The topics I usually cover in my posts center around tangible ways you can improve your health. I am not sure if it fits into that mold, but some research claims it is beneficial to your health and well-being. I also have the first-hand experience that it helps. I am talking about ASMR, and I have it, but I never knew that most people don't experience it. I will explain what it is later, but I would like to talk about my personal experience with it first.

Since I was young enough to remember, certain situations gave me a physically pleasant sensation on my scalp, shoulders, and back and made me feel relaxed AND focused simultaneously. The typical "trigger" for me when I was a child would be storytime. Children's books are usually read in a soothing tone, so the relaxing focus makes sense. But why would the sound of the turning pages also give me the same feeling? Today a typical trigger for me is a soft-spoken tour guide with an accent or even a light touch. Why?

There is an explanation. Some individuals have a condition known as ASMR. ASMR is short for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. Are you confused yet? You should be. Jennifer Allen coined the term in 2010, and you can read her story here. There is nothing "scientific" about the name, but it has been used so often that we are stuck with it.

There is very little about it in the scientific literature. I only found about a dozen papers.

Here is what we know so far.

ASMR has yet to be defined within the scientific literature. (2) In 2015 researchers identified 245 individuals who have ASMR and had them fill out a questionnaire. They were easy to find due to the numerous websites specializing in videos that induce ASMR by using sounds and activities known to trigger it. Participants were asked to verify that they identified as able to experience ASMR and the tingling sensations commonly associated with it. They were asked whether crisp sounds, whispering, personal attention, watching repetitive tasks, slow movements, vacuum noise, airplane noise, laughing, and smiling acted as triggers for them. The first five are known triggers, and the last four are not. Here is what they found:

Usefulness

98% use ASMR sessions to relax
82% use ASMR to help them sleep
70% use ASMR to deal with stress
Less than 5% connected ASMR to sexual pleasure

Triggers

75 % from whispering
69% from personal attention
64% from crisp sounds
54% from slow movements
34% from watching repetitive tasks
Effect on Mood
80% said it had an impact on their mood
4% were unsure
6% said it did not alter their mood
50% said their mood improved even when no tingling sensation occurred

ASMR is More effective for Those with Depression

The results of this study suggest that ASMR also provides temporary relief for those suffering from depression, with many individuals consciously using it for this purpose. Individuals with moderate to severe depression reported a significantly more uplifting effect from engaging in ASMR than those without depression. The researchers state that "ASMR is very reminiscent of mindfulness practices, which have already been shown by several studies to positively affect both conditions. This categorization of ASMR as an exercise in mindfulness meditation perhaps best explains the improvements in mood observed in both depressed and non-depressed participants in this study". A 2018 study more definitively concluded that "One conscious state that shares some phenomenological characteristics with ASMR is mindfulness." Researchers have suggested that mindfulness involves an openness to sensations, attentional control, emotional regulation, and resilience.

Another study from three years ago also found that people with elevated openness were more likely to experience ASMR. The researchers used a variety of trigger videos on their subjects and found:

Videos should appear natural (unscripted)
Sounds should be natural and lower-pitched
Background music should not be used
Mouth sounds should be avoided
Fine visual detail is effective
Only a single trigger need be used

My Take on ASMR

If you have never experienced it (that would be most of you), I am not sure I can describe it well. I think it feels like getting a gentle massage. It is absolutely one of my favorite feelings. I always assumed it was the result of oxytocin. Oxytocin is known as the love hormone. You get bursts of it when you hug or even pet your dog. It is connected with relaxation, trust, and psychological well-being. (3) I am sure you all feel better when you engage in such oxytocin inducing behaviors. Mine just comes with a tingling sensation on the scalp, shoulders, and back. It never occurred to me that others don't experience this physical reaction. As far as I know, no studies have been done to see if there is a connection to oxytocin. (4)

I found a post that says it can be addicting here, but it is not based on research. It has not been for me. I believe it is because the strongest reactions are random and, therefore, hard to replicate. Relying on videos does not replace that. Especially the ones that go out of their way to trigger you. I prefer the ones that come with the label unintentional ASMR. I also have such a full day; I don't have much time watching videos in a quiet room with headphones. But that's just me.

ASMR is handy for me, and my wife tells me I am lucky to experience it. I feel fortunate because I have a never-ending supply of feel-good stimuli at my disposal that has no harmful side-effects as far as my experience with it goes. It helps me feel amazing, destress, and it helps me fall asleep quickly. What could be better? It will be a much more useful tool in the future as more research is done. Meanwhile, if you can experience it, please let me know in the comments. If you can't, don't worry; there is no reason to believe that your life is not as fulfilling as someone who can.

Request An Appointment

What Science Tells Us About ASMR