People cutting soap, writing with old quills, whittling wood, opening packages… these don't exactly sound like fascinating activities, but a strange mix of visuals and sounds has turned them into hits on YouTube, Instagram, and the rest of social media. Welcome to ASMR, short for "Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response," an experience described very differently from person to person.
If you spend a few minutes browsing Instagram profiles, you're likely to come across some strange stuff, including short clips of people cutting and chopping soap. The first thing that comes to mind is "what for," but the goal is actually to capture the entire visual and auditory experience: the color of the soap, the noise of its package being opened, the taps of the knife on the wooden board, and more. Yet soap isn't mandatory. Other users and YouTubers are doing the same with food, wood, fabric, brushes, scissors… the list goes on. At the same time, we also find podcasts of people talking in a very soft voice, and I say "podcasts" because some videos easily last over 40 minutes. What's going on?
The official term is ASMR, Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. That title doesn't tell us much, and when we look for an explanation from those who experience it, things get a bit more complicated. Some talk about a tingling in the head that sometimes moves to the neck and shoulders, goes down the back and reaches the limbs. A kind of very mild "current" that relaxes and brings pleasure. A large number of ASMR videos have been prepared with the goal of helping other people fall asleep. Do you remember our recommendation of sounds to help you sleep? The sound of rain and background thunder is a very popular form of ASMR.
Intentional and Involuntary ASMR
From a technical standpoint, ASMR content appears in two categories: intentional and involuntary. The Instagram users cutting things belong to the first category, while something as simple as a person cooking without saying a word can become involuntary ASMR. However, the chopped soap is just the tip of the iceberg. The most elaborate videos feature role-playing focused on personal attention, simulating actions like washing and cutting hair, or painting nails.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BezNA_mnPyNPersonally... ASMR doesn't work for me, and when it comes to sleeping, I need silence and darkness, but don't hesitate to try it. It might surprise you.
