ASMR – A definitive Guide
ASMR meaning:
What does ASMR mean in text? Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response
ASMR Definition
It is a physical sensation characterized by a pleasurable tingling feeling in the head, scalp and spine area. The sensation usually starts on the scalp and moves down the spine and some people also say it can extend to their limbs.
The term was coined in 2010, but it has been around for a while.
The benefits of ASMR are not only physiological, but they also have psychological effects on the brain. By activating the calming reflex, ASMR can help reduce stress and anxiety levels.
People watch ASMR videos, listen to ASMR audio or feel ASMR triggers in order to get this pleasurable feeling.
What’s the mechanism behind ASMR?
ASMR Sounds/Triggers
Some of the most common ASMR noises include people whispering sounds and soft speaking voices. ASMR videos often contain these triggers and are watched for relaxation purposes.
Read: How to record ASMR Videos?
Best ASMR sounds list
Whispering
one of the most common ASMR sounds. Whisper in a soothing way and you can create a tingly sensation in someone’s mind.
Blowing
Blowing is one of the most common triggers for ASMR. The sound of someone blowing into a microphone is often used to help viewers experience ASMR.
Scratching
Scratching may be a common ASMR trigger but not recommended for 70% of ASMR sounds seekers. It has been observed that some people experience tingles when they hear or see someone scratch something
Page Turning
Page-turning is an ASMR sound technique that is used to create a realistic sound effect of pages being turned by hand. It is usually mixed with other sounds such as page flicking, book clapping, and book thumping. It is also a common sound effect for video games that have to do with libraries or books.
Best ASMR page-turning soundsWriting
Ever heard that old school wooden ink pen voice at the beginning of a Movie or intro of a historic documentary. The sound of someone writing can be very soothing and relaxing.
Writing ASMR soundsTyping
Typing on a keyboard or an old calculator swiftly can also contribute to asmr triggers or sounds. Listen to non stop asmr typing sounds
Crinkling
The sound is created by the act of crinkling or rubbing two objects together to generate a series of small noises. Crinkling is usually done with paper or plastic bags and it produces a unique noise that many people enjoy listening to.
Best Crinkling ASMR soundsHumming
It is typically done by humming or making the sound of a bee or other buzzing insect. When people hear these low-frequency sounds, it stimulates the release of serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain. This can be helpful for things like sleep, relaxation, stress relief, depression, anxiety, and more.
Buzzing
It’s not the typical bee flying sound as it sounds. Buzzing asmr sounds are actually created by electric tools.
Water drops
The sounds of smooth rain or lakeside water flowing can also provide a soothing effect for your ears hence included in ASMR whisper sounds. Click Here for the best ASMR water-dropping sounds.
Clock Ticking
Whether on an old Watch in a Texas County home or wristwatch of your Grandfather’s father, both offer that “tick.. tick ” at night which can be converted into an ASMR trigger for some.
Visual Sounds
Such as hand movements, paint mixing or watching soft light patterns can also offer the same kind of triggers as ASMR thus making a part of tingly sensation.
Have a look at ASMR Lights
ASMR Research Studies
Case Study 1
Participants
290 adults showed a propensity for ASMR divided according to age & gender. Individuals who did not identify as a specific gender were excluded from study participation.
To find out more about ASMR and personality traits, we spoke to people via the popular forum website Reddit. We used qualifying questions to see if they would be potential participants for the research study.
Participants watched 2 online videos that are acknowledged to induce ASMR tingles. If a candidate reported a tingly feeling, his or her detail was not documented.
Criteria
In the survey, people rated their ASMR feeling on a scale of 0 to 7 from “no tingle” to “most intense ASMR experience” “Unknown” was added as an option and would be the appropriate response if, for example, participants had never been exposed to that particular trigger or could not recall a tingly experience.
Following the ASMR stimulus evaluation, participants were asked a series of questions about their ASMR experiences, such as how frequently they used ASMR sleep (i.e watched videos to be at peace) or loosen up if they experienced a sense of excitement, and how soothing their ASMR experiences were.
Results
ASMR Checklist found that different people have very different ASMR triggers and their intensity can vary a lot. It’s also clear that even though some people get these ” s p e c i a l ” tingles from everything, not everyone does.
source: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00247/full
Case Study 2
Participants
The survey was advertised massively on social media and gathered around 2000+ participants with 1002 female members and rest of the 1073 participants were male. They were divided into 2 categories
- Who experience ASMR in real life
- Who didn’t experience it before
Criteria
The study included 6 soft-spoken ASMR videos and 6 ASMR sounds videos but no speaking. ASMR videos were sourced from YouTube and chosen by the authors. Each video clip lasted about three minutes
The videos were shown in random order. After viewing each video, respondents rated the occurrence of tingles they felt and one‘s affective response to it. Several other measures were also implemented. Participants provided a clear description of their experiences with each video, and if they observed ASMR, they answered a few queries about familiar ASMR triggers and general ASMR experiences.
Results
Respondents reported getting triggered by 6.76 of the 13 mentioned ASMR triggers on average. The most frequently reported triggers were soft-spoken, hair play/brushing, whispering, and connected personal attention.
83% of the participants reported being triggered by ASMR through watching videos, and over half (51%) said they watch videos on a daily or weekly basis
Case Study 3
Participants
A total of 112 volunteers were recruited for the study; 56 of them experienced ASMR Triggers before and 56 non-ASMR members were recruited. The survey was advertised through a number of ways (e.g., social media, university teachers and student mailing list, referrals etc).
Two members were excluded from the assessment because their data was not accurately recorded. As a result, the final sample size was 110 people.
Criteria
The video clips all lasted around 3 minutes and contained 3 videos: one “standard” ASMR video, one general (non-ASMR) video, and one “free to choose” ASMR video.
