Buzz
You may have come across one of the countless ASMR videos online, or maybe you’ve personally felt the tingly sensation. Here’s everything you should understand about the phenomenon, based on an episode of The List Show on YouTube.
1. The term ASMR was first introduced in a Facebook post.
In 2010, computer scientist Jennifer Allen created the acronym ASMR, which stands for “autonomous sensory meridian response.” While the term doesn't have any formal medical significance, most of the words Allen chose accurately reflect the tingling sensation experienced when people hear certain sounds. She intentionally included the word meridian to suggest a feeling of euphoria, similar to an orgasm, without directly stating it.
2. People who experience ASMR often report not only a body tingle but also a sense of pleasure and deep relaxation.
The tingling sensation is mostly felt in the head but can also spread to other parts of the body. Some have referred to it as “brain tingles” or even “brain orgasms,” though some people take issue with the latter term. It suggests a sexual aspect to ASMR, but a 2015 study found that 84 percent of participants disagreed with that notion.
3. Some consider comparing ASMR to the chills you experience when listening to music, known as musical frisson, though it remains a debated description.
While this comparison has been a useful starting point for researchers, the ASMR community tends to reject it. On the ASMR subreddit wiki, users are encouraged to “post your music videos to /r/Frisson or /r/ASMRmusic” and to understand the distinction between musical frisson and ASMR.
4. Specific triggers are responsible for inducing ASMR.
You’re likely most familiar with ASMR YouTube videos, created by ASMR-tists, where individuals speak or perform specific actions to trigger a reaction in viewers. These videos feature a wide variety of sounds that act as triggers, such as crinkling paper, towel folding, page turning, tapping, whispering, and typing. Some videos focus on immersive experiences, like sorting trading cards or role-playing scenarios where the ASMR-tist takes on the role of a doctor, hair stylist, or other characters.
5. There are four main triggers that top the list.
A survey of 475 ASMR experiencers revealed that the four most common triggers were, in order, whispering, personal attention, crisp sounds (such as metallic foil or tapping nails), and slow movements. When asked why they engaged with ASMR media, 98 percent said it was for relaxation, and 82 percent stated it helped them fall asleep.
6. ASMR triggers aren’t limited to videos.
Although ASMR is most commonly experienced through videos, it can also occur in real-life situations. For instance, some individuals report feeling the sensation while getting a manicure or a haircut.
7. ASMR has only recently gained widespread recognition.
Dr. Craig Richard, a biopharmaceutical sciences professor at Shenandoah University, is one of the few credible experts on ASMR. He authored the book Brain Tingles, which chronicles the history of the ASMR community. According to Richard, the conversation about ASMR began in 2007 on the online forum SteadyHealth.com, when a user posted about the sensation, saying, “weird sensation feels good,” and many others shared their similar experiences.
8. The first video specifically designed to trigger ASMR was uploaded in 2009.
In his book Brain Tingles, Richard also discusses the early days of ASMR on YouTube. The first video intended to trigger ASMR, featuring a woman whispering (long before the term existed), was uploaded to the WhisperingLife channel in March 2009.
9. Over 13 million ASMR videos have been shared on YouTube.
By 2021, ASMR had become the third most popular YouTube search ever, according to SEMRush. The ASMR hashtag on Instagram alone boasts 10.8 million posts.
10. No definitive studies have been conducted on ASMR so far.
It’s only in the recent years that ASMR has been studied, and there hasn’t been enough time to conduct large, replicable research. Much of the knowledge about ASMR is based on self-reports from its community. A handful of studies exist, but the findings are new and still evolving.
11. One study revealed that ASMR participants showed a reduction in heart rate.
A notable ASMR study, published in 2018 in the journal PLOS One, involved 110 participants—half of whom experienced ASMR and the other half as controls. The participants watched both ASMR and non-ASMR videos while their heart rates were measured. Those who experienced ASMR had a heart rate reduction of 3.41 beats per minute after watching ASMR videos. The study concluded that this effect was comparable to “music-based stress reduction” and more effective than “a mindfulness/acceptance based intervention for anxiety.”
12. Individuals with ASMR have reported that, over time, they may become less sensitive to certain triggers.
In a survey by Richard, with 19,000 participants, 40 percent of respondents said they had become desensitized to a trigger over time.
13. Those who experience ASMR may also be more prone to misophonia, a condition where certain sounds provoke negative reactions.
