What is ASMR? The controversial form of meditation that does more than just relax, focus

ORLANDO, Fla. – In a study conducted by the yoga alliance, 12% of American adults meditate. Some people use oils and herbal remedies or find a meditation leader on YouTube.

ASMR - or autonomous sensory meridian response - is a form of meditation that does more than just relax and focus.

It consists of people doing things as simple as whispering or folding clothes which sends a tingling sensation that starts at the scalp and moves through the spine.

A study by the University of Sheffield found that ASMR lowers your heart rate. The average person decreased around three beats per minute while watching videos.

According to the Sleep Help Institute, ASMR has also been linked to helping people with insomnia, anxiety, and overcoming stress.

The 21-year-old creator of ASMR, Taylor Darling, emphasizes the psychological benefits, although others focus on the sexual overtones.

According to Science Daily, there are over 13 million ASMR videos on YouTube. And on Spotify, there were 2.1 million streams a day for the past three months. 

Helping you sleep better and stay trending. If you would like to find out more information about ASMR and how it came about, you can go to ASMRuniversity.com.

There is also a new book called “Brain Tingles” by Dr. Craig Richard, who is an ASMR educator and researcher, which serves as a guide to how to perform ASMR for anyone from your child to your partner.

Contributor(s) to this news report include: Keon Broadnax, Producer; Jamison Koczan, Videographer and Editor.