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