Sometimes described as a brain orgasm but formally known as autonomic sensory meridian response, ASMR is a sense of euphoria activated by auditory, visual, or tactile stimuli and typically expressed as a tingling sensation that originates in the scalp and travels down the back of the spine. Triggers for ASMR include hair brushing, inaudible whispers, nail tapping, back scratching, lip smacking, and even teeth tapping. Your ASMR can manifest itself either when you are experiencing the trigger yourself (getting your back scratched, hair brushed, etc.) or when you watch and/or listen to other people performing the trigger (watching videos of people tapping their nails, eating raw honeycomb, etc.).
I first discovered ASMR videos last summer and have used them to destress and fall asleep faster almost every day since then. My favorite triggers are hair brushing and back scratching, but I have found three channels which can relax my nerves no matter what triggers they’re using. I have even been known to discreetly plug in my ear phones during particularly stressful classes to listen to these videos, and although I don’t recommend this practice, I’m also not ashamed. Even if you do not experience ASMR, I encourage you to scroll through some of these channels when you’re feeling anxious or can’t seem to fall asleep; and if you do experience ASMR, these three ASMRtists will bring you tingles galore.
1. Gentle Whispering ASMR
Maria is one of the most uplifting and genuinely happy people I have found on the internet, and she’s also damn good at creating ASMR content. Her soft voice and caring gaze can lay all your troubles to rest during one of her videos. Her channel features fun “personal attention” videos where she role plays a hair stylist or makeup artist as well as whispering videos in Russian. My personal favorites are her videos Heavenly HAIR ATTENTION and TAPS for YOUR NAPZzz.
2. RelaxwithReena
Although Reena is a less well-known ASMRtist, her content produces top-notch tingles and puts me to sleep every. single. time. Her relatable personality and genuine passion for ASMR make her videos even more sensational. We all wish we were Reena’s cousin during her relaxing backscratching or hair washing videos and wonder why our cousins don’t offer to massage our necks or give us free facials.
3. Chynaunique ASMR
Chynaunique’s ASMR channel is as spunky as her name suggests and is a recent favorite of mine. She is in her early twenties and keeps it real with her subscribers, whispering in personal videos about her struggles with anxiety and depression. Chynaunique specializes in lipgloss application videos and mouth sounds but has a wide array of content to choose from, including one of the cutest videos on the web — ASMR | Gently Brushing My NewBorn Puppy.
Explore these channels and more to find your own personal triggers. You owe it to yourself to take mental breaks when needed, and I wish you peace and relaxation as we approach finals week.
HCXO