Here's Why ASMR Could Soothe Your Lockdown Anxiety
by Emma Cownley
Could the answer to your lockdown anxiety be found inside a pair of headphones?
With such a large portion of the nation suffering from poor mental health at the hands of the current pandemic, many are searching for ways to help reduce the simmering anxiety and low-level depression they’re experiencing.
If camomile tea, mindfulness, and yoga haven’t quite hit the spot, ASMR may be the soothing mental tonic you’re looking for…
What is ASMR?
ASMR is an acronym for ‘autonomous sensory meridian response’. Not everyone experiences it, but those who do have described it as a tingling sensation or a feeling of deep relaxation.
The triggers for ASMR differ from person to person, but some of the most popular include whispering, soft tapping sounds, paper crinkling, and hair brushing. Close personal attention is also considered an ASMR trigger, and it’s not uncommon for ‘ASMRtists’ to roleplay as doctors, hairdressers or beauticians to simulate this.
Back before I knew what ASMR was, I used to get a feeling of deep relaxation when I watched other people have their hair brushed and cut. When I worked in a clothes shop, I loved watching customers examine pieces of jewellery or garments.
So, where does this response come from and why do we have it?
The science behind ASMR
Before 2010, the term ‘ASMR’ didn’t exist. It currently represents a completely new area of science which is relatively unexplored. For lack of a better comparison, scientists have previously referred to the sensation as a ‘braingasm’, probably because an orgasm is also a meridian response.
Despite its early association with sexual stimulation, a study from Manchester Metropolitan University revealed that of 500 ASMR enthusiasts, only 5% admitted to using the medium for sexual stimulation. Dr Nick Davis, senior lecturer, said:
“The fact that a huge number of people are triggered by whispering voices suggests that the sensation is related to being intimate with someone in a non-sexual way. Very few people reported a sexual motivation for ASMR, it really is about feeling relaxed or vulnerable with another person.” This might be why so many ASMRtists are women — we feel most comfortable being vulnerable with someone we perceive to be a nurturing care giver.
Having spent many an hour trawling the comments sections of some of my own favourite videos, this theory tracks. The most popular reason for connecting with a set of triggers is down to nostalgic association with being cared for by another — the memory of having your hair brushed by a loved one, being fussed over by a makeup artist or hairdresser, sitting on the carpet in primary school and having a friend trace patterns on your back. Davis believes it’s a primal response experienced from birth, “it’s related to comfort and security”, he says.
This leads me onto my next point…
The benefits of using ASMR during lockdown
When you’re in solitary isolation over the course of lockdown, ASMR has the potential to address some of your fundamental human needs: human contact, personal connection, and one-on-one care (not to mention that damn haircut you’ve been dying for).
The sensations caused by ASMR could also be incredibly beneficial for alleviating the psychological effects of the pandemic. Students at the University of Sheffield have studied the most common uses of ASMR among enthusiasts and found that many of them rely on it as a therapeutic remedy to anxiety, depression, insomnia and stress.
Dr Giulia Poerio, Department of Psychology at the University of Sheffield, said: "our studies show that ASMR videos do indeed have the relaxing effect anecdotally reported by experiencers — but only in people who experience the feeling.”
She continued, “what's interesting is that the average reductions in heart rate experienced by our ASMR participants was comparable to other research findings on the physiological effects of stress-reduction techniques such as music and mindfulness."
With that in mind, let’s dive into some of the different ASMR videos you might find helpful during quarantine…
ASMR videos to try during quarantine
Before you begin, make sure you have a pair of in-ear earphones. Not only will this cancel out background noise, but it helps immerse you in the soundscape created by highly sensitive ASMR microphones, which sometimes move from ear to ear depending on the style of video.
1) Hair salon role play
Are you missing your regular trip to the salon? Perhaps you’re like me, and you have fond memories of your Mum brushing your hair. Either way, ASMR hairdresser role play videos are a nice relaxing way to enjoy a combination of personal attention, hair brushing sounds, and the soft snick of scissors. If you’re not into role play (because it can get weird at times) you can check out some simple hair play videos and reap similar benefits.
2) Spa treatments and massage
You may not be able to feel the massage or enjoy the aroma of essential oils, but massage ASMR videos could still melt your troubles away. Gentle hand movements, glass bottle tapping, the shhhh-ing of oily hands rubbing together. You can also find ASMR videos of manicures and facials, depending on what you fancy!
3) Personal attention
Personal attention ASMR videos can take many forms but whichever you choose, you’re sure to satisfy the need for close up, intimate personal attention that quarantine has deprived you of. You can even get personal attention videos which mimic the attention you’d get from a partner.
4) Doctor/medical role play
This is an odd one, especially given the current climate, but hear me out! Medical ASMR videos feed into our need to be cared for and give us the level of personal attention we might enjoy from a beauty treatment. Scalp examinations, skin examinations, eye examinations, and binaural ear cleaning are some of the most popular medical role play videos in this genre.
5) ‘Doing your makeup’ role play
Who doesn’t love getting their makeup done? When we watch makeup artist role play videos, we’re essentially simulating the experience of allowing someone into our personal space. We’re replicating the feeling of being pampered and looked after, and we get to see all the lovely soft brushes sweeping carefully across the camera lens. If makeup isn’t your thing, you can try eyebrow shaping or eyelash extension videos.
6) General triggers (no speaking)
Non-speaking trigger videos are excellent if you find yourself stressed at work or needing some soothing background noise without any of the fuss associated with role play videos. These come in many styles to suit different triggers, so you may need to try a few before you settle on the ones you like best. For an even better ASMR work experience, you can try keyboard tapping videos.
These are just a small snippet from the world of ASMR which awaits on the internet. I recently unearthed a Professor Snape potions class ASMR which proves there’s something out there for everyone.
It’s also good to note that many ASMRtists upload audio tracks to Spotify, so if you don’t want the fuss of a video or would prefer to download a playlist which you can listen to at work (or if you’re like me, on a flight), you have the option.
Whether you’re prone to the autonomous sensory meridian response or not, it’s important to remember to be kind to yourself and keep an eye on your own mental health. Hopefully you’ll find something useful here to tide you over until the world begins again!
Title image sourced via Unsplash.
Emma Cownley is a freelance creative copywriter and blogger, and founder of jot jot boom. Find her on Twitter. Read more from Emma on Harpy.
