What is ASMR? The calming benefits behind those brain tingles
ASMR does more than just give you goosebumps or brain tingles. We explore the science behind ASMR as well as the relaxation and mindfulness benefits it offers.
Ever experienced a tingling sensation that starts at your scalp and travels down your spine? That's ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. This isn't just a weird feeling. Surprisingly, it has real benefits.
ASMR can help enhance mindfulness, reduce your heart rate, and even put you in a focused, flow-like mental state. People rave about it, and with good reason.
What exactly is ASMR?
ASMR is the buzzing, warm sensation many people feel when exposed to certain auditory, visual, or tactile stimuli. Not everyone experiences ASMR, and for those who do, their triggers will be unique to them.
It can be a deeply relaxing experience and has found a vast audience on platforms like YouTube. Videos often feature ASMRtists—people skilled in triggering ASMR—engaging in actions like whispering, tapping, or making other ambient sounds designed to cause this response.
Most common ASMR triggers
ASMR triggers can vary from person to person, and the feeling can be triggered by different senses. Of all the possible triggers there are some that seem to be almost universally effective. Understanding your unique set of triggers can allow you to dive deeper into the relaxing, beneficial aspects of ASMR.
Whispering
One of the most popular ASMR triggers is whispering. The soft-spoken or whispered vocalization can evoke a deep sense of relaxation and calmness, even reducing heart rate.
Crisp, scrunching, or squishing sounds
Crisp, scrunching, or squishing sounds are also common ASMR triggers. The crunch of someone biting into an apple, the scrunching of paper, or the squishing sound of a sponge can be extremely evocative.
Tapping or typing
The rhythmic, often metronomic sound of tapping or typing is another ASMR trigger. The uniform pattern these sounds create can induce a deeply calming effect, reducing stress and anxiety levels.
Eye contact
Eye contact has a strong psychological basis. Extended, soft eye contact can induce a sense of intimacy and emotional connection. This can be recreated in video, with an ASMR artist gazing into the camera lens, and can be quite effective in triggering ASMR.
Light patterns
Visual stimuli can be incredibly effective triggers. The gentle movement of light patterns can captivate your attention and focus it away from daily stresses. This concentration can induce an ASMR response, creating a flow-like mental state. Light patterns could include the slow oscillation of a ceiling fan casting shadows, twinkling star lights, or the gentle flicker of candlelight.
What does ASMR do to your brain? 5 benefits of ASMR
While ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) has gained immense popularity in recent years, it's not just a social media trend. The neuroscience behind ASMR is still an evolving field, but it’s now catching up with what millions of people have claimed for a long time—that for those who experience it, ASMR has tangible benefits for wellbeing.
1. Reduced anxiety
ASMR videos and stimuli are known for their calming effects, and research has shown that they can reduce anxiety levels. A combination of lowering cortisol levels and engaging the brain's reward pathways can offset feelings of stress or tension. Many report using ASMR content as an effective anti-anxiety tool, particularly before stressful events.
While ASMR can help people work through mild symptoms of stress or anxiety, it’s not a replacement for medical or mental health interventions. Please see a professional if you find your anxiety symptoms are interfering with your daily life.
💙 When anxiety comes in strong it can be helpful to Slow the Swirl In Your Mind.
2. Enhanced mood
The dopamine release triggered by ASMR not only gives a pleasurable tingling sensation but also enhances mood. By activating the brain's reward systems, ASMR can induce feelings of happiness or even euphoria. For some people, it’s been an invaluable aid in combating symptoms of depression.
💙 Music can boost your health and enhance your mood. Explore our Restorative Piano 432 hz playlist
3. Pain relief
Research has suggested that ASMR can play a role in pain management. The relaxation response triggered by ASMR could help decrease the perception of pain, making it a supplementary treatment for chronic conditions like fibromyalgia or for acute pain following medical procedures. However, it's essential to consult healthcare professionals for serious conditions.
💙 You can examine the mind-body experience with pain by exploring our Untangling Physical Pain meditation.
