ASMR: what it is and how it can help you sleep well
Index
Like stress daily, getting a restful night's sleep can be a real challenge. Several factors can impair sleep and influence day-to-day life. But not everything is negative: there is a solution!
For sleep well, our brain has to cooperate. In fact, if you know how to use all the tools at your disposal so that he can help you and fall sleep without having to walk around in bed, you've won the night!
How many times have you felt that a certain sound relaxes you and makes you fall sleep? Whether inside a plane, a train or even several people talking more or less in the same tone.
Amazing how the sound can be both agitated and relaxing!
A sensation of well-being that makes you want to calm down or even fall sleep, is a phenomenon that happens between our brain and our body. This is where the ASMR.
What is ASMR?
This designation comes from the English Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response and means Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response:
- Answer (Response) - experience triggered by something external or internal
- Sensorial (Sensory) - senses or sensation
- Autonomous (Autonomous) - spontaneous, autonomous, with or without control
- Meridian (Meridian) - peak, climax or point of evolution
Is sensation pleasant, like when you feel that good and relaxing “tingling” when faced with an external stimulus. Whether through a song, a sound or even a noise.
Some of these stimuli can also be soft voices, whispers, mouth noises, slow hand movements, or someone hitting objects.
These sounds taste good, calm down and relax, creating a sense of closeness, intimacy and comfort.
That sensation of well-being created by ASMR it is different from person to person, so its intensity may vary depending on each person's sensitivity.
Is sensation normally triggered in the back of the brain in response to a visual or auditory stimulus. It starts at the back of the neck, goes to the head and goes down the column.
Some people can even feel it in their shoulders, arms and lower back. It's that good shiver down your spine!
What are the benefits?
Several scientific studies show that the ASMR it is an unintentional physiological experience with therapeutic benefits in mental and physical health. Therefore, it can be used to minimize the stress, promote the relaxation, restful sleep and well-being.
THE ASMR It can decrease heart rate significantly, leading to greater relaxation and increasing positive thoughts. These benefits are similar to other stress reduction techniques. stress, such as mindfulness.
THE ASMR can be used to relax and sleep well, being an excellent complement to the treatment of:
- insomnia
- panic attacks
- Anxiety
- Depression
Productivity
Several studies indicate that the use of ASMR increases focus and productivity, such as one published by the Journal of Consumer Research.
This study demonstrated that ambient sound in moderate amounts improves performance on tasks that involve thinking and creativity.
As ASMR contents always use low, calm sounds, the brain will interpret them as we are atmosphere. These sounds will become stimulating, helping to complete tasks.
So if you want increase your income this might be a good way to do it!
As the stimuli caused by ASMR reduce stress and anxiety, this can help maintain productivity within the work environment.
Another study from the Universities of Manchester and Sheffield revealed that ASMR has a positive effect on physical and mental health - important factors to consider in productivity.
However, the exact mechanism of the ASMR, knowing only that it leads to the release of endorphins, oxytocin, serotonin and other substances that decrease the stress and the anxiety.
What happens in the brain?
The human brain has an area we call the cortex, where perception and reason take place. It is responsible for memory and language.
The cortex is the area of the brain where our senses are interpreted, so there's a lot going on there.
When we listen to ASMR, the cortex is stimulated and the brain enters a relaxed state because the sounds and smooth movements that occur in these videos and audios convey a sense of security.
It's as if the brain is saying to you: “This person is not making any sudden sounds or movements, but something relaxing, interesting and useful. I'm going to calm down instead of running away from this. It is perhaps a good time to sleep.”
This is why ASMR is said to have several levels that correspond to the senses:
Auditory: is evident in the volume of the person's voice and the sound of their fingers touching or moving an object, scratching, tapping or brushing it
Tactile: when, for example, the hair, hand, arms or back is gently touched. These touches can be intentional or unintentional.
How to wake up ASMR?
There are several sounds, voices, noises and expressions that can trigger this type of sensation pleasant and that are always a good help for you to relax and fight the stress and those dog days.
Any noise or repetitive sound can cause the sensation ASMR. However, more often it happens due to lighter sounds, such as:
- whisper in the ear
- Fold towels or linen
- leaf through a book
- Tap lightly with fingers on a table
- Brush the hair
- dry your hair
- rain falling
One study interesting study from Swansea University, was able to identify, in order of importance, the sounds ASMR that worked better in the people who participated in this research:
- Whisper
- Attention guys
- Clear sounds - tapping objects with nails, scratching, etc.
