What Is ASMR?
Have you ever felt a pleasant tingling sensation in the neck area; sometimes travelling down your spine? If you have, it could be that you have experienced an Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR). We can’t be exactly sure just of just what ASMR is, but we do know that there are certain triggers that cause the phenomenon.
Anybody can go to YouTube and find videos of people deliberately using ASMR triggers. They use a number of techniques, and some videos are more effective than others are. Here we have listed some of the most common triggers you are likely to encounter.
1. Whispering
We will often whisper when we try to prevent people from hearing us, but did you know that whispering is also an ASMR trigger? Not only is it a trigger, but whispering is also the one you are most likely to encounter and it is sometimes used in conjunction with other triggers. Not all people using this technique actually whisper and some will simply talk softly instead, but it tends to have the same effect. It is also possible to enhance the effect by creating the audio file in a way that the sound is only played in one speaker, and then alternates to the other.
2. Physical Touch
Not all ASMR triggers can be achieved through video and audio; some require physical contact to be made. Being physically touched by another person in the right place can be enough to send shivers down your spine, and there is a good chance that it has already happened to you.
Have you ever found yourself fully relaxed after having your hair washed in a salon? This could well be down to the Auto Sensory Meridian Response. It can also cause tingling sensations that are more intense than those caused by visual or audio effects. Face touching is another fairly common ASMR trigger and this can sometimes be simulated over video and audio.
3. Page Turning
Reading can be a very relaxing affair for most people. You can find yourself lost in the world of whichever book it is that you’re reading and forget all about whatever troubles you might have. Book readers will also often enjoy the smell of the pages of a book, and even the sound of a page being turned.
Page turning can also be a trigger for an ASMR. The sound of a page turning can be both soft and crisp at the same time. In addition to the sound of the pages themselves turning, the gentle thud of a hardback cover being closed can also be a trigger.
4. Tapping
Under the wrong circumstances, tapping can actually be quite irritating. Get it right, though, and it can send wonderful tingling sensations throughout your body. It is also one of the most common triggers that are used to make ASMR videos.
One of the most effective ways of producing ASMR triggers by tapping is to tap on objects softly with your nails. You can also try experimenting with different objects to see which provide the best results. This method is often favored by women because they tend to have long nails, and it can also be used in conjunction with other triggers.
5. Personal Attention
Have you ever experienced tingles when a doctor is giving you a close physical examination or a make-up artist is getting in close to do their work? It is likely that we would have also felt this sensation when we were just babies and our mothers pulled us in close to check that we are OK and it is thought the two are related.
People creating ASMR videos will sometimes get close up to the camera to simulate the effect of them being close to you personally. They might also touch the camera and maybe work on it with make-up brushes and similar to enhance the simulation further.
6. Eating
Most of us are told from a young age that we should only eat with our mouths closed and to try to avoid making any slurping sounds. This is done for good reasons because a lot of people find these sounds unpleasant to be around, but others might find them quite stimulating.
Another fairly common method of triggering ASMR is videos of people that are eating. When done right, the sounds that might otherwise cause you to cringe can instead trigger an ASMR response. This is one method that is more niche, with many people preferring to avoid it because they find it unpleasant.
7. Concentration
Concentrating on something is usually associated with being quite serious and, thus, not something you might expect to trigger any pleasurable sensations. Some people, however, will find that they get tingles down their spine when they concentrate on one thing in particular for a short while.
Watching other people focusing on something can also be a trigger for an ASMR response. One common example of this is watching the popular TV artist Bob Ross. A lot of people experience ASMR as they watch him concentrate on his drawings, and the trigger is also often boosted with his softly spoken voice, which is another trigger.
8. Blowing
Quite a lot of people will experience an Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response just from the sound and/or sensation of other people blowing. You might have experienced it yourself when a partner blows on your ears, sending tingles from your neck down into your spine.
The effect is often partly down to the sensation of air blowing over your ears, although there is often an audio contribution to the effect as well. The same effect can also be achieved when making ASMR videos by blowing gently directly onto a microphone, and you can also try to swap microphones for a better result.
9. Roleplay
When it comes to making ASMR videos, those making them will also often use roleplay as a tool. This can mean anything from pretending that you are having your hair done by a hairdresser to being made up by a professional make-up artist. Such videos will also often include a range of ASMR triggers.
Roleplaying in this way can help to make the experience much more personal, almost as though the person making the video is speaking directly to you and nobody else. This can help to enhance the effects of ASMR triggers, causing them to trigger more often and exaggerating their effects.
10. Massage
Many of us have been for a massage at least once. A good massage can be very effective in helping to relieve any aches and pains that you might have, while they can also help you to feel more relaxed overall. The right massage might also be a trigger for AMSR.
In some cases, even just watching somebody else be massaged can be enough to trigger an AMSR. You can also try to trigger a response on yourself, especially if you have the massaging tools. Remember that there is a skill to giving massages, and a professional masseuse will help you to achieve better results.
