Hidden on YouTube among the videos of aspiring singers crooning Justin Bieber and amateur gamers playing FortNite is a star unlike the others. Her name is Spirit Payton, and her claim to fame is making noise. In her most popular video, with upwards of 13 million views, you’ll find her noisily chewing pickles next to a microphone. Yes, 13 million people have watched Spirit eat pickles—and they love it. Welcome to ASMR.
If you’re not one of Payton’s 443,000 subscribers, then you’re probably currently asking yourself something along the lines of, “Why the heck do people want to watch someone eat a pickle?” The answer, quite simply, is ASMR: or autonomous sensory meridian response. This term is used to describe the sensation, normally a tingling, that people get in response to an auditory or visual cue (like someone eating a pickle). It’s been described as a type of auditory-tactile synesthesia, and it can be triggered by everything from whispering to the crinkling of wrapping paper. The term was coined in 2010 by Jennifer Allen, the founder of the first Facebook group for people who experience the phenomenon, and it has been referred to as ASMR ever since.
Because this phenomenon was only recently given a name, the science backing it up is virtually nonexistent. Of the minimal research, one study published in PeerJ found that ASMR results in “temporary improvements in symptoms of depression and chronic pain,” while another study published in the International Journal of School & Educational Psychology determined that the phenomenon can soothe stress and help insomniacs. Basically, ASMR makes people happy and healthy.
It’s hard to know precisely how many people have ASMR, but it can be said with certainly that the phenomenon is big, given that some of YouTube’s biggest ASMR stars have videos will millions of views each, and one in particular—Maria, of Gentle Whipsering ASMR—was even able to quit her job to do ASMR full-time.
So how do you know if you have ASMR? There’s no single way to tell for sure, but for starters, you can watch some of the internet’s most popular videos and determine whether they elicit a tingling response. And for your convenience, we’ve compiled some of the best ASMR videos that YouTube has to offer—so get those goose bumps ready, and while you’re at it, try these brain teasers to find out whether you’re smarter than an astronaut.
1. Triggers to Help You Sleep, by ASMR Darling
Views: 26 million
ASMR Darling combines popular triggers like whispering, pouring water, and playing with tape to create the ultimate lullaby sans lyrics.
2. Sleep-Inducing Haircut, by Gentle Whispering ASMR
Views: 6 million
Many people turn to ASMR videos to fall asleep. On this video, one user commented: “One minute into the video [and] my eyes are closing.” And for more traditional ways to drift off, try these 11 Doctor-Approved Secrets for Falling Asleep Faster—Tonight.
3. Raw Honeycomb Eating Sounds, by SAS-ASMR
Views: 9.9 million
With the close-up microphone, viewers get to experience the full trifecta: whispering, eating, and the sound of swallows. But if you’d rather swallow something yourself, check out these 9 Restaurants in America That Serve Real Kobe Beef.
4. ASMR Back Tracing, by WhispersRed ASMR
Views: 1 million
YouTube star WhispersRed uses everything from makeup brushes to Q-tips to create aural and visual bliss. And in addition to watching ASMR videos, you can also use these 75 Genius Tricks to Get Instantly Happy.
5. Celebrities Do ASMR, by W Magazine
Views: 760,000
If you want to watch Salma Hayek eat tostadas or Lucy Hale stabbing a pumpkin, you can always tune in to W Magazine‘s ASMR interview series. And in other weird celebrity news, don’t miss the 50 Crazy Celebrity Facts You Won’t Believe Are True.
6. Soap Carving, by 10-Minutes Amazing Life
Views: 116,000
Visual ASMR fans will take particular pleasure in this hour-long compilation of soap carving.
7. Dreamy Scalp Massage, by ASMR Darling
Views: 2.8 million
A popular phenomenon in ASMR is a type of roleplaying in which the video creator treats the camera like the viewer. But if real massages are more your style, use these 4 Secrets for Giving Her a Mind-blowing Massage.
