What is ASMR: why so many fans are watching YouTube videos of someone making noises
Recently, among the thousands of techniques, herbal remedies and foods that cure “every disease and every disease”, a new (?) Kind of relaxation based on specific sounds has emerged along with videos that – as it is said – watching them leads in relaxation.
The technique is called ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response), and it has to do with the human brain responding to specific sounds with the method of “triggering”.
That is, these sounds, in combination with the image (but which is secondary) “trigger” in the subject’s brain, specific sensations (usually like a shiver all over the head) that result in his relaxation.
This “shudder” is not the unpleasant one produced by sensations such as the cold or a scratching sound, etc. It is rather the one produced by the “pleasure centers” of the brain which is completely different and therefore relaxing. Most likely it causes the secretion of endorphins in the brain which are the “hormones of joy” and which always lead to relaxation.
If we remember the “classic” lullaby – a gentle song in a very low and soft voice – which was intended to relax an infant so that it falls asleep, we can understand what it is about. Today this has been replaced by various games that have exactly the same purpose, producing sounds and lights which is very similar to ASMR.
What is an ASMR video?
The power of YouTube has made it easy for many ASMR artists or YouTubers to reach thousands of people almost overnight.
Actually, this didn’t happened overnight, but during the last 10 years, the Google trends and the YouTube Trends have sawn remarkable raise in the searches for ASMR.
Are all people sensitive to AMSR sounds and videos?
Many accuse it of being fake, because it does not affect everyone, but only certain “hypersensitive” people, or people who are sensitive to external stimuli.
But even drugs that are scientifically tested do not have the same effect on everyone and on some they have no effect. This does not mean that they are useless.
Statistical researches, have seen that only the 20% of people are succeptivte to ASMR sounds and they are really receptive to their good vibes and emotional reactions of dopamine raise.
While it is another 20% that reacts very wierd or even hates ASMR and cannot stand listening to it, even for a moment.
These people may be very hypersensetive and the ASMR causes a painful reaction.
So why do people watch ASMR videos?
Welcome to the world of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response), the feeling that it creates to anyone who listens to such videos or takes part in similar activities. Some describe it as a tickle that starts at the back of one’s head and extends to the spine. Others say that it is terribly relaxing and that they get asleep. At this point note that many ASMR videos show someone stroking someone else’s hair or crumpling paper or eating.
Of course, the term ASMR may sound official to you. However, we have to say that neither research nor scientific studies are hidden behind it.
For some it works, for others it does not!
When did ASMR start?
Most people discovered ASMR a year or two ago. Google, however, discovered it some years earlier. It still existed even older but nobody know it. After all, why did we all get stuck with Bob Ross, even though we never picked up a brush to do what he did? Because it was an early ASMR.
Four years ago, we and a large amount of people accidentally stumbled upon an article about the “phenomenon” Eating Show on Facebook. They had no idea there was such a thing… we did not know what MUKBANG is, what ASMR is, nothing. People started looking for it and realized that there were many all around the world like them who enjoyed it.
An ASMR YouTuber once said, “I have always enjoyed, seeing people eating and hearing the sounds of chewing, lips and what the process of eating food involves. For a long time I just watched, I must tell you with great pleasure, because for anyone who is positively affected by these sounds it is extremely relaxing and pleasant. The vast majority of the creators at the time were from Asian countries, so for a long time it seemed distant to me. The more I searched, the more I discovered that this species has reached both America and Europe.”
Can ASMR be explained?
Generally ASMR is a feeling and it cannot be explained with words. You either feel it or not. Trying to explain what exactly ASMR is to people that are not open to new experiences is very difficult and it always ends in a long discussion!
Mainly, it is described in simple words by first saying the obvious, that is, that people eat in front of a camera because they might like the look they receive at the moment and then what and who it all serves. If that is not being understood then you should take out your cell phone and show some videos.
How useful can ASMR videos be?
In a society that continues to value the image of the body more than the beauty of the soul and to consider subtlety as a success in life, despite the fact that humanity has become heavier than ever, almost all people worry, at least occasionally, about their weight…
When this concern translates into vigilance for proper nutrition, stable body mass and good health, man controls his course for the better. The opposite happens when psychogenic factors are involved, which lead this anxiety to a disease. That is when eating disorders come into play. Eating disorders are not simple and insignificant cases, they are serious diseases that affect an increasing percentage of the population, especially adolescent girls and women, leading those who suffer from them to become overly anxious by developing eating habits that threaten everyday life.
