Are you one of the many people who love ASMR? Do you use it to fall asleep? Perhaps you watch your favorite ASMR video when you need to relax for a little bit. You’ll be glad to know there are many overlooked benefits ASMR may have – and little by little, science is showing us how ASMR works and how good it is!
We now know (or at least suspect) ASMR helps you fall asleep and relax; it may help you with insomnia, migraines, anxiety, and depression; it can help you focus whether you have to study or you suffer from ADHD; some people use ASMR when they feel lonely and others to help them alleviate chronic pain. ASMR is like a swiss knife, ready to help you whenever it can.
Do you want to know how ASMR can help you? Read below!
Table of Contents
Can ASMR help you sleep?
Yes, it definitely can! In fact, most people use ASMR to fall asleep. ASMR videos are usually centered around a calm, relaxed environment. Soothing sounds, whispering voices and slow movements are the bread and butter of ASMR, and there’s no wonder why it may help someone drift into their dreams.
ASMR videos do not make you sleepy out of sheer magic, there are scientific reasons behind its effects on you. Several studies claim ASMR produces physiological changes in the listener’s body. According to a 2018 study (1), ASMR videos can change your heart-rate frequency, reducing it to near sleep-like levels. The same study has also revealed changes occur in different parts of your brain when you listen to ASMR. In a second study (2), scientists surveyed different people and the results demonstrated the power of ASMR: a whopping 82% of the participants used ASMR to fall asleep. And more people use it to relax!
Can ASMR help you relax if you are stressed out?
Yes, it absolutely can! ASMR is primarily used for relaxation purposes. Most people use it to fall asleep as well, but others use it to unwind too. There’s nothing more relaxing than personal attention and a soft-spoken voice, both can be found in an ASMR video!
In a previous named study (2) almost all of the participants (98%) reported they watch ASMR videos to relax, and 70% watch ASMR videos when they are stressed out. There’s more than plenty of evidence to believe ASMR is a great tool to deal with stress. And most people could use ASMR during these stressful times.
Does ASMR help with insomnia?
ASMR may help you. According to an essay published in a book called “The Restless Compendium” (3), many people have found a great ally against insomnia in ASMR videos. Even though it is not conclusive evidence, it may not be counterintuitive to think ASMR can help you with sleep-related problems.
If science has slowly shown how much ASMR can help you when it comes to falling asleep, and many studies have shown how ASMR helps you relax, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to consider ASMR as a possible insomnia treatment. Little by little, the scientific community takes more interest in ASMR. We’ll probably get a definitive answer soon. While we wait for a peer-reviewed study, different news articles (4) can show us testimonies of people suffering from insomnia who find solace in ASMR.
Can ASMR help you study? Is ASMR good for high school and college students?
Many people believe ASMR is of great help when you have to sit down and study. In fact, several college students have reported having listened to ASMR during their study sessions and have had favorable exam results afterward. The trick is to listen to minimalistic ASMR with almost no voices.
Recently, several scientists have claimed ASMR is beneficial for students. An award-winning scientist, Dr. Franziska Apprich, from Queens University in Belfast, has published several studies regarding ASMR. One of these studies was a scientific paper (5) about the relationship between ASMR and education, which has shed some light regarding the use of ASMR as a studying aid. Her team found out students were more often than not completely stressed, unable to retain most of what they study. Within the control group, the participants who used ASMR felt calmer and more relaxed. Because of that, they could learn more. They also became more creative and responsive when it was time to take a test. As a result, the ASMR-loving students were better in their academic pursuits.
The bottom line is, you cannot study if you feel stressed. ASMR can help you get into a calmer mental state and become a better student.
Can ASMR aid you if you are suffering from migraines?
If you suffer from migraines, you may want to consider watching ASMR videos. Several people report they get a severe migraine whenever they feel stressed, and ASMR may help you calm down when such a terrible thing happens. Other people suffer from random migraines, and sleep may help them relax.
