Two reasons some people watch lots of ASMR videos is to help them with sleep problems and/or depression.

And although this may be helpful to some who have these problems, the cause of their sleep problems and depression may still need to be diagnosed so the underlying disorder can be best treated.

Recent research in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine demonstrated that sleep problems and depression are both common symptoms in people with sleep apnea.

So what is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which an individual has long pauses of not breathing while sleeping.  This compromises the amount of sleep, the quality of sleep, and the delivery of oxygen during sleep.

The poor sleep results in excessive daytime sleepiness which further causes problems in most aspects of their daily activities.  The altered oxygen delivery during sleep causes further problems with their blood pressure and heart health.

Unfortunately, the recent research I mentioned earlier confirms another significant problem for people with sleep apnea; depression.

The good news is that the research also demonstrated that the main, current treatment for sleep apnea was very helpful at treating the depression.

What is the main, current treatment for sleep apnea?

It is a mechanical device referred to as a CPAP machine.  CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.  It is like a mini-ventilator which connects to a face mask to help people with sleep apnea breath better while they sleep.

Most people with CPAP machines love them because they are finally able to get a good night’s rest and feel normal the next day.

So if you are someone using ASMR to get better sleep and/or to lift your mood, perhaps the underlying problem could be sleep apnea.  Discuss this possibility with your clinician, and also be open to other possible causes your clinician may identify which may be affecting your sleep and mood.

Are you now wondering the same thing I am?

Could viewing ASMR videos or listening to ASMR audio while falling asleep with a CPAP machine result in more sleep and less depression for sleep apnea patients than using a CPAP machine alone?

I don’t know but that would be a great research project for a clinical scientist.

Click HERE to learn more about the recent research on sleep apnea and depression.

Click HERE to learn more about sleep apnea.

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