ASMR has proved to be useful in such psychogenic factors. Many admit that by watching this kind of videos they try to understand and realize that food is not their enemy. This is quite a shock to realize how useful can ASMR be to those who suffer from this kind of disease.
What are the most popular ASMR stimuli?
There are nearly 2.6 million videos depicting the phenomenon ASMR, designed to cause a tingling sensation that starts at the top of the head or other parts of the body – as a reaction to an auditory, olfactory, or visual stimulus.
The rustling sound of the pages, as it turns out, is just one of many ASMR stimuli. The most popular stimuli include whispering, eating, repetitive tapping or scratching objects, boring activities such as folding towels or card browsing, and even role-playing games in which the filmmaker, usually a woman speaking to the camera in a calm, deep voice, pretends for example, that she cuts her hair or examines your eyes. Videos last an average of 30 minutes, but some can take up to an hour. Whether one likes them or dislikes them, these videos and their characters often look weird, horrible or just boring.
Sleeping disorders – “Can one sleep with ASMR?”
Some say that the boring and monotonous nature of the videos calms them and puts them to sleep. Others find solace in being at the center of the tenderness and care of ASMR actors. Probably also the variety of sounds and scenarios bring them in contact with pleasant childhood memories.
As a kid, one used to fall asleep to sounds coming from his dad’s office at home, who, as a computer engineer, was constantly searching through papers, pushing buttons, and assembling or disassembling computers.
Dr. Vasil, a sleep disorder specialist at Columbia University, says ASMR videos may hide innovative ways to treat insomnia. “People with insomnia are in a state of overstimulation,” says Dr. Vasil. Behaviour therapies, such as guided fantasies, progressive relaxation, hypnosis and meditation, aim to trick your subconscious into doing what you want it to do. ASMR videos seem to be an alternative way to lower your brain switch.
“Musical shiver” and dopamine appeal
Locating the neurological basis of this sense is not an easy task, however. Many scientists said that the ASMR is just a pseudoscience area with no published studies.
As part of a research for publication in a scientific journal the research focused on the areas of the brain associated with motivation, emotion and awakening in order to investigate the effect of ASMR on the brain’s reward center, those nerve structures that trigger the dopamine urge, in cases of pleasurable eating or sexual intercourse. The ASMR phenomenon was compared to another ideological but well-thought-out sensation called “musical shivering”, which triggers shivering waves or shudders as a reaction to music of the same phenomenon.
It is possible that the everyday experiences that immortalize ASMR videos, such as whispering, eating, crumpling, opening and closing boxes, trigger similar anticipation mechanisms, bringing to the surface memories of old pleasant events, which we look forward to and relive every time we watch and listen to these videos.
Is ASMR a brain orgasm?
Youtube videos that have this kind of content in which there are people who experience an ASMR or brain orgasm, are usually of long duration, usually lasting several minutes. Among the sounds most commonly used to record these types of videos making some repetitive patterns like turning the pages of a book constantly, mouth sounds (eating, chewing gum, whispering), speaking slowly and relaxingly, nails scratching a target, make hand movements and so on. With other videos playing sounds, others show images that represent some repetitive movements, such as kneading or similar material, snapping your fingers over a microphone, massaging, among many possibilities.
In this way against stress there is room for all tastes and preferences. Needless to say, it depends on the individual what effects it will cause to people who definitely prefer to listen only to the sounds and there are others who focus more on the visuals. This is why there are countless videos that contain different and creative ideas with which the same result can be achieved.
ASMR: An opportunity for advertisers
ASMR has become such a modern topic that it has aroused not only the interest of scientists and neurologists, who are increasingly investigating this phenomenon, but also the increasing number of brands that benefit from it. Advertisers use the popularity of this anti-stress fashion to roll Ads that use this technique to capture more consumers. An example of this is the well-known fast food chain KFC, which started an advertisement with a famous actor, who whispers about how delicious the food is. And also chocolates brands used the same phenomenon to launch an ad claiming that consumers are experiencing ASMR or brain orgasm.
Undoubtedly, ASMR makes a positive and enjoyable result to a number of people portraying these kind of videos as pleasuring. After all, the experience of calm and pleasant sensations is something we all seek.