Even though there are no scientific studies that prove ASMR will help someone suffering from a migraine, you can imagine how ASMR videos can help someone in such a hurry. A migraine is a terrible headache that comes along with other symptoms like nausea and sensitivity to light. An ASMR video could be a great ally against such a terrible thing, as the soothing sounds and voices will help you relax, and eventually make you fall asleep. A Reddit thread (6) shows several users talking about how much ASMR helps them when they are suffering from a migraine. An article on the HuffPost (7) talks about the many benefits of ASMR; among them, the use of ASMR for migraine-related symptoms.
Can ASMR help people suffering from ADHD?
Some people believe ASMR helps them with their ADHD symptoms. It wouldn’t be hard to believe, especially if you take into account how much ASMR helps people who are stressed or unfocused. While it may not cure someone with ADHD, ASMR could help someone suffering from this pathology.
Keep in mind there is not much scientific evidence to support this claim. There are no peer-reviewed journals that talk about this topic so far. There are several ongoing studies, but none have published their results.
You can find several people online talking about how much ASMR helps them cope with their ADHD symptoms. People with ADHD report they feel their brain racing all the time, and they are unable to focus. ASMR may be able to at least help them wind down and let them focus a bit more than before. Other people have reported it does not help them at all, and sometimes it’s even counter-productive.
Is ASMR good for people with autism?
ASMR probably does help with autism cases, but it’s yet to be determined. There are a handful of studies that claim ASMR is good for behavioral issues, especially for people within the autistic spectrum – but each autism case is unique and should be treated single-handedly.
Even though ASMR is in no way standalone treatment for autism cases, a scientific paper published in 2019 (6) claims ASMR can be used as a therapeutic practice. The claim’s basis resides in the ability of ASMR to stimulate via sounds and images, provoking physiological stimuli in the listener. Even though more research is needed, ASMR may look like a good ally for autism cases.
Is ASMR good for anxiety?
It most definitely can be. Several ASMR videos are created for people suffering from anxiety. There are multiple content creators (also known as ASMRtists) who suffer from anxiety themselves. These people have found help in ASMR and have decided to return the favor by creating their own ASMR content.
A previously cited study (2) talks about how much ASMR helps those who suffer from anxiety. Nevertheless, merely 11% of the participants report watching ASMR for anxiety-related reasons. In contrast to such a low number, there are several reports done by people (8) (9) that talk about how much ASMR has helped them in their bouts against anxiety.
Keep in mind anxiety is a term both used for the day-to-day natural response to stress and a mental health issue. Even if ASMR may help you, always seek medical help if you feel you need it.
Does ASMR help with depression?
Yes, ASMR can help you if you are struggling with depression – but it isn’t a permanent solution. There are countless of ASMR videos created with depression in mind (in the very same way there are ASMR videos for anxiety) and you can make use of them to feel better.
A previously cited study (2) talks about how ASMR can temporarily relieve depression symptoms, among other things. There are countless personal testimonies (7) regarding how much ASMR can do to alleviate depression and its symptoms.
Remember, if you are struggling with depression, seek professional help. ASMR can help you during those dark times, but it is in no way a real replacement for medical treatment. If anything, ASMR should be used as complementary to a doctor’s treatment.
Can ASMR help you if you feel lonely?
Yes, it absolutely can! There’s an ASMR genre dedicated to helping people who are momentarily going through a lonely rough patch. If you are going through such a thing, it’s going to be all right. In the meantime, you can watch one of the many ASMR roleplay videos uploaded online.
There are more than enough videos for whatever you are going through. Do you miss your friends? Your significant other? Did you just break up with that special someone and need attention right now? There are plenty of ASMRtists who have content waiting for you! You can have a little personal moment through the screen and feel relaxed at the same time. That way, you can get ready for tomorrow.
There’s a scientific study (2) that poses an interesting hypothesis. ASMR may stimulate your brain in the same way someone else grooming you can. If that’s true, there may be a scientific reason behind the comfort someone may feel when they are watching an ASMR roleplay video.
Can ASMR help you with your addiction?
There are no scientific studies and little to no evidence to correlate ASMR with any sort of help towards addiction. You may find comfort in ASMR videos, and that could help you when you are struggling with addiction, but it’s more-likely-than-not a case-by-case basis.