Misophonia often manifests as a strong aversion to sounds produced by the human mouth. Researchers are exploring the link between ASMR and misophonia—one study proposed that “ASMR and misophonia represent two extremes on the same scale of sound sensitivity.”
14. Live ASMR experiences are available to attend in person.
One of these experiences was Whisperlodge, located in New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, performers would spend 90 minutes per guest, attempting to trigger brain tingles by whispering into their ears, brushing their skin, and recreating the common ASMR sounds often found in YouTube videos.
15. ASMR has entered the mainstream.
In 2019, a Michelob Ultra Super Bowl commercial featured Zoe Kravitz whispering and performing other ASMR triggers, such as tapping a Michelob bottle. The ad agency behind the commercial even consulted with Craig Richard. Other brands that have embraced ASMR content include KFC, IKEA, Dove, and Ritz Crackers.
16. ASMR has made its way into popular music.
In his 2014 track “Terrors in My Head,” Deadmau5 incorporated a clip of Maria from the YouTube channel GentleWhispering, saying “Good morning to you,” alongside other ASMR sounds.
17. Getting into the world of ASMR isn't a simple task.
Maria (who keeps her last name private) was a trailblazer in the ASMR community. In July 2017, she became the first ASMR creator to hit 1 million subscribers on YouTube. In a video, she celebrated it as “a huge milestone not just for my channel, but for the entire ASMR community.”
However, entering this realm isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Maria has shared her approach in interviews, which involves crafting a script with the perfect words, precise microphone placement, and detailed sound editing. Each video can take up to three days to complete. The website ASMR University offers advice for aspiring creators, such as how to capture a soft sound despite background noise—this could even include noise from the equipment itself. Naturally, this pursuit can be expensive. They suggest using “a pop filter or foam wind screen.”
18. Bob Ross has the ability to trigger ASMR.
Interestingly, ASMR can be evoked without specifically trying to. Bob Ross did just that. He’s beloved in the ASMR community for his Joy of Painting series. It makes sense when you consider how he speaks directly to viewers in a soothing voice, along with the calming sounds of his painting. These delightful soft noises lead to happy brain tingles!
19. An ASMR-inspired scene appears in the 2017 film Battle of the Sexes.
In this scene, Billie Jean King meets her love interest, hairstylist Marilyn Barnett. Directors Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton seized the moment to incorporate ASMR-triggering sounds like the snipping of scissors, blow dryers, and soft whispers.
20. A significant hurdle for researchers aiming to examine the brains of those with ASMR is the noise from MRI machines, which disrupts the ASMR experience.
Nonetheless, research is ongoing. A 2017 study in the journal Social Neuroscience involved a group of Canadians studying brain activity at rest: 11 individuals with ASMR and 11 controls. Those with ASMR displayed fewer active connections between the brain’s frontal lobe and sensory regions. According to the researchers, this could suggest that “ASMR reflects a reduced ability to inhibit sensory-emotional experiences that are normally suppressed in most individuals.”
21. One study explored the relationship between ASMR and the Big Five personality traits.
One of the researchers from the Social Neuroscience study, Associate Professor Stephen Smith, also contributed to a study involving 290 individuals with ASMR and 290 control participants who were given personality assessments. The team analyzed correlations between ASMR and the Big Five personality traits: openness-to-experience, neuroticism, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness. The results showed that those with ASMR scored lower on conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness compared to the control group, but higher on openness-to-experience and neuroticism.
22. ASMR isn't always about peaceful sounds like towel folding and painting.
Some ASMR YouTube videos feature scenarios where the artists roleplay extreme situations such as kidnapping or murder. One video from the Mixed ASMR channel begins with the words: “Hello. Nice to meet you. If you haven’t guessed yet, this is a robbery, and I’d like all your money, thanks. We can do this the easy way, or I could stab you.”
Additional Sources: "How ASMR became a YouTube Sensation," Financial Times; "Rustle, Tingle, Relax: The Compelling World of A.S.M.R.," The New York Times; "How Researchers Are Beginning to Gently Probe the Science Behind ASMR," Smithsonian; "ASMR: What Is It And Why Are People Into It?," HuffPo; "Can ASMR Be Used to Treat Anxiety or Insomnia?," Slate; "How to Have a Brain Orgasm," The Atlantic.