8. Pickle Eating Sounds, by ASMRTheChew
Views: 13.9 million
Yes. Almost 14 million people have watched a woman eat pickles.
9. Ramen Noodles Eating Sounds, by ASMRTheChew
Views: 1.5 million
And another 1.5 million have watched that same woman eat a giant bowl of noodles.
10. Slime ASMR Videos, by The Best Satisfying
Views: 2.2 million
The strange texture and consistency of slime makes it perfect for visually stimulating YouTube videos.
11. Ear Cleaning, by Rapunzel ASMR
Views: 1 million
“The most popular roleplay requests are the ones that involve a lot of what I call ‘personal attention,'” ASMR YouTube personality Ally Maque told Motherboard. “An example of that would be, if you go to an eye doctor, for instance, [where] they’re going to be very close to you.”
12. Face Touching and Hand Movements, by Gibi ASMR
Views: 531,000
ASMR videos by no means have to be complicated. In this video, for instance, one YouTuber simply uses her hands and face to create that tingling sensation.
13. Kissing and Mouth Sounds, by Pelagea ASMR
Views: 12.8 million
ASMR is by no means sexual. However, that doesn’t mean that the community can’t enjoy the sound that kissing makes. And get your own lips ready to learn The One Thing Everyone Can Do to Be a Better Kisser.
14. Food Slime ASMR, by Satisfying Slime ASMR
Views: 1.8 million
If you’ve ever had the desire to watch slime get poked by a pair of chopsticks, then this is the video for you.
15. Reading DMs, by Jeffree Star
Views: 4.4 million
Even YouTube stars outside of the ASMR community have cashed in on the trend. Makeup guru Jeffree Star, for instance, recently published a video in which he reads his boyfriend’s direct messages (or DMs) in a soft whisper.
16. Head and Ear Massage, by ASMR Barber
Views: 830,000
While some people fall asleep after a good massage, others drift off simply after watching someone else get one.
17. Traditional Italian Barber, by ASMR Barber
Views: 849,000
If you prefer shaving in person versus watching someone else do it online, then don’t miss the deals on these Must-Have Grooming Products.
18. Gaming Store Roleplay, by Gibi ASMR
Views: 4.4 million
“You just got that SWEET birthday money and you want to blow it all at a gaming store? I can help with that,” the description for this video reads.
19. Marble Run, by Jelle’s Marble Runs
Views: 1.5 million
ASMR or otherwise, this maze featuring more than 100,000 marbles is pretty mesmerizing.
20. IKEA ASMR, by IKEA USA
Views: 2 million
Some smart brands, like IKEA, have started to utilize the soothing effects of ASMR in their advertising efforts.
21. Bob Ross’ The Grandeur of Summer, by Bob Ross
Views: 6 million
Many consider painter Bob Ross to be the father of this soothing phenomenon.
22. Water Beads, by ASMR PPOMO
Views: 1 million
Gel beads are a win-win for the ASMR community, as they’re visually pleasing and create a soothing whooshing sound that one user described as “heaven.”
23. No Talking, Just Sounds, by MassageASMR
Views: 17.6 million
Welcome to the ultimate ASMR experience: Ten hours of tapping, crinkling, scratching, and brushing like you’ve never seen before.
24. Slow, Deep Breathing, by JellybeanASMR
Views: 7.6 million
Let Jellybean‘s deep breathing take you away to dreamland.
25. Treating Your Migraine Roleplay, by Cutebunny992
Views: 3.4 million
Suffering from a headache that won’t go away? Let this roleplaying video take care of that (or at least, let it put you to sleep so you won’t feel your pain anymore).
26. Neck and Back Cracking, by ASMR Barber
Views: 856,000
And on the opposite side of the spectrum from ASMR people, This Is What It’s Like to Be Allergic to Sounds.
27. Gentle Eating, by Gentle Whispering ASMR
Views: 700,000
This YouTuber combines soft chewing and whispering in this video that pleases all the senses (and might make your mouth water).
