As someone who has been pulling all-nighters since first grade, I consider myself a reputable source for sleep advice. I’ve tried it all: reading (too stimulating!), journaling (too emotional!), and even sit-ups in bed (this one is self-explanatory).
Melatonin is an obvious choice for restless sleepers. My relationship with melatonin is a complicated one. We met first after a rough breakup. I had no idea what I was doing and took four to five tablets each night. This led to a few weeks of codependency, grogginess, and another (arguably rougher) breakup.
Even when you use melatonin properly, the side effects are still there. Melatonin has the intended effect of making you fall asleep fast, but the catch is that you probably won’t stay asleep. Basically, melatonin is unreliable.
I now raise the ultimate sleep aid: ASMR videos.
My stumbling upon ASMR was accidental, and I know what you’re probably thinking: “we all know what ASMR is, Isabella! There’s no need for another ASMR article.”
In my opinion, however, many of the articles on the web are simply marveling at ASMR as a phenomenon. ASMRtists (the colloquial term for an ASMR content creator) are forced to spend their interviews explaining what their videos mean.
This is not that type of article.
I am here to provide a well-researched and comprehensive list of some of my favorite ASMRtists. I’ve broken them down into three categories: best sound quality, best roleplays, and best triggers. I’ve created my lists to include ASMRtists who are both well-known, but also some smaller creators that I really love:
1. Best Sound Quality
- Gentle Whispering ASMR: Maria of GentleWhispering is an obvious choice for the best sound quality. Maria’s been doing this for over ten years, meaning that she’s tried every microphone under the sun and has come out with some of the most well-produced videos in the community. She’s the indisputable queen of ASMR.
- Dr. T ASMR: Dr. T holds a special place in my heart. I find that his videos (and whatever microphone he’s using) to be especially tingly. The timbre of his voice is probably what makes the sound so great –– it’s a deep sort of vocal fry that I find very relaxing for ASMR purposes.
2. Best Roleplays
- Angelica: What I like about Angelica’s roleplays are that they are “lo-fi” (Google defines this as “recorded and produced with basic equipment and thus having a raw and unsophisticated sound”), which gives the feeling that you’ve stumbled on a particularly relaxing normal video! Her roleplays are incredibly creative and as a history major, I personally get very excited when I see “1600s A.D.” at the beginning of an ASMR video.
- ATMOSPHERE: There are moments where I watch ATMOSPHERE videos and I feel like I should be paying for something.
3. Best Triggers (creators and videos focused mostly on noisemaking)
- Batala’s ASMR: I don’t usually go for strictly trigger videos, but when I do, I chose Batala’s. I really like how she whispers, it creates a sort of drone in the background of the video that makes it really easy for me to lose focus and fall asleep. I also really appreciate it when an ASMRtist darkens their videos so you can watch comfortably watch them at night.
- MassageASMR: Dmitri is one of my favorite ASMRtists hands down. I specifically like his layered trigger videos which, in my opinion, resemble what an ASMR convention would probably sound like.
These ASMRtists have defined the last few years of my life, lulling me to sleep with their fancy microphones and inventive triggers. Obviously, not all triggers are going to be the same for everyone else. These creators, however, are multifaceted; their videos span from quiet whispering to intense tapping. My intention for this list is to provide a jumping off point for any newbies from a restless veteran. Take this list, and be on your sleepy way! May your journey be filled with plenty of Z’s.