Segment #1 - Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response

(ASMR)

Segment 1

When you were younger and you got your hair cut at a salon, did you ever experience a tingle-like feeling on your scalp? How about that one person who has a soft spoken voice that makes you feel relaxed when they would talk? Do you find that certain sounds can make you feel more relaxed and tired? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you most likely have experienced ASMR.
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, the term most commonly known as ASMR, is a physical sensation characterized by a satisfying tingling that begins at the back of the head and scalp, and often moves down the spine and through the limbs. It's described as being meditative and soothing. 

The feeling of ASMR is triggered by a number of different stimuli, and the effective ASMR triggers can differ from person to person. Some common triggers include:

• The sound of lips smacking, such as when eating.
• Slow or soft speech patterns.
• Ear-to-ear whispering.
• Light sounds of crinkling, fire crackling, nail scratching and tapping.
• Someone completing a meticulous task.
• Personal attention, such as painting or hair cutting.
• Cranial nerve examinations.
• Binaural microphones and sounds.

ASMR can be categorized into 2 different types. Type A is self-induced ASMR, like meditating or yoga, while type B occurs when an individual experiences ASMR after watching or hearing different triggers that someone else has created. Type B is more commonly reported.
There are 2 different kinds of ASMR - visual and hearing. Visual triggers occur when one watches movements and can experience ASMR. Hearing triggers occur when one hears certain sounds and experiences ASMR. Most ASMR viewers report to have both hearing and visual triggers. One should wear headphones and should be in a quiet environment while watching ASMR videos to experience the full effect. Without headphones or a quiet environment, the triggers may not work on the individual listening and watching.
Not everyone claims to experience ASMR, however some people believe that everyone can experience it with a certain trigger. Not everyone has the same trigger, however there are tons of different triggers to explore.
ASMR is described much like synesthesia - the phenomenon where one sense produces the experience of another. Like synesthesia a few years back, ASMR is having a hard time getting recognition in the scientific community. In fact, because the term isn't medically recognized, there has been a prolonged battle of whether it should even have a Wikipedia entry. Research on ASMR is still in its infancy, however neuroscientist Steven Novella believes that it likely has a real neurological cause that could potentially be caused by miniature seizures or hardwired evolutionary reactions. Other people theorize that dopamine or serotonin are involved or that it is a bonding phenomenon connected to mother-child nurturing, releasing the hormone, oxytocin.  
Now, if you have never experienced ASMR before and want to give it a try, I have good news for you. ASMR has captured the interest of one growing corner of the internet. There is a whole community online primarily cultivated by whisperer videos, where people record ASMR triggers while speaking softly or making sounds with objects such as feathers, brushes, plastic, etc. Some "ASMR-tist's" create role videos where they play different roles such as hairstylists, optometrists, etc. Hundreds of Youtubers upload thousands of videos to help their viewers relax. People suffering from anxiety, OCD, PTSD, depression, insomnia and other conditions claim that ASMR videos really help them to feel relaxed and calm. 
So now, it's up to you! If you would like to dip your toe into the ASMR pool, you can easily start by viewing different videos online. 

Thanks for tuning into this weeks unique segment! I will link some ASMR videos below if you are interested in watching them. Next week we will exploring "Rubber, Bouncy Eggs; Osmosis!"