28. Fancy Letters, by ASMRSurge
Views: 3.5 million
Though his handwriting is admittedly not the greatest, ASMRSurge‘s calligraphy video is satisfying nonetheless, what with its swift motions and flawless ink quality.
29. Zen Garden, by ASMRSurge
Views: 2.6 million
There’s a reason they’re called zen gardens, after all.
30. Dental Visit Roleplay, by Fairy Char
Views: 2.8 million
Evidently, even something terrifying like going to the dentist can be turned into an ASMR video.
31. Aloe Vera Challenge, by SAS-ASMR
Views: 9.7 million
“I used to hate the sound of people chewing but your channel has cured it,” one user wrote on this video of YouTuber SAS-ASMR eating an aloe vera plant. Her verdict? “It’s not good!”
32. Ear Licking, by FrivolousFox
Views: 3.9 million
People in the ASMR community can’t resist the sweet sound of a tongue against the earlobe.
33. Poking ASMR, by Dana ASMR
Views: 3.4 million
In this video, User Dana ASMR plays with slimes of all shapes and sizes—even ones shaped like a Starbucks Frappuccino.
34. Eating Chalk, by Rappeler
Views: 3.4 million
This is the opposite of nails on a chalkboard in the world of ASMR.
35. Dogs Eating Popcorn, by Jenna Marbles
Views: 2.8 million
Famous YouTuber Jenna Marbles got into the ASMR spirit when she threw a bunch of popcorn on the bed and let her dogs go wild.
36. Magnetic Zen Garden, by ASMR Darling
Views: 1.2 million
Everyone should have one of these at their desks to stay calm.
37. Chopping Tomatoes, by Wryfield Lab
Views: 800,000
Or rather, watching a chopped tomato be turned back into a whole tomato with the rewind feature.
38. Bag Folding Tutorial, by Gentle Whispering ASMR
Views: 455,000
Because sometimes these videos are relaxing and useful!
39. Studying, by ThePhDExtreme
Views: 200,000
This video is simply a still camera recording the noises in a classroom, and yet hundreds of thousands of people find comfort in its simplicity. Are you one of them?
40. French Press Tingles, by Karuna Satori
Views: 80,000
With little more than a french press, Karuna Satori manages to create yet another aural experience.
41. Water Spritzing, by ASMRMagic
View: 4 million
The sound of raindrops falling is soothing, but getting wet? Not so much. Luckily, you can experience all of the best parts of a rainstorm with this video, courtesy of ASMRMagic.
42. Taps For Naps, by Gentle Whispering ASMR
Views: 5.5 million
Trouble falling asleep? Let these tapping sounds help you pass out. (And if that doesn’t worry, you can always try these 17 Sleep Products People Swear By.)
43. Cranial Nerve Exam, by Gibi ASMR
Views: 5.7 million
Taking any actual medical advice from this video is not suggested.
44. Box Fan, by yogaduke
Views: 6.3 million
Behold: Eight hours of a fan running.
45. Chewing Gum, by Lily Whispers
Views: 710,000
Many people can’t stand the sound of someone chewing gum, but it’s revered in the ASMR community.
46. Palm and Hand Massage, by CAM ASMR
Views: 970,000
Lucky people who experience that tingling sensation might watch this video and feel relief in their own palms.
47. Cleaning, by leoasmr
Views: 300,000
ASMR or not, watching this video beats actually cleaning.
48. Hair Dryer, by Milleaccendini
Views: 17.7 million
Though much louder and more aggressive than most ASMR videos, this video of a hairdryer running for hours is quite popular.
49. Magazine Reading, by Soft ASMR
Views: 112,000
Sit back, relax, and enjoy as Soft ASMR whispers the articles from an issue of Cosmopolitan.
50. Trigger Test, by Karuna Satori
Views: 1.7 million
Still unsure whether you experience ASMR? This trigger test should tell you once and for all.
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