Does ASMR Help You Sleep? Using ASMR to Sleep Better
Have you ever felt a tingling feeling initiating from your head and neck? All this when you hear crunching sounds or whispering voices?
- ASMR refers to the SENSATION people feel when they watch or listen to stimulating videos and sounds.
- ASMR videos are very popular all over the world. The best ASMR videos have millions of views.
- The pleasure and tingling feeling have been called a brain orgasm.
- A soothing whispering sound and a series of hand movements are ways ASMR artists use to relax their audience. A video usually creates a sense of intimacy.
There are many types of ASMR videos, but most involve someone whispering, tapping, or touching something.
In this article, I’ll explain how ASMR can help you sleep. Plus, I’ll share some of the top ASMR videos on YouTube.
What Is The Trigger For ASMR?
Typical ASMR video topics are tapping, knocking, or brushing various objects. Artists generally speak in a calm, whispered voice.
The whispering sound is meant to CALM you down or make you fall asleep.
Whispering, tapping, scratching, and blowing are common triggers. These sounds usually initiate feelings of relaxation, comfort, and tranquility.
Other triggers reported by people include:
- Laughing
- Noise of airplanes
- Noise of vacuum
- Tapping and scratching sounds
- Repetitive or slow movements
- Soft voices or whispering voices
- Close personal attention, for example – some brushing through your hair
Not just these, a person smiling or a slow hand movement (soundless/silent stimuli) can also work as a trigger.
But every one of us responds UNIQUELY! Some may even find whispering sounds disturbing.
Researchers say this phenomenon can be triggered by visuals, audio, and anything stimulating. Still, according to a recent study, whispering is the most prominent.
- The study states that three out of four people have experienced this sensation due to whispering.
- Almost the same amount found that personal attention triggered it, while a little less than that found that crisp movements are their thing.
- Slow movements (hand movements etc.) triggered the response only in half of the participants.
ASMR is related to or compared with the chills or shudder that one experiences while listening to music.
How Does ASMR Work?
Researchers have not yet discovered all the causes behind this phenomenon.
The psychological underpinnings of such an experience are still unknown.
Yet, some psychological effects have been noted.
They include a greater skin conductance or reduced heart rate, both associated with a state of relaxation.
Not everyone can experience this phenomenon; however, most people can.
How Common are ASMR feelings?
ASMR is a recently identified phenomenon (2010 or so). But we have been experiencing it for a very long time.
According to a recent study, many participants have experienced ASMR previously in their life.
Intriguingly, they had experienced it for the first time in their childhood. It has always been around. But it is challenging to describe to others.
As more ASMR artists made videos and described these sensations in the same terms, we became more aware of this phenomenon.
Before that, we didn’t have specific ways to describe these feelings.
We didn’t know what it was. We didn’t have a word for it.
How to Describe ASMR?
ASMR is typically described as a gentle tingling sensation occurring on one’s scalp.
It travels down the neck, spine, and limbs. Soothing audio-visual stimuli are considered to be the prime cause of this.
This is an example of an excellent creative and artistic video. Artist has a hypnotic, soothing voice:
Where Does the Name ASMR Come From?
ASMR first got its name in 2010.
It’s a term used to describe the pleasurable feeling you get from certain sounds, sights, and sensations.
What does ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) stand for:
- Autonomous: you experience it yourself.
- Sensory: you don’t have to do anything or move for it to happen.
- Meridian: peak, climax.
- Response: experience triggered by something.
- Meridian Response: you can think of this as a euphemism for orgasm since ASMR has been described as a sort of brain orgasm (note: ASMR is associated with close personal attention, not as a sexual phenomenon)
Does ASMR Help You Sleep?
Yes, ASMR does help you sleep better!
But if you’re looking for a deeper answer, here’s why: you feel relaxed and calm when listening to ASMR.
This HELPS you fall asleep FASTER because you’re not stressed out and anxious.
Many prefer listening to ASMR content in the evening just before bed to fall asleep faster and sleep better.
And once you’re sleeping well, you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world!
Let us see what the researchers say! ASMR is a fairly new method for helping us relax and sleep.
Though researchers have gained little insight regarding the topic, studies indicate that ASMR does help people sleep better.
Yes, researchers believe that ASMR can help people with sleep disorders sleep better.
- Researchers say that ASMR can activate a specific part of the human brain linked to sleep-inducing and calming hormones, such as oxytocin or dopamine.
- For instance, it can promote feelings of relaxation and comfort just by invoking a sensitive response.
- The body responds to this behavior by releasing oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins. That triggers relaxation and sleepiness.
- Stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain are significant obstacles to a healthy sleep cycle, leading to sleeping disorders.
People who use ASMR also claim that this phenomenon can help alleviate these conditions.
How Should You Use ASMR for Sleep?
Honestly, ASMR is a very personal experience for each of us. The same audio or video clip that entices one to respond might not work for someone else.
