What is the ASMR?
The noise of the hair dryer, an airplane taking off, the gentle ticking of the rain ... Who doesn't have a series of sounds, noises, scratches, rustles or low tones that are familiar to him, that when they are produced induce a feeling of relaxation and do they feel good?
Someone has made them become a real practice of relaxation, with lots of online videos, whispers (there is even the whisper of Genesis in Latin) and reproductions of "harmonies" that tickle the organism.
It is called ASMR and is the acronym of "Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response" which corresponds to the Italian "Autonomous Response of the Sensory Meridian or Response of the Autonomous Sensory Meridian", a neologism invented in 2010 by the American Jennifer Allen, also founder of the homonymous group on Facebook " Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response Group ", which has more than 18 thousand members.
Let's try to understand what it is.
How does it work?
It is, we can say briefly, a practice of relaxation that for a year or so has been spreading more and more on the web and consists of a series of sounds, noises, whispers recorded in videos that they would give to those who listen, a feeling of profound well-being.
The mechanism would act on a physical level, causing a succession of tingling and shuddering pleasure - hence the use of the word "orgasm" - which starts from the head and scalp, descending to the nape, shoulders, back, up to the knees and at the feet.
The physical and mental relaxation that follows would then be followed by a slight drowsiness and a feeling of rebirth from the stress in which we often find ourselves immersed.
To trigger the impulse, or trigger, would be a series of familiar tones, made of rustling, the noise of the brush in the hair, the wood that resonates under the nails that tap lightly, the mine of the pencil that runs on the sheet, the wind among the leaves, the sound of crumpled wrapping paper, a barely whispered voice, often feminine, calm and calm, and others.
As highlighted in various dedicated sites, this experience can also arise in situations where someone pays close attention to the person, as in the case of the hairdresser who cuts the fringe, the eye doctor who visits observing the depths of the iris, the doctor or someone who listens empathically.
Yoga nidra is one of the best techniques to relax
A pleasure to filter
Like Proust with the madeleine (in this case not the touch or the hearing, but the sense of taste and the sense of smell were involved!), So the noise and the sight of the domino cubes falling one after the other can unleash a feeling of well-being in us, but be careful, this is not the case for everyone.
As several researchers who have dealt with ASMR affirm, in this " pleasure activation " process, wellness hormones such as dopamine and serotonin could be involved; other experts, as neuroscientist Steven Novella writes in his blog The Ness, call for attention: "nowadays human communication capacity has increased to such an extent that people who have what they think are unique experiences can find others and share them, to the point of bringing the phenomenon to general awareness, giving it a name and a telematic imprint.
"Clearly - explains Novella - such phenomena are not always real, sometimes a real internet model emerges, but at other times they are illusory schemes or misidentification, the cultural equivalent of pareidolia".
Ultimately, as he wrote, ASMRs are most likely true, but they have different neurological causes for each person . What leads someone to relax and enjoy, others could trigger crises or convulsions or unpleasant responses.
Some practical reference
The search for the orgasm of the brain seems to be on the rise, so much so that videos on u tube go crazy (they are almost 2 million!) And Italian voices are often sought to record videos that accompany relaxation.
But, between those who go in search of sounds, a new Philip Winter in Lisbon Story, and those who prefer silence, there are those who claim that ASMR seems to recreate the state within the womb, a condition that we unconsciously tend to seek For all life.
From this, Ilse, a young Dutch woman who created the website The water whispers and the respective u tube channel followed by thousands of people, where she can find whispers, ideas, share experiences of ASMR, was certainly inspired. Also in Italy it is spreading and groups and sites are emerging in this regard, such as ASMR Italian Community and Asmr Italia that even informs about the presence of ASMR app to always take with you!
