[Science of ASMR]

ASMR, deep sleep, and GABA

/ Dr. Richard / Leave a comment

I wrote a recent post about the potential involvement of the neurotransmitter GABA in ASMR.

Well, some scientists have recently published a study which has determined that GABA is responsible for deep sleep.

This means that if ASMR does raise GABA levels, then this neurotransmitter may help to explain how ASMR helps individuals to fall asleep and/or attain a deeper, more satisfying sleep.

The study was published in Nature Neuroscience, which validates the quality and importance of the research.

It is not a real surprise that GABA is involved in sleep.  It has been known for a while that GABA is very good at getting neurons to quiet down.

So what did this study specifically determine?

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ASMR, hypnosis and oxytocin.

/ Dr. Richard / 1 Comment

ASMR and hypnosis have a lot of similarities.

The process for both can involve eye gazing, soft and almost monotonous vocal tones, methodical sounds, significant trust, and rhythmic movements of hands or objects.

The outcome for both involves being relaxed.  ASMR is a lower level state of relaxation and hypnosis is a deeper state of relaxation.

The person inducing the relaxation in both situations is often a real or simulated expert, giving focused one-on-one attention, with a trustworthy disposition and a non-threatening nature.

Overall, it would seem likely that anything known about the biology of hypnosis may be relevant to the biology of ASMR.

So what is known about the biology of hypnosis?

A recently published article highlights one molecule that is probably involved in hypnosis, and it is a molecule that I have also theorized is central to ASMR (see my Origin Theory of ASMR for full details).

The title of the article reveals the molecule, “Hypnosis, attachment, and oxytocin”.

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The potential involvement of GABA in ASMR

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It has been widely reported that many individuals find ASMR helpful to reducing their anxiety, insomnia, and depression.

If there was one neurotransmitter that was known to reduce all three of these disorders then it might be appropriate to theorize the involvement of that neurotransmitter in ASMR.

Well, the neurotransmitter gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) may be a terrific candidate.

GABA is a neurotransmitter that is widely released throughout the brain.  It is well understood to have an inhibitory effect on most neurons.  Another way to view this is that GABA tends to calm, comfort, and soothe other neurons.

Is GABA involved in treating anxiety disorders?  Yes.  Drugs like Xanax and Valium are benzodiazepines which are anti-anxiety medications.  These kind of drugs reduce anxiety by enhancing the effect of the patient’s natural amounts of GABA.

Is GABA involved in treating sleep disorders?  Yes.  Benzodiazepines are also widely used to treat insomnia and other sleep disorders.

So are benzodiazepines widely used for depression?  No.  The most common type of medication used to treat depression are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs).  These drugs increase the amount of the patient’s natural amount of serotonin.

So GABA has not been viewed strongly as being involved in the therapeutic role of SSRIs for depression.

But a recent research publication in the journal Science challenges that view.

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ASMR and falling asleep

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Many individuals report that ASMR is helpful to falling asleep.  So let’s discuss what makes it so hard to fall asleep, and how a new research finding adds a new perspective.

The first major reason can be summarized as “internal stimuli”.  Your brain is receiving stimulatory signals due to things happening inside your body.  This may include stressful thoughts due to reflecting on the day’s events, signals of physical pain due to an injury or chronic disorder, or altered chemical balances due to ingestion or exposure to medications, drugs, diet, or toxins earlier in the day.

The second major reason can be summarized as “external stimuli”.  Your brain is receiving stimulatory signals due to things happening outside your body.  This may include high or low temperatures, strange or threatening smells,  physical stimulation of an uncomfortable mattress or a bug bite, or noises coming from inside or outside your immediate sleeping environment.

This last reason, noises, may be the most common type of external stimuli which inhibit us from easily falling asleep.

A new study published in a top science journal, offers an additional explanation of why this is, and may  also indicate another reason why ASMR may be so helpful to falling asleep.

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Can ASMR help you to lose weight?

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Residents of many developed countries are having increased problems with not getting enough sleep and gaining too many pounds.

Many individuals that experience ASMR would quickly point out that ASMR helps them to fall asleep – which may be resulting in increased sleep for these individuals.

If increased sleep resulted in increased weight loss then that would be a lovely ‘two-for’ eh?

Well, some scientists believe there may be a solid connection between those two.

A recent article in USA today discussed this topic and highlighted some current science and theories that decreased sleep may be a cause of increased weight gain.  And therefore more sleep may result in more weight loss and/or less weight gain.

Sleep the pounds away?  Too good to be true? Continue reading →

A scientist’s view of the term “Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response”

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Jennifer Allen coined the term “Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response” in 2010.  Prior to this the head tingles that most people now call ASMR went by a variety of terms including brain orgasm, attention-induced head orgasm, attention-induced euphoria, that unnamed feeling, and of course, head tingles.

Is ASMR a better term than these prior terms?  Is ASMR the best term possible?  Could a better term be coined to describe this sensation?

I won’t hold my judgement until the end of this post.  I will tell you right now.

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ASMR and research: a current state of affairs.

/ Dr. Richard / 1 Comment

Is research being done on ASMR?

Yes, but most reports seem to be anecdotal and/or are reports of individuals intending to do research.

I have tried to flush out some researchers currently doing research on ASMR but have failed so far to connect with anyone.

This does not mean there are not any researchers.

It mostly means there are very few scientists doing research on ASMR, and more importantly, it means that I need to try a lot harder.

Has anyone completed research on ASMR?

I know of at least one example.

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Hand movements in ASMR videos could be helpful to learning new information

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversitySlow and methodical hand movements are common to many ASMR videos.

The hands may be tapping on something, demonstrating something, unboxing something, or just gliding rhythmically in the air.

And those videos can be soooo captivating.  Why is that?

Is it the tapping?  Is it the demonstration?  Is it the item being unboxed?

Well, new research suggests that perhaps it is the hands that are grabbing your attention.

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Could ASMR keep your brain “young”?

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityYes, watching one ASMR video can immediately make your brain 15 years younger.

     Really?!

No.  Sorry to disappoint you.

That is not disappointing at all to someone who is 15 years old, who wants to go back to drooling and diapers?!

Good perspective.

Do you have any real science to report today or is this just the world’s most misleading post?

Yes, I do have some real science to report today that can be related to ASMR.

OK, let’s hear it.

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Is there a link between experiencing ASMR and Attention Deficit Disorder?

/ Dr. Richard / 4 Comments

ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityAttention Deficit Disorder, also known as ADD, is a diagnosis made by a clinician when someone’s lack of ability to focus on appropriate topics or tasks is causing dysfunction for that person’s job, health, relationships, education, or other important life goals.

What do you call a lack of ability to focus that has not been diagnosed by a clinician and/or does not result in major life dysfunctions?

Just, attention deficiency.  Or AD for short.

So…are people who experience ASMR more likely to have ADD or AD?

Yes and No.  Let me explain.

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