mark. Sweet Carol records the most diverse roleplays to relax its viewers. The most successful videos are those that reproduce some professions or the challenges of sleeping in a few minutes through sound stimuli, touching objects very close to the microphone.
- Sabrina ASMR: Sabrina ASMR is another youtuber who gives goosebumps with her videos, which alternate between self-makeup, skin care and chewing different foods. The list is immense and all promise to make the listener sleep quickly and intensely.
- Gaucho ASMR: “Hi, thanks for being here with me right now!”. This is how Gaucha ASMR, currently with more than 800 thousand subscribers, starts its videos, which have the most varied triggers to induce deep relaxation and make anyone sleep in minutes! Rain noise, mouth sounds and hand movements are some of the stimuli proposed by this channel.
- ASMR Up high: Ana Gutierrez explores the sounds of nature on her channel “ASMR Lá nas highs”. The videos have a holistic and therapeutic approach, and the influencer focuses on meditation and relaxation practices in order to contribute to the well-being and self-knowledge of her followers.
- Peaceful Cuisine: Unlike the previously mentioned channels, “Peaceful Cuisine” has the kitchen as its main theme! Created by Japanese Ryoya Takashima, the channel has 2.39 million subscribers on YouTube and features ASMR videos of food preparations, especially vegan ones. Sounds range from food being cut to coffee beans being roasted and ground. In addition to music for the ears, the videos make your mouth water.
ASMR for sleep
One of the main benefits of ASMR is aid at bedtime. That's because many people find it difficult to fall asleep, especially with all the stimuli they have around them.
So, ASMR helps an individual to stay focused on just one activity, and that is watching the video he or she has chosen. This video could be of a person whispering or of the rain falling, for example. In general, they are relaxing sounds and images that stimulate the deceleration of the heartbeat.
If you want to take advantage of ASMR for the purpose of sleeping faster and with better quality, here are the 5 most famous ASMRs available on YouTube that will help you with that:
1) Sweet Carol: “ASMR com Tuc Tuc, Sk Sk, Shh, Suco Suco, Camera Brushing, Hand Movements”
2) Sabrina ASMR: “I’m going to make you sleep soundly today”
3) Monique Always: “ASMR in Portuguese: Cleansing, relaxing and making you sleepy”
4) Gaucho ASMR: “The twin sisters chilling you and making you sleep”
5) ASMR Diana: “ASMR BINATURAL – Whispers and good words to help you sleep”
food ASMR
A category much explored by those who love ASMR is the food ASMR. The triggers that appear in the videos can include people eating a variety of foods, sweet or savory, in front of powerful microphones.
In this case, the sound of chewing and handling some ingredients is what makes the experience of watching the video more pleasant. This category is not necessarily relaxing, but most of the audience enjoys the sights and sounds of gastronomy.
If you want to know more about this fun and tasty world, the following YouTube channels will offer you great experiences:
1) Good ASMR
2) Food Craver ASMR
3) KyoKwang TV
4) Mellawnie ASMR
5) Mou ASMR
ASMR to calm anxiety
Another common use of ASMR is for anxiety relief. Currently, many people suffer from this disease, which is characterized by excessive concern for the future and intense fear of what cannot be controlled.
In most cases where people are diagnosed with anxiety, it is common to experience a rapid heartbeat and difficulty breathing properly. In this sense, many people report that ASMR can help alleviate symptoms.
Abrahão Baptista, professor of Neuroscience at the Federal University of ABC, reiterates that ASMR generates a feeling of relaxation: “The brain starts to oscillate at lower frequencies due to the action of the parasympathetic nervous system. You go into rest, your heart starts to beat more slowly, your breathing rate slows down and your metabolism slows down.”
However, it is critical to remember that ASMR is not a substitute for any other treatment for anxiety and should not be used as a cure for the condition. Knowing this, if you want to alleviate any of the symptoms you feel, you can use the following contents:
1) ASMR: Decreasing your anxiety attack
2) ASMR – To calm anxiety!
3) ASMR 2 HOURS: Anxiety Relief
ASMR no Spotify
While the ASMR recommendations we offer are available on YouTube, you can also contact this content through Spotify. In this case, there are no images, just relaxing, pleasurable sounds.
This alternative is ideal for a busy everyday life, when you need to relax in some stressful moment of your day. Put on the headphones and you'll have the full ASMR experience you want.
To enjoy this relief in your routine, check out the playlist we've separated for you!
ASMR Whispers
The sensations provoked by ASMR are similar to those caused by techniques such as mindfulness meditation or listening to music. It is worth pointing out that to really relax it is important to find a comfortable position and preferably use headphones, to avoid external noise and pay close attention to each stimulus individually.
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The relaxed and tingling sensations reported by ASMR advocates indicate, to say the least, a very pleasant experience! The fact is that each person will have a unique feeling in the face of the most varied stimuli. There are those who get irritated instead of relaxing, and there are those who feel a kind of brain massage when watching such a video. When in doubt, experiment and draw your own conclusions!
