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Sound out sound healing. The power of sound is about more than voice or music. Have you heard about ASMR, short for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response? Hundreds of clips are posted on YouTube daily by people recording videos or sounds intending to relax others. Gently sensual, sounds in ASMR videos spread calm and good vibes for many.
From the sound of rustling paper to the soothing sensation of a whispering voice, specific noises have the power to trigger an experience of tingling sensations on the skin in people hearing them. These usually begin in the scalp and move down the back of the neck and upper spine. Research suggests that ASMR might be linked to socially bonding “affiliative behaviors,” known to release feel-good hormones like oxytocin. And ASMR has been used to help with anxiety, depression and insomnia.
We’ve compiled a list of five ASMR videos to take you on a journey using the power of sound, enjoy!
Out of this world!
Soothing “ambiance videos”, lounge rooms imbued with ASMR sounds, have opened up on YouTube. These ambient rooms pair relaxing soundscapes with animated scenery. Listen carefully, and you’ll notice that several layers of sound effects are happening simultaneously.
This trend has accelerated as the pandemic and its lockdowns have seen more people wanting to be transported beyond the same four walls they’ve been staring at for too long, and de-stress.
An article in the New York Times sees ambient rooms as a “close cousin” of ASMR, because their creators share a purpose of relaxing the viewer through an immersive experience, even if the focus isn’t on creating brain-tingling sensations through sound.
Some of these rooms transport listeners back in time like this one from The Guild of Ambience. It touches human desires for warmth, peace and protection, and offers hours of sleep-inducing rain sounds from a historic paneled room. Not surprisingly, Harry Potter-inspired rooms are prominent too.
But you can go back to the future too. The clip below is titled “Spaceship Bedroom Ambience Sci-Fi ASMR sleep”. Its creator, Ma Ambience explains: “Now we are in a spaceship flying around our Earth planet... And let's wait here for a while...and let's go back when everything [was] back in [a] positive situation on the Earth.”
ASMR delicious
Expecting a video on healthy eating? A soothing and sensual bird’s eye visit to a delicious and comforting, or even exotic plate of food? There are plenty of videos letting you savor the experience of tucking into delicious, hot food, both crunchy and smooth. But here’s an ode to the pleasures of fast food takeouts!
This video comes to you courtesy of Zach Choi, an ASMR video creator with millions of subscribers. Watch him chomp through his idea of fast food Nirvana: onion rings, mozzarella cheese corn dog, and chicken nuggets. Predictably, one talkback from Matthias Leider, reads “Me watching this on a diet like:?!!”
“Asmrtist” meditation
Here ASMR practitioner, ediyasmr, offers an ASMR Guided Meditation for Self-Compassion, subtitled a “Holding space for yourself (Sleep Meditation, Hypnosis).”
The feeling this induces is as calm and empowering as the honeyed tones of ediyasmr’s voice, leading to a comment calling her one of the best “asmrtists” out there. Another, Moksha says “I've got this playing, sitting on my bed, and my dog has gone into the kind of relaxation situation where he's snoring and doing that running in his sleep thing. Honestly, when the animals are responding like that, you're doing it quite well, lol!”
ASMR sound baths
Trending “sound baths” are a more accessible take on meditation for many people. They are a form of meditation that utilizes the healing vibrations of special frequencies of sound to help listeners to go from an active state to a more relaxed, deeper state of meditation to achieve sound healing.
Sound bath meditations involve using singing bowls to create a mellow humming sound that resonates through the room. These instill a sense of inner peace, thanks to the vibration of the sound, and its ability to balance the body and its energy centers or chakras.
Just like human voices, singing bowls have varying tones, pitches and vibrational frequencies, so meditations can be tailored to tap into a chakra you need to hone in on and release.
Sound baths can be shorter too. If you’re pressed for time, listen to this 10-minute sound bath from Charisse Christine, recommended for unwinding, de-stressing and grounding.
Mesmerizing guided ASMR relaxation
We’re going back just a tad to this clip. This is because this hypnosis and guided relaxation session, rich in positive affirmations, is such an iconic example of the genre. It is created by itsblitzzz and comes complete with the graceful hand movements and mellow whispers of this ASMR star.
As itsblitzzz herself explains, “I am taking you back to basics with a VERY simple yet very effective video. I will be focusing on helping you relax and get a great night of sleep but also instilling positive values of being into your mind.” The whispering delivery makes you feel that the session is personalized.
Be guided into a very relaxed hypnotic state, all the while, consciously aware of the positive encouragement and relaxing that is going on. The presenter is careful to stress that hypnosis is a state of increased awareness and focus in which participants remain fully in control.
