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The best way to finally relax, melt stress and fight disease at the same time
Here’s a simple truth most of us take for granted… Relaxation is powerful medicine.
It can prevent mental health issues, counteract the physical damage caused by stress and reduce your risk of chronic disease.
But for it to work, you have to actually feel relaxed…
All too often, we try to relax and fail.
Like that time you tried meditating, but your lower back was killing you and you couldn’t stop thinking about the passive aggressive comment your mother-in-law made about you at breakfast.
Or that yoga class where the teacher turned the heat up too high and everyone around you was a super-human power yogi who didn’t break a sweat while you were creating a swimming pool for ants beneath you.
Unfortunately, those instances won’t have the medicinal effect you’re hoping for. Experiences like those also prove just how hard relaxing is. There are a million different things that can spoil your attempt at relaxation.
That’s why my motto is: You can never have too many relaxation approaches in your toolbox.
Related: 9 upper body stretches that relax and rejuvenate
Some days one approach will get you into that relaxed, and blissful place and the next day you’ll need to try something else.
Today, I’d like to share a tool I use to relax often: autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR).
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What the heck is autonomous sensory meridian response?
There’s a good chance you’ve heard of ASMR before. But in case you haven’t, autonomous sensory meridian response is a feeling of relaxation and well-being that’s accompanied by a pleasant tingling sensation in your head, spine and sometimes your limbs.
It’s triggered by certain sights and sounds. The triggers are different for everybody, but many people experience ASMR from things like whispering, tapping, and slow hand movements.
I remember experiencing ASMR as a child when someone would read to me in a quiet voice and calmly flip the pages of a book.
I also experienced it when my mom or friends would play with my hair. Of course, I didn’t know it was called ASMR at the time. I just knew these experiences made me feel relaxed.
A few years ago, I came across an article about videos people post on YouTube to trigger autonomous sensory meridian response. I watched one and I was hooked. Who doesn’t want to feel calm and tingly, after all?
Why you should try ASMR videos for relaxation
Now, the first time you watch an ASMR video, it may feel weird.
You’re watching a stranger pretending to brush your hair, read to you or tap on everyday objects. But if you can get past the fact that it’s a little bizarre, ASMR videos can seriously help you relax.
In fact, a 2018 study from the University of Sheffield found that people who experience autonomous sensory meridian response do reap relaxation benefits from watching ASMR videos.
Their heart rate slows down, and they have more positive emotions like relaxation and social connection. They also feel less stress and sadness.
If you’ve ever heard of the relaxation response, you know that ASMR is just triggering that.
The relaxation response is a term coined by Harvard Professor Dr. Herbert Benson in the 1970s when he noticed that relaxation lowered resting heart rate and blood pressure.
Dr. Benson’s studies in the 1960s and 70s showed that activities that trigger the relaxation response (like meditation) increase mental well-being and physical health by counteracting the negative effects of the flight or fight response.
In fact, harnessing the power of the relaxation response regularly is a great way to ward off stress-related health concerns like high blood pressure, gastrointestinal issues, hormonal imbalances, cardiovascular disease and more.
Triggering the relaxation response in general (and using ASMR to do so specifically) is also a great way to fight insomnia. I’ve used it for that purpose many times.
Can you experience ASMR? Try for yourself and see
There is something you should know about ASMR before you head to YouTube to check out a video…
Not everyone experiences autonomous sensory meridian response. And among those who do, not everyone experiences it the same way.
Some people can watch an ASMR video and not feel a thing. Others may feel incredibly relaxed but never get tingles in their head and spine. And some (like me) experience intense relaxation and tingling.
If you don’t feel anything when you watch your first ASMR video, you may be one of the unlucky few who doesn’t experience ASMR. But I’d recommend trying a few different videos before giving up. One video might not work for you, while others do. It’s a matter of trial and error.
To get you started on your ASMR journey, below is the first ASMR video I ever watched. Enjoy!
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By Jenny Smiechowski
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