• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Sound Therapy for Calming? ASMR

ahmo

Senior Member
Messages
4,805
Location
Northcoast NSW, Australia
I heard this radio program about Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, or ASMR. I found the program itself well done and interesting. A whole online community exists of people who find these small sounds very relaxing. Youtubers do things like whispering, tapping, cutting hair, zipping and unzipping... I found them irritating, this is not for me. But it might be useful to others. More links on the page.

While outsiders might think ASMR is plain weird, those on the inside say these videos calm you down and help you sleep, and can even help ease anxiety and depression.

From another radio broadcast:
Sound therapy music is an ever-so-slightly disconcerting listen at first— Ms Joudry calls it ‘gymnastics for the ear’ and her website is full of client testimonials espousing the therapy. I’m not yet sure what I’d call it (Ms Joudry tells me I need to build up my listening slowly).
‘Gentle, high frequency sound is always beneficial. It stimulates and tickles the nerve endings,’ she says. ‘It builds new brain connections.’

And someone has started a site looking into the science behind it: http://asmruniversity.com/
 

L'engle

moogle
Messages
3,200
Location
Canada
I find abrasive or heavy music can have a good effect, which may seem counter-intuitive. Works though.

Edit: I just tried to listen to one of these ASMR tracks on youtube for about 10 seconds. Really annoying scratching tapping sound. Ack. I think I'll just keep listening to music I like.
 
Last edited:

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
I actually like ASMR and find it calming/relaxing but the ones I listen to do not involve anything abrasive like scratching or tapping (that would irritate me to no end.) The one I like the best is the waterwhisperers and involves calming scenarios like getting a massage, haircut, etc. I guess it sounds strange when you think about it but the woman's voice is very calming to me.
 

Skippa

Anti-BS
Messages
841
I get ASMR! It's amazing, free endorphins or whatever.

I get it from calming voices and personal attention. I can even get it from emails!

Best ASMR vids are cranial nerve exams and eye exams.

WARNING: if you get ASMR it's the best thing since sliced bread. If you don't get it, then you'll likely find it highly weird.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
Best ASMR vids are cranial nerve exams and eye exams.

@Skippa I don't actually watch any of the videos and only listen to them on my iPhone. I know there are some of various medical exams but I personally would not find that comforting! I like the ones involving scalp massage, haircut, facial, or just soothing sounds and talking.
 

barbc56

Senior Member
Messages
3,657
Just the thought of some of these sounds seem overwhelming. The name, especially the use of the word meridian which turns out is a different useage than energy medicine, set off alarm bells in my skeptical mind.

However, to my surprise, there may be some scientific/phisiological plausibility behind this.

Stephen Novella
who writes NeuroLogica, a skepticism, neuroscience, and critical thinking blog, comments about ASMR here. He says it doesn't work for everyone but it can and research is the way to find out why. He is also one of my favorite bloggers on Science Based Medicine.

I'm wonder if people, like many of us, who may be extremely sensitive to sights and sounds as well as other things in our environment, are more or less likely to get effects from ASMR since there is likely a neurological explanation for this.

This is all reminiscent of something that would interest Oliver Sacks, may he rest in peace. He may have mentioned something about this in Hallucinations and possibly Musicophilia?

I'm definitely going to check this out @ahmo.:thumbsup:

Thanks!

Barb
 
Last edited:

Skippa

Anti-BS
Messages
841
@barbc56 i too have wondered if the PWC "spectrum of sensitivities" pre-disposes us to experience ASMR more frequently than norms.

But already in this thread I guess it's not the case.

As far as skepticism is concerned, there is nothing to be skeptical of. Many ASMR "experiencers" have noticed this intense, relaxing tingling wave of pure pleasure in response to certain stimuli our entire lives, and thought we were alone. It is a very real physical sensation in the back of the head or spine thats radiate outward and down the limbs when it gets really intense.

Different people have different triggers. What the ASMR video community have done is realised there are other people out there who get this too, and found a "shortcut" to inducing it through videos.

You can't beat real world ASMR though.
 

barbc56

Senior Member
Messages
3,657
As far as skepticism is concerned, there is nothing to be skeptical of

Ah, but my skeptical nature wants to go further and find out how and why this works.Also see if there is enough merit for further studies which might be have implications for medical purposes.:rolleyes:

Do you have any recommendations about particular YouTube and/or other sources to start with or is it more trial and error since it may work differently for some.:)

Barb
 

Skippa

Anti-BS
Messages
841
Trial and error, for example crinkling/rubbing/tapping do nothing for me.

Although, whilst there are a few surprises, I think people with ASMR would have already experienced it in real life before discovering the vids.

ASMRtists who work for me:

CosmicTingles (try the heart doctor one)
GentleWhispering
Queenofserene

If you prefer the male voice, try EphemeralRift.

Good luck :)

Ps, some people get ASMR from watching artisans at work. Try the Bob Ross painting films. Doesn't work for me though.
 

barbc56

Senior Member
Messages
3,657
I just watched the whispering YouTube and I had the same reaction as nails scratching a blackboard! This reminded me of the following episode of Seinfeld which really jangled my nerves.


On to the next one!
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
I'm also an opiate responder, so I'd be curious if someone like @Hip got ASMR for example...

I can't say that the three ASMR examples (whispering, and the tinkling of ice cubes in a glass) given in the Wikipedia article do anything for me.

I remember once though, a few years back, when I had moderate to severe levels of generalized anxiety disorder, one day I was out for a walk in the countryside with two friends, and visiting a large stately home open to the public. We were walking down a long asphalt path/road leading up to the house, when a horse and rider came by, making its way slowly along same path. I became aware of gentle rhythmic clip clop sound that the horse's hooves made against the asphalt, and how very soothing that sound was to the mind. It made quite an impression.

It did not of course reduce my anxiety, which was caused by underlying neurological factors; but that sound sort of reminded me of what the relaxed mental state should be like.
 

barbc56

Senior Member
Messages
3,657
I'm not sure how this differs from relaxation tapes. Yes it might sooth you for a while but it certainly doesn't last. If it even works at all.

I need to go back and take a closer look at the site that studies this. Are they claiming this is anything more than relaxation? Why was Stephen Novela blogging about it? Did he have a different take than the other site than it's an interesting phenomenon about the brain responding to sounds.

Maybe an old idea with new packaging?

Barb
 

L'engle

moogle
Messages
3,200
Location
Canada
@ahmo I guess by heavier music I mean electronic stuff that has some distortion and repeated patterns that are somehow meditative. I'll be the first to admit that I just don't 'get' punk though. :D
 

ahmo

Senior Member
Messages
4,805
Location
Northcoast NSW, Australia
@ahmo I guess by heavier music I mean electronic stuff that has some distortion and repeated patterns that are somehow meditative. I'll be the first to admit that I just don't 'get' punk though. :D
When my brain was really inflamed, Shostacovich at his discordant best, was what I resonated to. I love electronic music w/ beat, patterns.