It's International ASMR Day! You're probably asking yourself "What the heck is ASMR?"
ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, which describes a tingling sensation on the scalp and nape of the neck one feels when triggered by specific acoustic or visual stimuli.
In 2013, Sudbury.com New Media Reporter Heather Green-Oliver wrote an article about how she uses ASMR as a relaxation tool to manage stress and anxiety.
Some people may get goosebumps or "the tingles" when someone whispers in their ear, others may be triggered by watching somebody attentively execute a mundane task like folding paper.
There are thousands of ASMR videos on YouTube.
The YouTube channel Gibi ASMR, for instance has more than 800,000 subscribers. Gibi's videos include attentive care like nail painting or hair brushing. But other channels, like ASMR Surge, specialize in satisfying videos like Zen garden raking. Some of Hollywood's biggest stars, like actress Eva Longoria, are even trying their hand at ASMR in videos by W magazine.
Although there are thousands of YouTube channels dedicated to stimulate the brain tingles, it is believed that painter and television host Bob Ross was the original ASMRtist, with his soft voice and the sound the brush makes against the canvas.
Not everyone experiences the calming effects of ASMR, and those who do are triggered by different sounds or visuals, so Sudbury.com decided to put its staff to the test.
Check out the video below to see who felt their brain tingle while watching ASMR videos and who was creeped out by the experience. Wear your headphones for the full ASMR experience.
