ASMR, otherwise known as Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, is loved and listened to by many people around the world.
However, can ASMR be bad for you? What are the effects of ASMR?
ASMR is not bad or harmful for people to watch or listen to. ASMR promotes oxytocin and helps relax those listening. The tingles and pleasant feelings that people feel when listening to ASMR calm them. ASMR helps soothe feelings of anxiety and depression and reduce the effects of insomnia.
The effects of ASMR are extremely interesting. Although most people find ASMR relaxing, some find it irritating. More information about ASMR and its effects is below.
Can ASMR Be Harmful or Dangerous?
ASMR is not harmful or dangerous. It is actually extremely helpful to many people who have feelings of anxiety or depression.
However, you can damage your hearing if you listen to ASMR with the volume extremely high, but most ASMR sounds are soft and the damage to your hearing can be done if you listen to music at a high volume.
To avoid damage to your eardrums and hearing capabilities, keep the volume low when you are listening to music and ASMR.
Is it Bad to Fall Asleep to ASMR?
If you fall asleep while listening to ASMR, it is not bad and you will not be harmed.
Many people use ASMR to help them sleep and reduce the effects of insomnia. If you decide to use ASMR to help you sleep, listen to rather than watch ASMR. There are many ASMR tracks on your favorite music streaming app.
Although many listen to ASMR while sleeping through a speaker or stereo set at a low volume, some use headphones instead.
If you use headphones to listen to ASMR while you sleep, clean them regularly.
Earwax and bacteria can build up quickly, especially when you use headphones for 6-10 hours every night. The bacteria can cause an ear infection, and that is the last thing you want to happen.
Don’t use normal headphones or earbuds while sleeping, as you will become extremely uncomfortable when you wake up. Instead, use a stereo, speaker, or sleep headphones.
Sleep headphones are flat on the outside and are built to not protrude out of your ear, which is not the case for normal Bluetooth earbuds. If you wear sleep headphones while listening to ASMR, you can lay on your side, stomach, or back comfortably and keep your normal sleep position.
- According to many ASMR listeners, ASMR can help promote sleepiness and reduce the effects of insomnia.
However, no formal studies have been done to test the effects of ASMR on sleep patterns. It does, however, promote dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin, which can promote a feeling of calm and help people fall asleep and stay asleep.
Most people who listen to ASMR use it to help them relax and fall asleep. Most only listen to ASMR before they go to bed or as they are laying in bed. They choose not to listen to it before noon or when they are going about their day.
Is ASMR Bad for Your Brain?
ASMR is not bad for your brain. It is actually extremely good for your brain and helps it produce hormones like dopamine and oxytocin.
Listening to ASMR regularly increases activity in certain areas of the brain, including the areas that affect emotions, rewards, emotional arousal, and empathy. That is one of the reasons why people feel tingles across their skin or in their brains while listening to ASMR.
ASMR helps stimulate your brain in ways that music can, but to a higher degree. If you don’t enjoy listening or watching ASMR, listen to music instead to stimulate your brain.
Check out this YouTube video test to see which areas of ASMR give you the best tingles.
What are the Side Effects of ASMR?
There are many side-effects of ASMR.
Most people feel relaxed and slightly sleepy while listening to ASMR, as well as tingles or chills across their skin or brain. The brain produces oxytocin, endorphins, and dopamine while you listen to ASMR.
However, if you have misophonia, you won’t enjoy listening to ASMR, and it will be uncomfortable to do so. Misophonia means you hate certain sounds like whistles, whispering, finger(nail) tapping, chewing, sniffling, crunching, and loud breathing.
All of these sounds are often heard while listening to ASMR.
Most of the time, ASMR reduces the effects of insomnia and feelings of anxiety or depression. However, if you don’t feel calmer while listening to ASMR and instead feel more anxious or irritated, you are not alone.
ASMR is just not for you, and you should find other things that calm you or help you sleep.
According to a study done by Alexsandra Kovacevich and David Huron at Ohio State University, ASMR often helps people do the following:
- Unwind
- Relax
- Get to sleep
- Feel comforted and cared for
- Experience less anxiety and pain
- Feel better when sick
- Feel better when upset
- Calm stress symptoms
Although ASMR can do all of this, it is not a replacement for medication that is prescribed by licensed doctors and therapists for depression and anxiety.
However, ASMR does help people cope with the feelings associated with the disorders and may reduce medication use or help you develop coping mechanisms.
- Don’t be scared of ASMR. It is not dangerous and will not harm those who listen to it.
In most cases, ASMR helps those who listen to it.
If you have insomnia or have trouble falling asleep, listen to ASMR before you go to bed or as you lay in bed. If you have anxiety or depression, listen to ASMR to help you relax.
If you try ASMR and find the sounds grating or irritating, then it is not for you and you should find something else that will help you relax and fall asleep.
However, ASMR helps your brain produce chemicals that make you feel calm and happy, so it is extremely helpful to many. There is a reason why it has increased in popularity in the last 10 years.