4. Flow state
ASMR experiences often induce what's described as a flow-like mental state, a psychological concept referring to periods of intense focus and immersion in an activity. Achieving this flow state has been linked to increased productivity and creativity, making ASMR a tool for enhancing mental performance.
💙 If you’re looking for guided practices to help assist with focus, check out our Seven Days of Focus course.
5. Deep sleep and relaxation
One of the most commonly reported benefits of ASMR is in helping people fall asleep. The combination of reduced cortisol levels, slowed heart rate, and activation of brain regions associated with pleasure and relaxation can make ASMR an effective non-pharmacological sleep aid.
💙 Explore When It’s Hard to Fall Asleep the next time you find yourself having trouble resting.
We talk ASMR with Emma Whisper Red
In our exclusive interview with Emma Whisper Red, a popular ASMR content creator, she shared her personal journey with ASMR. Emma's content on YouTube aims to induce the tingling sensation in her viewers and offer relief from stress and anxiety.
How did you discover ASMR?
Emma Whisper Red: “As long as I can remember, a calming 'tingly sensation' has been a part of my normal sensory experience. I loved the sense of contentment that I felt drifting off during story time or while my brother and sister drew letters on my back. When I tried to talk about it with others, I realized that not everyone shared my experience.
After a road accident which resulted in numerous operations and trouble falling asleep, I searched for relaxation videos on YouTube. That's when I discovered ASMR videos, and that others also experience the same sensation that I'd been feeling since I was young.”
What are the personal triggers?
Emma Whisper Red: “Most individuals who experience ASMR, have strong memories of when this feeling was triggered as a child. For me, I always remember enjoying eye tests, having my hair played with and quiet time in class as the other students read books and slowly turned the pages. I create videos with the intention of inducing this feeling in the viewer.”
Can ASMR be used as a tool for mental wellbeing?
Emma Whisper Red: “The feeling is extremely relaxing and is often triggered by soft sounds, soft voices, whispering and light touching. Many people have an ASMR experience during a head massage or a facial, having their hair played with or while someone strokes their arm.
As a content creator, I receive emails regularly from viewers telling me how my videos have helped them through tough times. ASMR videos are said to put us into a meditative state and bring about presence.”
What do people think of ASMR?
Emma Whisper Red: “Not everyone experiences the sensation of ASMR. Even for those who experience it, the videos made to induce it are not always appealing. Each person has a unique set of triggers, that's why there is a huge variety of content available.
Some people who have never heard of ASMR videos or who have different sensitivities find it hard to understand the intention behind them or why others might enjoy them. There is also a phenomenon, known as Misophonia, which is an aversion to some sounds. So crunching paper or mouth sounds can produce a kind of opposite ASMR effect!”
Can the Calm app be used for ASMR?
Emma Whisper Red: “I've heard many people in the ASMR community talk about the Calm app. Personally, I know how important it is to have tools that I can turn to when I am struggling to sleep or relax… The ability to share ASMR digitally means that people can get the support they need when they need it. ASMR videos and Calm both offer accessible relief from day-to-day stress.”
💙 Breathe into Relaxation the next time you find yourself feeling stressed.
About Emma
I am an ASMR content creator on YouTube and film videos in a little shed in my garden. This lovely feeling has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a child I was sensitive, introverted and definitely a daydreamer. Over time, the tingles became a soothing tool, something dear to me and a form of escapism. It was a personal experience and I felt very lucky to have it. It kept me calm when the whole world around me wasn’t.
Emma is a beacon of relaxation and comfort for millions of viewers worldwide. Her diverse range of ASMR content, from whispering and tapping to visual triggers, offers an oasis of calm in a frenetic world.
The ASMR community and Calm share a common mission—to offer relief from daily stress and anxiety. Explore both ASMR and mindfulness practices to help you discover more tools to handle stress and anxiety.
Check out Emma's ASMR version of The Velveteen Rabbit in our Sleep Stories collection. Let us know if you get the tingles.
Calm your mind. Change your life.
Mental health is hard. Getting support doesn't have to be. The Calm app puts the tools to feel better in your back pocket, with personalized content to manage stress and anxiety, get better sleep, and feel more present in your life.
