Have you ever heard a whisper, running water or soft tapping, or watched someone slowly and carefully repeat the same task, and found yourself calming down without noticing? Some people feel a light tingle from the scalp down to the back of the neck. Others feel no tingle at all but still enjoy the slow pace and steady sounds.
This feeling is often called ASMR, and it is the reason whispering videos, hair-brushing sounds, tapping on objects and close personal-care role-plays are so popular on YouTube.
But what exactly is ASMR? Why do some people find it relaxing while others feel nothing? And when ASMR is brought into a spa, how is the experience different from watching it on a screen? This article explains.
What is ASMR?
ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. It describes a sensory experience some people have in response to particular triggers, such as whispering, soft crisp sounds, slow movements or close personal attention.
People who respond to ASMR often describe a light tingling or rush across the scalp, neck or back, together with a feeling of calm and comfort. ASMR does not happen to everyone, however, and how it feels can vary a great deal from person to person.
An early academic survey of 475 volunteers who said they experienced ASMR found the most commonly reported triggers were whispering (75%), personal attention (69%), crisp sounds such as tapping or light scratching (64%) and slow movements (53%) (Barratt and Davis, 2015).
These figures come from people who already knew about and responded to ASMR, so they are not proportions of the general population. They do help explain why these elements appear so often in ASMR videos.
What are the ASMR sounds you see on YouTube?
ASMR videos on YouTube often create the feeling that the viewer is being cared for up close, even though they are sitting alone in front of a screen. Creators may speak softly, place microphones to pick up sound close to the ear, or use close-up shots so every hand movement can be seen in detail.
Common triggers include:
- Whispering or soft speech
- Gentle tapping, brushing, scratching or touching of objects
- Running water and steady, repeated sounds
- Slow, precise hand movements
- Role-plays such as combing hair, examining the face or cutting hair
- Personal attention, as if the viewer is being cared for directly
Research on ASMR triggers has found that preferences vary between people, but a natural-feeling setting, lower-pitched sounds, an unhurried pace and seeing the detail of a movement are elements people who experience ASMR tend to value (Barratt, Spence and Davis, 2017).
So what makes these videos relaxing may not be “one particular sound”, but the combination of sound, rhythm, predictability and the feeling that someone is doing something carefully just for you.
Why does ASMR make some people feel relaxed?
How ASMR works is still being studied, and there is no single explanation that applies to everyone. However, experiments are beginning to show that the calm people who experience ASMR report is not only in their imagination.
A study in PLOS ONE compared people who respond to ASMR with people who do not while they watched ASMR videos and control videos. In the physiological experiment, with a final sample of 110 participants, the ASMR group’s heart rate fell by an average of 3.41 beats per minute while watching ASMR videos, while their skin conductance rose slightly (Poerio et al., 2018).
These seemingly opposite results led the researchers to describe ASMR as possibly a state that is calm but still sensorially alert: the body relaxes while attention stays focused on the sounds and touch in front of you.
However, these effects were clearest in people who say they respond to ASMR, and current research is not enough to conclude that ASMR works the same way for everyone, or that it can treat health or sleep problems.
From ASMR on YouTube to an ASMR spa experience
ASMR videos work mainly through sight and sound. An ASMR spa adds the senses a screen cannot deliver: the temperature of water, scent, touch on the skin and the rhythm of a therapist’s hands.
At Jai Chan we do not simply play ASMR sounds. We weave several kinds of triggers into the care ritual, including:
- Bells at different pitches that slowly rise and fade
- The rhythm of a water clock and steadily running water
- The light touch of peacock feathers
- Slow, continuous hand movements
- The warmth and sound of water during the Thai-style head spa
- Close, attentive care in a calm, unhurried setting
These elements match triggers often reported in ASMR research, such as fine sounds, slow movement and personal attention, but they are delivered as a real experience you can hear, smell, feel as warmth and feel as touch.
Jai Chan’s three ASMR Signature rituals
| Size | Treatment | Who it suits | Time and price |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | ASMR Royal Coconut Hair Spa | Anyone who wants to start with a head spa and has one hour | 60 mins · THB 990 |
| M | ASMR Regal Thai Upper Harmony | Anyone who feels tired and tense in the head, neck, shoulders and upper back | 90 mins · THB 1,790 |
| L | ASMR Regal Thai Serenity | Anyone who wants a full ritual from head to toe | 120 mins · THB 2,290 |
S — ASMR Royal Coconut Hair Spa
ASMR Royal Coconut Hair Spa is the starting point for anyone who wants to try an ASMR spa through scalp care. It includes an oil massage, a 9-step hair wash, a water ritual and warm steam.
