Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response or ASMR is the technical term for what some call ‘brain orgasms’, or ‘head tingles’. It is the human experience characterized by a static-like or tingling sensation on the skin that typically begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine, precipitating relaxation.
According to Jennifer Allen, the one who coined the name ASMR on February 25, 2010, the name have the following specific meanings:
- Autonomous – spontaneous, self-governing, within or without control
- Sensory – pertaining to the senses or sensation
- Meridian – signifying a peak, climax, or point of highest development
- Response – referring to an experience triggered by something external or internal
Too Much YouTube Videos Trigger ASMR Immunity
A survey has found that many people now report that their sensations have diminished, reflecting a growing phenomenon known as ASMR immunity. According to Mail Online, more than 19,000 people from over 100 countries have so far responded to the survey led by a team of ASMR researchers, including ASMR University’s Craig Richard, a physiologist at Shenandoah University.
The initial findings largely suggest that viewers are building up a tolerance to the stimulus, with 40 percent of the respondents reporting that their experiences had, at some point, decreased or gone away, reported by New Scientist. 96 percent felt as though the ASMR feeling was associated with the head and brain, and 71 percent said it was felt in the area around the spinal cord.
“The sensations people describe are quite hard to describe, and that’s odd because people are usually quite good at describing the bodily sensation. So we wanted to know if everybody’s ASMR experience is the same, and of people tend to be triggered by the same sorts of things,” said Dr Nick Davis from Manchester Metropolitan University.
Many people turn to these videos to help them de-stress or fall asleep, with the most popular ASMR YouTuber ‘Gentle Whispering’ accruing more than 7000 000 views. But, overuse may cause desensitizing them to the effects. According to the researchers, there may be a simple solution to reverse the so-called ASMR ‘immunity’ and that is through a tolerance break. By taking a break from ASMR videos for just one or two weeks, many have said the sensations returned.
