ASMR - Awesome Scalp and Mind Ruffles (or actually... Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response)

Have you ever heard something that gives you a pleasant shiver? Do you find yourself zoning out when someone nearby is whispering or shuffling papers or pouring a fizzy drink? Do certain sounds make you pleasantly limp? You might be experiencing one of my favorite things, ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.

Sleep.org describes it as "...a feeling of euphoric tingling and relaxation that can come over someone when he or she watches certain videos or hears certain sounds." I, personally, experience it most when I hear someone whisper, especially with words that contain sounds made with the front of the mouth (tip of tongue, lips). D's and P's and Ch's are especially brain-tingly for me. There are a couple of co-workers of mine whose voices are in a particular tonal range that they set off my ASMR sometimes when I talk to them on the phone. Of course, I've never told them this, because... that would be weird. But I have to work really hard to stay focused in conversations with them. If I let myself drift at all, I risk nodding off.

If everything I've described above is totally foreign to you, then you may be one of the many people who have never experienced ASMR. Don't worry; you're not alone. It's not like you're weird if you don't enjoy listening to people whisper or watching people fold towels. On the flip side, it's really common if those things do please you. It's a brain thing. Brains are cool. And hard to understand sometimes. That's what makes them so fascinating, though.

My favorite ASMR artist (that makes me giggle) is Harris from Sleep Whispers. His is the first ASMR podcast I ever listened to, and it was kind of a fluke that I found it. I didn't even know what ASMR was at the time. I just knew I was having trouble falling asleep, and in this day and age, there's always "an app for that," whatever "that" may be (in this case, insomnia). I searched Podcast Addict for relaxation casts, and his popped up. "Sleep Whispers" was intriguing to me, so I tried it. And after I got used to the slightly strange/creepy vibe of listening to a man whisper everything he says, I LOVED IT. The best part is, I never made it to the end of an episode before falling asleep. Yes, that's a good thing.

Over the months, Harris has revealed his true identity, Dr. Craig Richard, a bona fide professor who heads up ASMR University. He even consulted on a commercial that aired during Super Bowl LIII last Sunday. You can watch it here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXmlN9BAddg

Did it give you the shivers? Did it make your head tingle? Did it relax you?

I prefer audio ASMR, but a lot of people watch the YouTube videos. In fact, it is CRAZY POPULAR out there. Thousands and thousands of videos by ASMR superstars. That makes me giggle, too.

How about you? Is this something you enjoy? Do you want to learn more? Explore the ASMR University site to get a comprehensive introduction to the topic. Dr. Richard has a link to his and other ASMR audio and video clips. Do you already have a favorite artist? Share in the comments!