ASMR For Sleep: How it Works and Triggers to Try

What Is ASMR?

Autonomous sensory meridian response, or ASMR, is a pleasant, tingly and relaxing response to certain stimuli, like sounds or visuals.

People who experience ASMR describe it as a feeling of shivers or tingles running down their scalp, neck or spine. They also report intense feelings of relaxation, sometimes accompanied by an altered state of consciousness and intense awareness of the present moment.⁽¹⁾

ASMR is believed to cause the release of dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins, all of which induce feelings of sleepiness and comfort.⁽²⁾

ASMR is a relatively new online phenomenon, but has been gaining steady popularity since the mid-2000s. It was named in 2010 by YouTuber Jennifer Allen, but has existed for much, much longer. In fact, most people who experience ASMR can trace their first tingles back to childhood.

We don’t yet know a lot about ASMR, since the connection between sound and sleep is such a complex and personal one. While the first peer-reviewed scientific study of ASMR was conducted at Swansea University in 2015, it has not been studied extensively. Consequently, there is not enough science-backed evidence to account for its effects.

What we do know from anecdotal (and personal) experience is that ASMR can soothe an anxious mind, induce pleasant tingly sensations and make a stressful day easier to bear.

Not everyone can experience ASMR. It is estimated that about one in five people get tingles.⁽³⁾ Others may feel relaxed and soothed, and some may have no response whatsoever.

You can also develop what is known in the community as “tingle immunity,” which is when you no longer feel the physical, tingly response to triggers. It is caused by consuming a lot of ASMR content, and is usually temporary. Another video, often with another type of trigger, should cure it in time. Taking an extended break from ASMR can also desensitize you, and you should get your tingles back when you return to your favorite ASMRtists.

ASMR can also trigger negative responses, like agitation and discomfort, especially in people who are trying to sleep with misophonia (a disorder of decreased tolerance to specific sounds). They often find repetitive breathing and chewing sounds extremely triggering in a bad way.

How ASMR Can Help You Sleep

Those who can experience ASMR and have trouble falling asleep often reach for it before bed. In fact, most ASMRtists specifically mention falling asleep in their videos, as they understand that bedtime is the most popular time people tune in.

Here’s how ASMR can help you sleep:

• It reduces stress and anxiety: ASMR can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, making it much easier to fall asleep. By relaxing your body and mind, you are able to drift off easily. Focusing on the sounds and visuals also helps prevent overthinking and calms a racing mind.

• It promotes relaxation: Relaxation is a prerequisite to falling asleep. Since this is ASMR’s most common effect, it’s easy to see how it can benefit your sleep.

• It improves your mood: ASMR has even been proven to lift your mood, which is a great sleep aid, especially for those who suffer from depression.⁽⁴⁾

• It provides pain relief: ASMR has also been shown to provide temporary pain relief, which can ensure a more peaceful night.⁽⁵⁾ This can be especially helpful for those whose chronic pain is impacting their sleep quality.

Other Benefits of ASMR

Other than helping you fall asleep faster, ASMR reportedly has other benefits.

People who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) report that watching ASMR videos helps them relax and calms their mind. There are numerous YouTube videos dedicated specifically to watchers who have short attention spans. There is yet no scientific research to back up these experiences.

Some people also report that background ASMR stimuli help them study or work. While there is yet again no scientific evidence to prove these claims, we can assume that ASMR functions like a soothing background noise that boosts concentration.

We can argue that ASMR triggers can be used in any situation when you need to feel more relaxed or calm, be it anxiety, sleeplessness or a lack of focus.

How to Use ASMR to Sleep Better

Ready to try some ASMR before bed? Here is how you can create a soothing bedtime routine:

• Find your triggers: Some sounds will be more tingly and relaxing than others. Try listening to a variety of ASMRtists and discover which triggers work best for which purpose. I’ve recommended some in the next section.

• Make it cozy: Ensure your bedroom environment is calming. Get rid of any clutter from your bedside table, choose soft bedding and a great pair of pajamas.

• Don’t look at a screen in bed: Ideally, you will limit your exposure to blue light before bed. However, since a lot of ASMR is visual, you might struggle with this advice. Personally, I like to watch ASMR no later than about an hour before bed. I then go through my evening routine (brushing teeth, skincare, journaling) and put some more ASMR on in the background via Spotify when I get into bed.

• Find the right gadgets: In order to eliminate your phone from the equation and avoid too much screen time, try the NEW Manta SOUND Mask. It will not only play your favorite triggers, it will also block out all light and help you drift off smoothly. You can use it to play different types of colored noise, if you find ASMR too stimulating on some nights.

ASMR Triggers and Artists to Try

Here are some of the most popular ASMR triggers you can try. There are plenty of more niche ones as well (like giving haircuts to rocks), which you will encounter as you penetrate deeper into trigger territory.

• Talking triggers: whispering, softly speaking, rambling or overexplaining

• Personal attention triggers: like hair brushing, giving you a massage or applying makeup

• Old school audio triggers: like tapping, crunching, crinkling and typing

• Mouth sounds: like chewing or spit painting

• Hand sounds: like finger flutters or pull and snaps

• Visual triggers: like hand movements and reiki-inspired ASMR

• Roleplays: like cranial nerve exams (by far one of the most popular triggers), or more niche ones like vampire fang cleaning

• Fast and aggressive ASMR, where the sounds are faster and more intense

• Background ASMR, meant to serve as background noise for studying or working

Most videos will contain numerous different ASMR triggers. The ASMRtist will often list them in the video description, making it easier to find the triggers you want.

If you want to give ASMR a try, here are some of my all-time favorite ASMRtists. Hopefully you enjoy some of their amazing work on YouTube.

• Gibi ASMR: probably the biggest ASMR channel on YouTube and absolutely one of the best. Gibi has an amazing personality and does all kinds of triggers. Her sound quality is incredible.

• Jocie ASMR: the best destination for unique roleplays and a slow, soothing pace of sounds. Jocie is also one of the kindest hearts you’ll encounter in the community.

• ASMR Bakery: a great channel for high-quality crisp sounds. Her tapping is amazing, and she does a lot of very unique sounds.

• Goodnight Moon: if you are looking for a soothing voice to guide you to sleep, Erin is your ASMRtist.

• Luna Bloom ASMR: Luna does amazing roleplays, sound assortments and is incredibly funny. Following her instructions will definitely get you to sleep.

• FruityPatchouli ASMR: Liz is my personal favorite ASMRtist. Her presence is incredibly soothing, her triggers are wonderful, and there’s just something about her videos that is completely unique.

Conclusion

Consider trying ASMR to see if it helps you sleep. Create a playlist full of soothing sounds that help you drift off or experiment with some visual triggers.