With back-to-school "season" in tow, mounting stress is inevitable, even for those who aren't necessarily in school anymore. The schedule that arises in tandem the education system brings with it the rush hour equivalent part of the year. The joy that comes from "stacks on stacks" is surely absent when we're talking homework, office-work or business agendas. Workaholic (or procrastination) stress, the seemingly insurmountable problem-child of the 21st Century, is ready to pounce.
Luckily for us, the Internet has mailed a care-package in the form of strange Youtube videos. Welcome to the world of autonomous sensory meridian response, or ASMR for short. ASMR triggers are certain sounds or stimuli that give you "the tingles," or in other words, any static-like sensation on the skin that typically begins on the scalp and then moves down the back, the neck and upper spine. ASMR therapy is said to result in relaxation and feelings of euphoria
Currently, the tingly phenomenon lacks a scientific or biological basis. Some speculate that ASMR triggers engage networks of the brain that play a role in our behaviors when we interact carefully and thoughtfully with our environments or other people. ASMR could also simply be a way to activate the pleasure response of our neural systems. Vertebrate brains are particularly hardwired for positive and negative behavioral feedback, and positive feedback responses noted by ASMR users can even lead to quite a bit of addiction. Overall, though, ASMR has remained a mystery.
ASMR videos come in a variety of different styles, with successful content creators garnering more than 200,000 views per Youtube video and a following of 100,000 to 200,000 people on average. Here are five different varieties to check out. Keep in mind that this "therapy" doesn't work on everyone.
1. Whispering
2. Mixing paint
3. Chewing food
Warning: This video contains chewing sounds. Watch at your own risk.
4. Scratching and tapping
5. Page turning
So are you one of the lucky individuals with the "ability" to experience the relaxing effects of ASMR? If so, happy schooling! And if not, there's always the option of weeping quietly during the late hours of the night in the dimly lit corner of your bedroom while attempting to finish that AP Chemistry problem set.
