ASMR: an alternative way to relieve midterm stress
By Abigail Seelie
As the weeks of this school year continue to fly by, there are two major signs that fall is upon us: the changing of the leaves and the arrival of our dreaded midterms. Upon stepping on the year’s first crunchy leaf, one is filled with strange dichotomized feelings of pleasure that the coziest season is here and panic that the coming week will be filled with library binge sessions and stress eating.
Many will exhaust every remedy there is to curving such pressure: calming music, visits to the Relaxation Room, meditation, naps and comfort food, but there’s one option that many may not have tried yet — ASMR.
ASMR is a form of audio-therapy that uses high-powered microphones to pick up vivid, crystal-clear pleasant sounds. It can be anything from the heightened sounds of cooking (pouring, sizzling, mixing) to gentle whispering, to the sound of acrylic fingernails tapping on a hard surface.
The ASMR world may seem somewhat strange at face value, but don’t turn and run just yet. Depending on what triggers appeal to them, many ASMR listeners experience a tingly sensation that starts in the back of their head and moves down their spine, which is both euphoric and tremendously relaxing.
This phenomenon is described as an “autonomous sensory meridian response” — earning ASMR’s acronym namesake. Whether or not you are able to experience “the tingles” that ASMR can create, when you find the right trigger for you, it can open the doors to a completely unique audio experience aside from listening to music.
Some popular YouTube ASMR-tists include Gentle Whispering ASMR, ASMR Darling and Peaceful Cuisine, some of whom have over one million subscribers. So during the coming weeks of midterm stress, if you find yourself in need of an effective way to relax or fall asleep faster, instead of listening to that Lumineers album for the thousandth time, consider trying some ASMR. The results may surprise and calm you.
