Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a poorly understood condition in which some people experience a pleasant physical response to certain kinds of sensory stimulation, called triggers. Common triggers include the sounds of delicate whispering, tapping, and crinkling. An ASMR trigger may cause a person to feel a pleasant sensation—similar to tingling—in the back of the head and neck area. This sensation is associated with a feeling of deep relaxation and euphoria (intense happiness).
Not everyone experiences ASMR. Those who do often report experiencing it first as children. In addition to sounds, people have reported visual triggers, such as slow hand movements, and tactile (touch) triggers, such as gentle brushing of the hair. Some people have reported experiencing ASMR in response to certain smells.
The term autonomous sensory meridian response was created by nonscientists in 2010. Before the term came into use, most people did not know about the condition, or they did not have a name for it. During the 2000’s, widespread use of the internet helped people who experience ASMR to share their observations with one another. In 2009, people began uploading to the website YouTube videos specifically designed to trigger ASMR in viewers. Creators of content designed to produce ASMR became commonly known as ASMR artists, or “ASMRtists” Many such artists upload streaming content to internet media-sharing sites. Some ASMR-themed channels on YouTube have attracted millions of subscribers.
By the mid-2010’s, scientific researchers began to study ASMR and its underlying physiology . Scientists do not yet understand why people experience ASMR. Some suspect that it is linked to synesthesia , a condition in which stimulating one sense produces a mental impression associated with another sense. Like synesthesia, ASMR involves responses that are automatic and consistent (similar each time). Some studies have suggested that ASMR may be related to misophonia, a condition in which certain sounds trigger an automatic and intense negative emotional reaction. Other researchers have studied possible links between ASMR and frisson, “chills” triggered by emotional stimulation.
Most people who seek out ASMR-triggering videos and sound clips use them to relax or for help in falling asleep. Some people use them to relieve stress. Researchers are studying the possible benefits of ASMR in helping people to cope with a range of disorders and conditions, including anxiety, insomnia , and post-traumatic stress disorder .
