Over the past few years, ASMR has become a bona fide pop culture sensation: In early 2019, the Evening Standard reported that there were more than 13 million ASMR-oriented videos — featuring soothing images and subtle sounds such as whispering, tapping, and crackling — on YouTube. And more are added every day.
Pretty impressive for a term didn’t even exist until 2010. So, what is ASMR and how did it get so popular so fast?
What Is ASMR?
Let’s start at the beginning: ASMR’s meaning. The letters stand for autonomous sensory meridian response. ASMR is a sensation experienced by some people when they’re exposed to certain sounds or sights. It’s been described as soothing tingles that start at the base of the skull and spread throughout the body or as a gentle brain massage that leaves the mind loose and relaxed.
However, they describe the feeling, people who’ve experienced it say that ASMR creates a sense of deep relaxation, one that can help them bounce back from a stressful day or relax into a more restful sleep at night.
Unfortunately, ASMR isn’t experienced by everyone. And so far, the only way to know if you’re one of the people who experience it is to give it a try for yourself.
Why Is ASMR so Popular Now?
You can thank technology for the discovery of ASMR, and for its popularity. The phenomenon was first defined online. Jennifer Allen took to an internet forum in 2010 to describe the good feelings she had when listening to certain sounds. In response, fellow posters shared their own very similar experiences, and the seed for a new craze was planted.
Add in the mass availability of high-tech gear like sensitive microphones and headphones and the massive popularity of YouTube, and all the pieces were in place for an ASMR community to grow exponentially. Today, tens of thousands of people tune into podcasts and YouTube channels to watch and/or listen to the sounds of whispers, tapping, scratching — even nibbling on foods — all in the name of relaxation.
Is ASMR Real?
A free, naturally occurring relaxation tool — no one would think you were crazy for wondering if ASMR’s moment in the spotlight is the result of wishful thinking or clever marketing. There hasn’t been a great deal of research on the relatively new phenomenon yet, so the jury is definitely still out.
But one recent study did appear to support the claims ASMR enthusiasts are making: It showed that people who experienced ASMR had lower blood pressure or slower heart rates after listening to sounds that inspire it, which is an indicator of relaxation.
For a stress reliever that’s this popular, however, more research is sure to follow.
How Can I Try ASMR?
ASMR is a vast category on YouTube, so grab your headphones and get ready for an adventure! You can try several different types of ASMR — there are videos devoted to natural sounds like falling rain, soothing experiences like scalp massages and trips to the salon, and childhood memories like being tucked into bed.
Find your video and plug in your headphones, then give yourself a little time to calmly listen for five to 10 minutes to see if the videos can work for you. Let us know in the comments if you’re hooked!
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