ASMR 101

Every day, millions head to YouTube to watch their favorite vloggers, music videos and more.

Over the past few years, people have increasingly turned to the platform to hear strangers whispering into microphones, eating pickles or tapping their fingernails. It may seem odd, but it’s become a digital phenomenon. 

The sounds in the videos trigger ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response, in viewers. Also known as “brain tingles” or a “braingasm,” ASMR is a pleasurable tingling sensation that starts in your scalp and goes down your neck and back, perhaps spreading to your limbs. Some say it resembles the pins-and-needles feeling when your foot falls asleep – minus the pain. It’s also described as warm chills or goosebumps on the brain, as if someone were tracing their finger down your spine. 

The tingles are often accompanied by relaxation, euphoria and sleepiness. According to a study by the University of Sheffield, participants watching ASMR videos experienced significantly reduced heart rates and increases in positive emotions, including feelings of social connection.

“People turn to ASMR for one primary reason: It feels good,” says Tracey Rubenstein, a therapist who practices in Boca Raton and specializes in treating trauma. “When stress, anxiety, insomnia or loneliness strike, ASMR is a way to cope.”

Not everyone experiences ASMR at the same intensity as others or at all, and effects vary from person to person. Rubenstein says that about 20 percent of people experience tingles, while another 20 percent find ASMR-triggering sounds irritating. There may be differences in the brains of people who experience ASMR versus those who don’t. 

“We need a lot more information and research before we can say that for sure,” says Rubenstein. 

However, if you’re seeking a safe, easy and free way to de-stress and unwind, it’s worth a try.

“Adding ASMR to your set of coping skills makes sense if you enjoy the experience,” she says. O

Slime Time

Kids may be obsessed with slime, but it’s also beloved by ASMR fans, who squish and knead it to make satisfying sounds. We can’t get enough of SugarSlime’s handmade, artisanal slimes, including Candy Mountain, Blue Raspberry Snowcone and Moonstone Magic. Visit sugarslime.com.