Do you recall your mother putting you to sleep by telling you tales or singing you a lullaby when you were a child?
When she whispered it in your ear while standing very close to you, it worked much better.
Back then, you had no concept of what sleeplessness was, and falling asleep after a few minutes was a breeze.
Let’s fast forward to the year 2019:
Now that you are an adult, you are afflicted with anxiety problems and insomnia, both of which prevent you from having restful sleep. Bedtime tales don’t work, and neither do lullabies.
But items that make quiet noises, like shuffling papers or tapping your foot gently, and other similar activities, have a calming impact.
Understanding ASMR
The repetition of these gentle noises in close proximity to your ear triggers a calming effect known as autonomous sensory meridian response.
It’s possible that not everyone may feel it, but for those who do, it’s described as a tingling feeling that steadily spreads throughout their brain.
It travels towards your spine and then spreads throughout the rest of your body. The term “brain orgasm” is used to describe the blissful state that one could experience as a result of this.
Why ASMR is Effective for Relaxation
According to the findings of several studies, the neurological sense of individuals improves their ability to sleep when they are exposed to mild noises.
Noises that are comparable in nature, such as the rustling of waves, the sound of burning leaves, the cracking of paper, and other sounds, establish a strong neurological link between the auditory and emotional regions of your brain.
However, ASMR specialists claim that the only sounds that are efficient in preventing relaxation are those with a low volume. These noises, with their steady beat and consistent pattern, help to establish a secure environment in your brain, which, in turn, makes it easier for you to fall asleep and catch up on the rest you’ve been missing.
Your brain recognises that these noises are not dangerous in any way.
This results in instant relaxation, particularly if the sounds are connected to something that is important to you. Because of this, even if you are in a deep slumber, you may be jolted awake by anything as simple as the sound of thunder or the abrupt roar of a car horn.
These are the kinds of noises that our brains interpret as being potentially harmful.
On the other hand, if you think of someone humming, a whispering voice, or a pen scratching on paper, you’ll realise that these noises might create the euphoric sensation that is associated with ASMR.
When it comes to ASMR, various individuals have varied reactions to different noises, but none of them would respond to shouting or loud sirens. Some individuals, for instance, may benefit from the sound of their lips smacking together, mild eating noises, or even the sound of water trickling.
These noises could help you fall asleep if you do not have an anxiety problem, clinical depression, or a history of chronic insomnia and if you have not been using them for a very long period.
But for some who have chronic pain, these treatments may not help at all.
They may need to attempt various noises, such as whispering or speaking softly, combing their hair, water flowing in an empty basket, and so on.
In point of fact, there are some noises that have the ability to calm a person, while others aid in the process of falling asleep.
Therefore, it should not be assumed that listening to any ASMR noises would result in a restful sleep.
If you want to concentrate only on unwinding and relaxing, the advice of specialists is to listen to white noise or recordings of natural noises.
Sounds like gentle crinkling and light tapping, which are common ASMR triggers, tend to put people in a relaxed state of mind.
How to try ASMR?
There are a plethora of different ASMR-inducing noises to be found in the hundreds of videos that are available on YouTube.
It’s likely that there are over 15 million videos online that show individuals scratching, tapping, whispering, or perhaps combining all of these actions in a certain sequence.
It is in your best interest to look for noises that provide personalised attention, such as when you are combing your hair, scratching the carpet, or doing anything else that you can relate to yourself. Even the sound of scissors moving through hair may work wonders for some individuals.
Sounds that induce ASMR often start working after 15 or 20 minutes.
During the first five minutes of exposure, your brain will record the sound and its rhythm. The tingling sensation of euphoria begins to slowly creep throughout your mind. It travels down your spine, reaches your ears, and reaches your temples. After 15 minutes, you should feel your body beginning to relax.
Your ears and brain get acclimated to the music, which also contributes to more restful sleep for you.
The majority of the videos that may be seen online are longer than thirty minutes.
You have a sufficient amount of time to get the most out of the noises. It is prudent to refrain from thinking about anything.
The speed at which ASMR operates in your brain is increased as a result of this.
Experts are of the opinion that ASMR is beneficial for a sizeable portion of the population, despite the fact that they cannot prove that it helps everyone.
In point of fact, many psychiatrists use noises that induce ASMR in their patients in an effort to calm them down.
So, if you want to learn which noises help you relax and which ones don’t, you can always check out some of the many videos on YouTube that are categorised as ASMR for relaxation.