Why ASMR Is all the Rage in Hearing

ASMR is a sensation people get from watching a stimulating video that makes tingles run down the body. The tingles often make us feel less anxious and more relaxed. A lot of people experience these sensations when exposed to certain circumstances. There are various ASMR sounds for every audience and niche.

Generally, ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. Watching various ASMR videos helps relax and calm the body by slowing down the heart rate. ASMR is widely known to help people with insomnia, headaches, and lower blood pressure. It also helps to improve the general well-being of an individual. Keep reading to learn more about ASMR hearing.

What is ASMR?

ASMR hearing is watching videos or listening to sounds that send a tingling sensation down the body. Most people experience this calming sensation when watching someone perform a task carefully. However, everyone responds to ASMR differently. Some people may enjoy the sound or trigger, while others may not.

The tingling sensation felt in the body during ASMR comes in waves. It brings about feelings of relaxation and euphoria. Also, people who experience ASMR are more empathetic and open to experience. These people’s openness reflects an appreciation of beauty, imagination, art, and intellectual curiosity.

General Effects of ASMR

Several people who experience ASMR also tend to experience other complex multi-sensory problems. These people are likely to experience misophonia, which means they hate the sound. Some of the general effects of ASMR are:

• When listening to or watching ASMR videos, a tingling or static-like feeling or sensation is felt on the skin. This pleasurable sensation runs from the scalp down to the back of the neck and upper part of the spine. However, the feeling does not harm the body.
• Listening to loud music can lead to hearing loss because it damages the eardrum. However, the sound intensity of ASMR is below 85dB, which means that it is spoken softly to the ears. Therefore, one can listen to ASMR for an extended period without experiencing hearing loss.
• ASMR is not new to society; however, it recently got its name. ASMR produces auditory-tactile synesthesia, which is the hearing-touching synesthesia. It means that ASMR has euphoria, which affects pleasurable body centers.

How Does ASMR Impact Hearing?

Generally, ASMR has low pleasing ambient sounds, and as such, the chances of having hearing loss due to it is low. However, individuals who listen to ASMR sounds may become sensitive to loud noises. Also, it may cause hearing damage if an individual is listening to it at an abnormally high volume.

What Is The Effect of ASMR on the Brain?

Several studies have shown that individual brains activate and stimulate the feeling of tingling on the scalp when watching ASMR videos. The brains of these individuals have shown some significant activation in regions associated with emotional arousal and reward.

When individuals watch ASMR videos, the brain releases hormones such as endorphins, dopamine, and oxytocin, which help calm the body. These hormones help individuals to reduce anxiety and promote excitement.

What Triggers ASMR?

ASMR is an internal sensation that brings about good head tingling and relaxation. There are several ways to trigger and stimulate ASMR. Some of these ways are:

• Page Turning
• Tapping
• Crinkling
• Writing
• Scratching
• Whispering
• Blowing

Final Thoughts on ASMR

Not everyone experiences ASMR; therefore, the phenomenon is not universal. The different gene sequences in some people make them more sensitive to the chemicals involved in ASMR. There are several hormones the body releases when individuals watch ASMR videos which sends a tingling feeling down the body. Other common triggers of ASMR are chewing, humming, typing and cat purring.