During the baseline period and while watching each of the three videos, the equipment measured heart rate and galvanic skin response level. Each recording period lasted 3 minutes (covering the duration of the videos and baseline periods), and data for each time period was averaged. Another sensor wrapped around the right-hand middle finger was used to measure heart rate.
Results
As predicted, the effect of tingle frequency on the ASMR group was significant but interestingly the group who didn’t experience ASMR triggers before showed more excitement and calmness. Increased Heart rate and skin response were also clearly observed in both groups.
Tingles are less likely to happen the longer you watch ASMR videos. That sounds weird but it’s totally normal, don’t worry!
Visual ASMR
Visual ASMR videos are usually silent, and they rely on visual triggers “no sounds” to create the tingles. Visual ASMR is a genre of ASMR that incorporates different types of videos and images. The ASMR tingles are created with the use of different colours that range from light pink to dark purple.
ASMR visual is where the viewer watches someone draw or paint something in real-time. These can range from drawings, paintings, and diagrams to 3D objects.
Visual ASMR no sound example can be clearly found in this Video
ASMR Meditation
There’s a lot of stress in our lives these days. We’re constantly bombarded with information and technology, and it can be hard to take a break. That’s why ASMR meditation is so popular. It helps you relax by triggering tingles on your scalp, neck, arms, or other parts of your body.
The idea of ASMR meditation is to use ASMR triggers in order to relax and calm the mind. The goal of this type of meditation is not to fall asleep, but rather enter a state of deep relaxation where one can be more receptive to their intuition and spirit.
ASMR meditation is a type of relaxation technique that uses these videos as well as other triggers to help people feel more relaxed and less stressed out about their everyday lives
Why do people like ASMR? ASMR Benefits
A “Brain Massage”
Scientists have found that ASMR triggers affect the brain by activating the brain’s own natural painkillers, endorphins.ASMR videos are often described as a “brain massage” and can help people relax and calm.
Decrease Heart Rate
The study discovered that all those who experienced ASMR triggers had significantly lower heart rates when viewing ASMR videos (an average decline of 3.14 beats per minute) than those who did not. Positive emotions increased significantly as well.
Gives Goosebumps
Some ASMR listeners, more specifically video streamers felt the same effects on the skin as in watching an Animal attack on a National Geographic video. Visual ASMR was closely correlated with galvanic skin response changes, in technical terms it has something to do with your nervous system blah blah but the point is that “Effects are real”.
Increase Calmness
Relaxation is key to maintaining mental health. But you don’t need to spend time at the spa or pay for expensive treatments to achieve this goal. You can use ASMR audio as an alternative treatment that will help you feel better after just a few minutes of listening! It can happen when someone watches videos of people whispering or tapping on objects like plastic spoons.
Relieve Stress and Anxiety
It is believed that ASMR improves mood and reduces stress. Watching someone whisper or make tapping noises on surfaces can be very soothing and relaxing for many people. ASMR is different for everyone but it has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress levels. It can also improve sleep quality and provide relief from insomnia.
Help with Studies
It has also been used in classrooms to help students with autism learn new skills and improve their attention spans.
According to the research, students are under a lot of pressure. This stress causes anxiety and depression, resulting in essays that are more one-dimensional than creative. As educators, we must encourage creativity in our students, and in order to do so, they must be at peace. ASMR can assist with this.
Sleep better
Some people have trouble falling asleep, while others have trouble staying asleep. Asmr is a relatively new technique for inducing sleep. It uses auditory and visual stimuli to create a sense of calm and relaxation.
Try listening to ASMR videos before bed or reading a book in bed rather than watching TV or looking at your phone.
Decrease Sadness and Depression
According to a research study of 1000+ students also mentioned above, focusing on ASMR sounds also takes your mind away from other teasers. 80% of the applicants reported a better mood after the survey that included several ASMR videos.
Improves Focus
ASMR sounds trigger a calming response in the viewer, which can help them stay focused on their work.
Recommended read: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/23/good-vibrations-tapping-in-to-the-benefits-of-asmr
How to do ASMR?
There are many ways to do ASMR and it can be done through any of your senses.
Some people use sounds like tapping their fingernails against hard surfaces or brushing their hands against different textures to create a tingling sensation. Other people use video clips or pictures with soothing sounds like raindrops falling on leaves.
What are the Best microphones for ASMR?
There are two types of microphones that are most commonly used for ASMR. The first one is a wireless microphone that you can wear around your neck. The second one is a clip-on microphone that you attach to your shirt or blouse.
The wireless microphone is the most popular because it allows you to move freely and interact with your viewers more easily.
What are the
There are many headphones that can be used for ASMR listening. They can be earbuds, in-ear monitors, on-ear monitors, closed-back over-ear headphones and so on. The important thing to consider when choosing your headphones is what you’re looking for in terms of noise isolation and audio fidelity.
What is the best camera for recording ASMR videos?
The best camera for recording ASMR videos is a camera that has a microphone that records sound well. The microphone should also be sensitive enough to pick up the sound from far away. It is also good to have a camera that has a good zoom feature so you can zoom in on your face and other objects in the video.
What are the effects on the brain?
The tingling sensation that some people feel during ASMR is actually caused by your brain releasing endorphins and serotonin into your system. These chemicals can create feelings of happiness and calmness in your body which could help with stress relief.
Are There any Drawbacks to ASMR?
Some people say that ASMR can be addictive and lead to withdrawal symptoms. Others say that it is just another form of entertainment, like TV or movies. There are also those who say it can be used as a form of therapy for those with anxiety or depression.
Related:
https://cuzgeek.com/bridge-your-asmr-needs-with-diy-binaural-microphones/