- slow sounds
- repetitive sounds
- Smile
- noise of an airplane
- Noise from a vacuum cleaner
- laughter
In addition to auditory stimuli, the ASMR sensation can also be achieved by activating the other senses: sight, touch, smell or palate. However, it seems to be easier for most people to get this feeling through hearing.
Where can I find ASMR content?
As we have already mentioned, the sensation ASMR can be achieved through our 5 senses. There are songs, satisfying videos and activities ASMR that can contribute to fall sleep how should be and above all, sleep well.
Surely you've seen those videos out there of someone to clean a very dirty object, bursting air bubbles in plastic, a cut something consecutively, optical illusions, etc. Super relaxing and satisfying, no? Well, that can also be a way of ASMR!
Another way to get the sensation ASMR And sleep well, sem stress none, is hearing certain sounds.
could be the rain to fall, the wood creaking, the noise of the train, a hairdryer… everything is valid if it makes you relax and fall sleep faster.
Since, in essence, it is an audio that may or may not be accompanied by a video, ASMR is available on the Internet in various formats, such as videos, podcasts, music or on streaming platforms.
It really is a world of options, so follow our suggestions now! (even rhyme and all)
videos
The first satisfying videos promoting the ASMR sensation appeared on the Internet a few years ago. You probably remember a very popular video that recreates the visit to a barber shop, only with sound, even as if you were there.
this video of ASMR at the barber is probably the most famous ever.
The famous IKEA brand has also invested in this type of content for one of its interesting advertising campaigns.
Its creatives developed the video series “Oddly IKEA” with the aim of not leaving anyone indifferent. These videos were very successful because they promote the essential products for a college room.
The narrator describes each product with delicacy, while listening to the handling of the fabrics of sheets and pillows, as well as the swinging of hangers. Details of all these accessories are shown.
The videos were so popular at the time, they reached 1.8 million views, a 4.5% increase in in-store sales and a 5.1% increase in online sales during the campaign.
A genius idea to promote any brand, don't you think?
There is also another well-known satisfying video by a painter, Bob Ross, to paint and describe his paintings. Both the sounds of brushes and your calm voice say goodbye to stress In a flash!
This video is one of the oldest ASMR videos, but there are many more:
But don't think that this is a fashion from other countries! THE ASMR in Portugal is also quite popular, especially in these categories:
ASMR makeup videos
The videos ASMR in Portugal are very fashionable, especially in the field of beauty. Madame Butterfly, for example, is one of the great successes of youtube in this theme of ASMR makeup. Take a look at your videos here.
ASMR food videos
It may seem strange, but this is also a topic that reigns supreme in the ASMR world. Zach Choi is one of the biggest youtubers who choose ASMR food as your main focus. If you want to know more, It is it's the right place.
Sons
There are also lots of sounds that can give you the peace you needed to fall asleep fast and sleep well.
A good example is a satisfying ASMR video in Portugal, which the lighter brand Zippo created to promote its lighter collection and its unmistakable opening “click”.
Other sound options are:
songs
ASMR is also present in many ways in music. High quality and sensitive microphones are used, with the ability to capture audio in three dimensions. Which makes the effects more intense.
Songs recorded in stereo are indicated to awaken ASMR sensations in the listener. That's why many musicians use this type of recording to hook listeners to their music.
You Beatles are a good example of this. And doesn't it work?
Changing it for kids: if you listen to Beatles songs with just one earphone, you'll notice that some of the sounds come out of the right earphone and others come out of the left.
If you pay even more attention, you will see that, on the left and right sides, there are different “layers” of sound, which reach the hearing separately by the two ears.
That's why it often feels like we're listening to songs in “3 dimensions”. This could be ASMR.
In recent years, ASMR's relationship with music has grown even further. Let's look at the case of Billie Eilish, who has a super smooth and paused voice.
If you know their songs, you'll be able to immediately associate them with ASMR, both in terms of rhythm and sounds. If you don't, you don't know what you're missing! Take a peek at your music now here.
Other artists like Alicia Keys, Tom Jones, Ava Max And James Blunt also have versions of their songs exclusively recorded for ASMR. Do you know here some examples.
If you're a fan of ASMR, I'm sure you'll love all these suggestions we give you. You have enough content here to enter and this adventure. There's something for everyone!
THE ASMR it may not be well studied yet, but the truth is that its number of fans does not stop increasing and sleeping better and better. Want to know if it works for you? Now you know where to start!
Good sound(s)at!