Wait, what? Let’s start with a quick explanation of what this article is actually about:
ASMR means, strictly speaking, Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. On ASMR Suomi homepage, ASMR is sincerely enough described as “delivering ease in a weird way”. Basically, ASMR is a way to define the “tingling” feelings in the head, back and limbs that some people get from certain sensory stimuli. Perhaps the easiest and most widely spread form of ASMR is auditive, but ASMR experience can also be delivered via visual stimulus or touch.
ASMR videos have become a widely spread phenomenon around the world and the Internet. Whether the impact of ASMR is scientifically proven or not is accessory here, I highly doubt it will obstruct anyone’s experience (unless pondering about that produces enormous amount of stress in you and you simply have to stop). It doesn’t hurt to try a video/audio once or preferably twice and see whether it has a calming or appealing effect on you. At best, ASMR can help you deal with stress, irregular insomnia, nervousness or general bad mood!
A fair and timely warning: ASMR is super addictive at worst, and you may find yourself in a situation where you cannot go to bed without listening to all kinds of tingly sounds. That being said, you simply need headphones that are comfortable enough to lie down with and you are ready to go. (I myself CANNOT fall asleep with the headphones actually on, so I take them off slightly before I do).
Fortunately, ASMR Suomi kindly provides us with the information that ASMR, according to studies, is not dangerous.
I’ll list some of my favorite channels as recommendations for you. And yes, they do definitely clear my busy mind, and more often than not I am too out of it to stay awake after listening to these for a while. To think that I used to be so incompetent at falling asleep!
It goes almost without saying that there are innumerable different ASMR sounds or “triggers” and not everyone is supposed to like everything. One of the most typical triggers is a calm, whispering voice. However, there are plenty of different channels and artists, and whether you are into Harry Potter or the Middle Ages, I’m sure you can find something to suit your tastes! And it might also be good to keep in mind that if it exists, there is certainly going to be some strange stuff out there too.
(As a bonus, you get to read through perhaps the nicest comment sections on YouTube and perhaps on social media in general).
- Gentle Whispering ASMR
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Maria is one of the most popular and famous ASMR artists on YouTube. 1.95 million subscribers can’t be wrong! She is the master of tingles and her channel is a treasure house of varied videos! According to Helsingin Sanomat, she was chosen as one of the most influential people on the planet by Cosmopolitan in 2015.
- TingTing ASMR
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The owner of perhaps my favorite ASMR channel, TingTing’s strongest points include her constantly cheerful smile, interesting insights in Chinese culture and, needless to say, her wonderful accent. Her channel puts me into good mood if nothing else will.
- ASMR Sita Sofia
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I am especially fond of artists who speak English with a distinctive accent, but chances are you would like to listen to ASMR in Finnish (or maybe, you know, trying to study Finnish while falling asleep?). Video blogger Sita Sofia makes pleasant videos with calming chitchat and varied sounds. She also makes videos in English and Thai.
- Latte ASMR
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Latte’s channel is full of creative videos with fun visual details! The amount of work put in editing and every aspect of the videos is mesmerizing. She usually opens her videos with a short introductive montage, which makes it difficult to look away. Her videos only make you wish that real waitresses, nurses and secret agents were this nice and caring!
- ASMRMagic
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Sometimes I don’t feel like listening to someone talk, and at those times I tune into ASMR Magic. My favorites are the absolutely beautiful and creative long videos with different tapping and scratching sounds. There is always so much effort put into the visuals of these videos, that it’s hard to look away from the screen!
- ALB in whisperland ASMR
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Here’s something if you want to support a bit less known channel with absolutely captivating visuals and cute and creative themes and topics! If you are a fan of vintage or Animal Crossing, definitely check this one out!
- ASMR Boyoung
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Some people enjoy listening ASMR in language they don’t understand. There are a lot of aesthetic and cute channels that post videos in Korean (tip: try to look for channels in languages you are learning!). I find ASMR Boyoung’s channel to be extremely creative and cute!
- Articulate Design ASMR
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Would you rather listen to a low voice? Luckily, these days it’s also possible to find a variant of male voice ASMR. My recommendation here is Matt from Articulate Design ASMR. He has been lauded for his very credible doctor and other profession videos!
Not everyone gets “tingles”, but there is still a chance that gentle talking or calming sounds help you to relax. So, if you feel like you should, even if just a little bit, why not give it a try?