It suits days when you have an hour and want your scalp to feel clean and fresh while you take a break from everything around you.
60 mins · THB 990
M — ASMR Regal Thai Upper Harmony
ASMR Regal Thai Upper Harmony adds time for the upper body. It suits people who feel tension in the head, neck, shoulders or upper back from desk work and screen time.
The treatment combines an aromatic oil massage and a water ritual, and finishes with the signature jasmine tea hair rinse.
90 mins · THB 1,790
L — ASMR Regal Thai Serenity
ASMR Regal Thai Serenity is a full 120-minute ritual from head to toe. It begins with a jasmine rice hand mask, followed by a Thai botanical facial, an ASMR sensory session, the signature Thai-style head spa and a floral tea hair rinse.
It suits days when you want to give yourself time for complete self-care, bringing rest, a head spa and skincare together in one visit.
120 mins · THB 2,290
Which size should you choose?
- Choose S if you want to focus on a head spa and have 60 minutes
- Choose M if you want extra care for your head, neck, shoulders and upper back
- Choose L if you want the full head-to-toe experience, including a facial
If you are not sure, start with how much time you have and where you feel most tense. The team can help you choose the right size for what you need that day.
Is ASMR for everyone?
Not everyone feels tingles from ASMR, and not feeling them does not mean the treatment has failed. You can still enjoy the quiet atmosphere, the slow pace of care, the warm water and the massage.
On the other hand, some sounds or touches may feel uncomfortable for some people. For example, you may dislike whispering, be sensitive to sound, or not want to be touched with feathers. You can always tell your therapist before or during the treatment.
An ASMR spa should be an experience in which you feel safe and relaxed. There is no need to put up with triggers you do not enjoy.
ASMR and ASMR spa treatments are relaxation experiences. They are not treatments for insomnia, anxiety, chronic stress or neurological conditions. If you have ongoing symptoms or they affect your daily life, please talk to a health professional.
Frequently asked questions about ASMR spas
What does ASMR stand for?
ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. It describes the calm feeling and light tingling or rush some people experience from certain sounds, sights or kinds of close attention.
Do I need to feel tingles for ASMR to “work”?
No. Some people feel clear tingles, some simply feel calm or absorbed in the sounds and touch, and some may not respond to ASMR at all. These differences are normal.
Is an ASMR spa the same as watching ASMR videos on YouTube?
Some of the principles are similar, such as soft sounds, slow movements and personal attention, but an ASMR spa adds the real experience of warm water, scent, massage and touch.
Can ASMR help me sleep or treat stress?
Research has found that some people who respond to ASMR report feeling calmer and have a lower heart rate while watching videos, but the evidence is not enough to use ASMR as a treatment for insomnia or chronic stress.
If I do not like certain sounds or touches, can they be adjusted?
Yes. Tell your therapist before or during the treatment if you do not want certain sounds, feather touch, scents or touch in particular areas.
Treatments in this article
- ASMR Royal Coconut Hair Spa — 60 mins, THB 990
- ASMR Regal Thai Upper Harmony — 90 mins, THB 1,790
- ASMR Regal Thai Serenity — 120 mins, THB 2,290
Scientific references
- Barratt EL, Davis NJ. Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR): a flow-like mental state. PeerJ. 2015;3:e851. PubMed · DOI
- Barratt EL, Spence C, Davis NJ. Sensory determinants of the autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR): understanding the triggers. PeerJ. 2017;5:e3846. PubMed · DOI
- Poerio GL, Blakey E, Hostler TJ, Veltri T. More than a feeling: Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is characterized by reliable changes in affect and physiology. PLOS ONE. 2018;13(6):e0196645. PubMed · Full text
Experience ASMR in real life
Jai Chan is on the 3rd floor of Siam Discovery in central Bangkok. If you would like to find out how soft sounds, slow movements, warm water and gentle touch feel compared with an ASMR video, choose the S, M or L treatment to suit your time and the kind of care you want.