There’s an interesting news article (10) that talks about how ASMR helps someone cope with his opioid addiction. Andy Keuter felt more at peace when he watched ASMR videos and that helped him crave opioids a little bit less.
Keep in mind ASMR is in no shape or form a replacement for real medical care. Always talk to a doctor when it comes to serious medical conditions.
Does ASMR have any physical benefits?
There are definitive physical benefits to ASMR. For one, it helps you sleep! We might not notice it, but several of ASMR benefits are related to your body’s wellbeing. A good night’s sleep, not being stressed out all the time, and many other things are key for your physical health.
Even if it might seem far-fetched to most people, some people find a little extra help in ASMR when they are in pain. It’s not hard to believe that ASMR – something that helps you relax and fall asleep – may help you soothe your pain.
Can ASMR lower blood pressure?
It probably does, but nobody knows for sure yet. Published research claims ASMR can lower your heart rate, and in consequence, you’d experience a lower blood pressure level. No studies have been done regarding ASMR and its direct connection with blood pressure yet.
As you know, scientists (2) have discovered ASMR lowers your heart-rate. The very same scientists behind that scientific paper have already stated the need for further research regarding ASMR and its physiological effects. Blood pressure levels and ASMR is one of the many interesting areas science has yet to investigate – one that scientists will definitely research soon.
Can ASMR alleviate pain symptoms?
According to several reports, ASMR can alleviate feelings of pain and even of chronic pain, at least momentarily. As in all things ASMR-related, more research is needed, but all things point out towards ASMR helping those who are in pain.
One of the studies already cited (2) discovered 42% of its participants use ASMR to help them with some sort of pain they suffer. Several other studies are starting to relate ASMR and its effect on the brain, it would come as no surprise if ASMR could help people who are in pain.
Does ASMR stimulate hair growth?
There’s nothing that indicates that ASMR stimulates hair growth. Certain practices that trigger ASMR personally (e.g., scalp massages) will probably stimulate hair growth. But ASMR sounds may help prevent hair loss.
As you know, there’s no research done regarding ASMR and possible hair growth stimulation. But if you take into account ASMR reduces stress (one of the many reasons for hair loss), ASMR may prove useful when it comes to hair-losing scenarios. If high-stress levels are making your hair fall out, ASMR may help you with that! Can ASMR improve hearing?
Unfortunately, there is no evidence or claims that link ASMR and an improvement in hearing. But not all hope is lost, ASMR-related research is only beginning and there might be good news in the future!
If you have hearing loss, you may experience problems with ASMR audio. ASMR is highly dependent on sound – even though it’s soft, low-volume sound. A great alternative for people experiencing hearing loss is to rely on tapping ASMR, as vibrations can be easily felt in headphones and that may trigger your ASMR.
Are ASMR benefits real? Is ASMR a placebo?
ASMR benefits are most definitely real. Throughout this article, multiple peer-reviewed journals, surveys, and anecdotical evidence were used to compile the information about ASMR and its benefits.
There’s a caveat to all of this information: not everyone can enjoy the many benefits ASMR can give. It’s completely unfair, but for some reason not yet known, only a select few can benefit from (and experience) ASMR. And even those who can enjoy ASMR can only do so with certain ASMR triggers while they get nothing from others. Now that you know the incredible benefits ASMR has and you know it’s worth your while. It’s time to see which triggers can help you!
The science and evidence behind ASMR benefits:
1 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0196645
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6209833/
4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK453209/
5 http://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-jrme/papers/Vol-6%20Issue-5/Version-2/M060502113118.pdf
6 https://juniperpublishers.com/pbsij/pdf/PBSIJ.MS.ID.555859.pdf
7 https://www.reddit.com/r/asmr/comments/37wjpd/migraines_is_there_a_link_between_asmr_and/
8 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/asmr-mental-health_n_5bb38283e4b0d1ebe0e51e38
9 https://www.romper.com/p/can-asmr-help-with-anxiety-heres-how-experts-say-it-works-11460724
10 https://www.bustle.com/articles/164624-how-asmr-videos-help-me-cope-with-my-anxiety
11 https://www.newschannel5.com/news/asmr-videos-helping-local-man-with-recovery-from-opioid-addiction