Behind Closed Doors: ASMR

Experiencing the Braingasm

Everyone finds certain noises to be particularly gratifying—I love the sound of a book's turning pages, a soft, warm whispering in my ear, the rhythmic sound of nails clicking on a tabletop, and the languid sound of the ocean. You probably have your own, though you might not have spent much time thinking about them (until now, of course). For some of us, these noises are just relaxing—almost mesmerizing in a way that could (or has) put you to sleep. Identifying these noises can be fun.

There are some people, though, who experience a distinct and pleasurable sensation when they hear a sound they really like—something more intense than just relaxation, a tingling that extends from the backs of their heads down the tops of their spines. This is ASMR, which is briefly explained in the video above. Many, many different noises can trigger this "braingasm" for people who experience ASMR, the most common being the sound of whispering followed by tappling, crinkling, rain noises, and more.

I personally can't point to a time when I've had an ASMR moment, but some people believe that everyone has the power. (So it's sort of like the female orgasm, eh?) To experience this awesomeness, you have to first find your triggers, which can be an intentional testing period. Check out this one, for example: 

Many people enjoy watching ASMR videos even if they don't experience the spine tingles, largely because they're damn soothing. I can feel my blood pressure lowering as I type this. (A sound which I am suddenly very aware of...) You'd think a fantastic feeling like this one would be well-documented and discussed throughout history, but that's not the case—in fact, people have really only started talking about it over the course of the past few years. 

ASMR with a Sexual Twist

In the wake of so much conversation, it probably doesn't surprise you that a corresponding porn category has veritably exploded. PornHub did a study on just that last month, citing that ASMR porn searches have increased more than 1,000 percent in the past 18 months.

Some of this is Rule 34—if it exists, there is porn made of it—but some of it is probably do the enticing idea of combining different forms of euphoric "orgasm." Either way, there are usually a few commonalities between ASMR porn categories: The performer talks to and touches the camera like it's a real person, using separate mics to simulate the feeling of having people speak in separate ears. This kind of porn is usually more personal, with whoever is behind the camera speaking directly to you. Check out this one, for example: 

PornHub broke down the ASMR categories, showing which terms are searched the most. Most correspond to some kind of trigger: Dirty talk makes good use of whispering, while blow jobs have a distinctive slurping and massage capitalizes on the noise of skin on skin. If you can find your trigger prior to searching for it in porn, I imagine the experience is mind-blowing. 

There is little existing science behind or against ASMR, though that will likely change in the coming years due to all the anecdotal evidence. You can combine it with activities beyond porn, too—there are even guided meditation videos and ASMR sleep videos utilizing this awesome body hack. 

So what do you guys think? How many of you have experienced ASMR, and how many of you are going to search for a trigger? I know I am. This is cool AF.