What is ASMR?

By Jaqueline Hambrick, PsyD Psychologist Candidate/Postdoctoral Fellow

ASMR stands for the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, and this response happens when someone enters a relaxed state. Usually, this looks like experiencing sensations that are often labeled as ‘tingles’ within the ASMR community. Someone may report experiencing tingling sensations that start from their head and make their way down their neck and spread throughout the rest of the body, followed by feeling more relaxed. So, what triggers these responses? Researchers have found that there are many types of ASMR triggers, some of which include hearing whispering, getting personal attention from the ASMR artist (someone who administers ASMR), crisp sounds, slow movements, repetitive tasks (tapping), tactile stimulation (watching an ASMR artist play with someone’s hair or do their makeup), mouth or eating sounds, nature sounds (rain, wind, waves), soap cutting, foam squeezing, and paint or putty mixing.

Now that we know what it is and what it can look or sound like, who does ASMR work for? Researchers are currently still exploring this, but some have found that personality type can impact who is more receptive to experiencing ASMR responses. For example, one study found that those who scored higher on openness to experience on personality assessments were more likely to experience the chills and tingles associated with ASMR. They also found that those who are more sensitive to physical sensations reported experiencing the same responses. Additionally, there have been fMRI studies looking at brain scans of participants experiencing ASMR that showed increased activity within certain parts of the brain that were often associated with self-awareness, our reward center, emotional responses, and increased alpha wave activity, which is associated with being in a relaxed state.

What are the benefits of ASMR? Researchers have found that some benefits that individuals may experience include improved mood, reduced heart rate/blood pressure, improved attention, states of relaxation, pain relief, improvements in short-term memory, and often inducing sleep! With all of these benefits, is ASMR a form of mindfulness? The short answer is that it can be; however, research is still being done on ASMR and its role in mindfulness strategies. There was a 2018 study that found that individuals who completed various questionnaires relating to mindfulness had higher scores than a control group (no ASMR or mindfulness strategies), which suggests that their experiences may be linked to mindfulness states.

The bottom line is that more research on ASMR is needed to understand who it works for and how it works fully. It is not yet identified as a mindfulness strategy, although research is growing to support the relationship. However, at the end of the day, if it works for you and you notice positive impacts from watching or listening to ASMR, there’s at least growing support for your experiences!

References:

Eid, C. M., Hamilton, C., & Greer, J. M. (2022). Untangling the tingle: Investigating the association between the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), neuroticism, and trait & state anxiety. PloS one, 17(2), e0262668.

Fredborg B, Clark J and Smith SD (2017) An Examination of Personality Traits Associated with Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR). Front. Psychol. 8:247. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00247

Fredborg, B. K., Clark, J. M., & Smith, S. D. (2018). Mindfulness and autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR). PeerJ, 6, e5414.

Poerio, G. L., Succi, A., Swart, T., Romei, V., & Gillmeister, H. (2023). From touch to tingles: Assessing ASMR triggers and their consistency over time with the ASMR Trigger Checklist (ATC). Consciousness and cognition, 115, 103584.

The Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research. (2024, April 4). What we really know about ASMR. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evidence-based-living/202404/what-we-really-know-about-asmr

Travers, M. (2023, November 12). The psychology of ASMR. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/social-instincts/202311/the-psychology-of-asmr