While scrolling through TikTok or Youtube, you may have encountered videos that involve a creator whispering or speaking in a soft voice to the camera, tapping on various objects, brushing the microphone, or even the sound of pop rocks in the creator’s mouth. If you have seen these videos, then you have watched ASMR.
For those of you who don’t know what ASMR is, ASMR stands for “autonomous sensory meridian response”, which refers to the spine-tingling sensation that travels from your head down to your shoulders. You may have experienced this yourself when someone whispers in your ear when another person or you runs a hand through your hair, or even while someone applies makeup to your face.
Whether you enjoy ASMR or absolutely despite it, watching ASMR has been found to be associated with many benefits including reduced anxiety, increased sense of relaxation, and better sleep, to name a few. So, let’s take the time to dive a little deeper and explore the different benefits of ASMR.
Benefits
1. ASMR serves as an Outlet for aNXIETY AND DEPRESSION
Watching ASMR has been associated with reduced anxiety levels because of the reductions that have been found in cortisol levels, heart rate, and blood pressure. In one study investigating the benefits of ASMR, it was found that participants who reported greater sensations of ASMR also reported reduced levels of both “sadness and feelings of stress.”
In addition to reductions in anxiety levels, ASMR has also been used as an outlet for those who experience depression. According to a Psychology Today article, viewers with depression reported “feeling better” after watching ASMR videos. Following this finding, the same article also stated that personality traits such as openness to experience and neuroticism were common among those who experience ASMR. From this finding, it can be believed that individuals who exhibit these traits experience ASMR “more profoundly” than those who don’t.
2. iNCREASEd sense of relaxation
As an avid watcher of ASMR, I find that watching these videos helps me to unwind after a long day of classes or after a long day of work and that having an ASMR playing in the background also helps to relax my mind while studying. Many viewers of ASMR have also reported feelings of relaxation. Although this may hold true for many people, research has found that greater feelings of relaxation have only been reported by viewers who experience ASMR.
3. greater quality of sleep
ASMR is believed to result in a combination of reduced anxiety levels, heart rate, and stress levels, as well as increased relaxation levels are believed to improve one’s quality of sleep. Specifically, the feelings of relaxation resulting from this phenomenon are associated with the release of “dopamine and oxytocin.” In addition to these findings, ASMR is also believed to serve as a potential outlet for reducing symptoms of insomnia and other related sleep disorders.
4. increased productivity
Listening to ASMR has been found to be associated with increasing productivity. In an Atlassian article that examined the effects of ASMR on productivity, the author found that listening to ASMR for at least four hours while completing daily tasks not only increased productivity but also boosted their work efficiency by “22%.”
Whether you indulge in ASMR content or not, it is amazing to see that there is an increase in outlets for those who experience anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
XOXO Her Campus