You may not be aware of its effects until you give it a try.
There are hundreds and hundreds of videos on YouTube that offer a variety of triggers.
- ASMR existed long before YouTube. But with YouTube, it has become a huge phenomenon.
- It is often used in YouTube video titles. For instance, “ASMR snow sound” or “ASMR head massage.”
- Content creators are sometimes referred to as ASMRtists, a combination of ASMR and an artist.
The majority of the people prefer a relaxed, calm, and quiet environment when watching these videos.
They also use headphones, as they offer a better audio depth.
Plan your sleep hygiene and diet and combine it with the ASMR. ASMR alone will not work if you do not have proper sleep hygiene.
When you set things right, you can fall asleep faster and have a deep sleep.
Popular ASMR Channels on YouTube
The Gentle Whispering ASMR YouTube channel (created by Maria Viktorovna) was a pioneer in the world of ASMR.
With over two million subscribers, her channel is hugely popular for its peaceful dialogue with airy whispers.
SAS-ASMR has around ten million subscribers who enjoy watching videos that feature eating and whispering sounds (yes, it’s real).
There are over 16 million subscribers to the JANE ASMR channel. The content is also about eating sounds (see the connection here!).
Should You Use Video or Audio-based ASMR Content for Sleep?
Watching ASMR videos on a smartphone or tablet while in bed can interfere with your sleep.
Blue light from these devices has been shown to increase alertness.
In bed, it may be best to use audio-based programs (so no YouTube with those annoying ads during the calming video!).
You can find a lot of soothing ASMR sounds on Spotify, for example.
ASMR meditative playlists are actually quite a hit on there!
Here is an example of sleep sounds.
Should You Listen to ASMR With Headphones When Going to Sleep?
Most people listen to ASMR sounds with earbuds. If you fall asleep, it may be best to use special sleep earbuds.
Some ASMRtists record their videos using a single microphone. These videos can be played on your phone or computer without headphones.
Some ASMRtists use two microphones to record so-called binaural videos.
You hear different sounds in your left and right ear.
For a binaural video, you need to wear headphones to hear all the sounds intended by the ASMRtist.
Additional Benefits of ASMR
There are many different ASMR videos, from relaxing nature scenes to whispering voices. Besides helping us sleep, there are other benefits too.
Here are some other ways that ASMR videos can benefit you:
- Relaxation: Watching ASMR videos can help you relax and unwind after a long day.
- Focus: When watching ASMR videos, you focus less on external stimuli and more on internal ones.
- Concentrate: You can be distracted by someone talking if you are trying to concentrate. But when you listen to ASMR videos, you can focus on the job without distraction.
- Productivity: Listening to ASMR videos can help boost productivity. For example, if you work from home, you can listen to ASMR videos while working to stay focused and productive.
- Happiness: Many people report that watching ASMR videos makes them happy.
- Socialization: People who suffer from loneliness or depression often turn to ASMR videos to help them socialize.
- Health: Some people report that watching ASRMs videos improves their health.
- Mood: People with anxiety disorders sometimes turn to ASMR videos for relief.
What is the Future of ASMR?
There’s no doubt that ASMR videos are popular among viewers.
But what does the FUTURE hold for these videos?
Will they continue to grow in popularity? And if so, what will the future bring?
It’s hard to say what the future holds for ASMR videos. The past trends are not helping in predicting where they might be headed next.
For example, the rise of VR (Virtual Reality) a couple of years ago led to the creation of many new types of ASMR VR videos. But lack of consumer interest caused VR to stall.
For sure, ASMR videos aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, they’re likely to continue growing in popularity.
The reason for this is simple: people enjoy being able to RELAX while listening to someone else talk.
It’s a unique experience that’s hard to replicate through other mediums.
We can also expect to see more ASMR videos featuring celebrities since they tend to be very popular.
The rise of celebrity ASMR videos has been especially prominent over the last few years.
Some of the most popular ones include videos from Emma Roberts, Ariana Grande, and Lady Gaga.
In addition to celebrity ASMR videos, we can also expect to see a rise in ASMR videos featuring animals.
These videos typically feature someone whispering into the ear of a furry friend, who then responds with soft sounds.
While these videos aren’t quite as popular as other types of ASMR videos, they still attract plenty of views.
While we can’t predict ASMR videos’ future, we know they’re here to stay.
With the rise of technology, new platforms, and new ways to enjoy ASMR videos, it seems likely that the genre will only continue to grow in popularity.
But how popular will it be?
It will likely remain a niche for a subset of people since it is not experienced by everyone.
The Bottom Line
ASMR can help you sleep better, especially if you have sleep disorders.
If you think you have not experienced things before, why not give it a try!
For best results, you should not only rely on ASMR but also pay attention to your sleep hygiene and diet!
Read more: Podcasts About Sleep – Sleep Podcasts That Help You Relax
