If you experience insomnia, anxiety, or high levels of stress, I know of something that can help.
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ASMR, or Autonomous sensory meridian response is described as a euphoric experience characterized by a static-like or tingling sensation on the skin that typically begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine, precipitating relaxation. It has been compared with auditory-tactile synesthesia.
ASMR is usually brought on by stimuli referred to as 'triggers'. Triggers, which are most commonly acoustic and visual, may be encountered through the normal interactions of daily life- the sounds of a softly spoken or whispering voice; the quiet, repetitive sounds resulting from a mundane task such as turning the pages of a book or newspaper, the sounds of someone having their hair brushed-to list a few.
Everyone is unique as to what the effects are. For me to garner the full effect of the tingling euphoria described above it has to involve touch, such as someone running their fingers gently through my hair or softly tickling my neck, arms and back.
There are many however, who can don a pair of headphones and watch and listen to someone having their hair shampooed, snipped and brushed for example, and that's all it takes.
But even the milder effects of this phenomenon are extremely soothing and relaxing.
It was my husband who initially discovered ASMR videos on youtube about three years ago. I have always been an insomniac, and for the most part I can function just fine on four to six hours of sleep per night. However at that particular point in time my oldest stepson, his wife and three small children were living with us and the added stimuli on top of being woken by children at six am (I generally fall asleep between three and four-thirty and wake between seven thirty and nine-thirty) was making it so I was lucky if I managed two or three hours and there were times I would go 36 to 48 hours without even a catnap. It was beginning to affect my moods along with my energy levels.
My husband had become increasingly concerned, but as he is not in favor of pharmaceuticals he was adamant about finding a solution that did not require me to swallow any pills.
I'm happy to report he was successful and on nights where my mind just will NOT shut down I will put on my headphones and one of my favorite ASMR videos, snuggle under my covers and be lolled to sleep.
I've come to enjoy these videos so much that I'll often listen to them while surfing other sites or even just daydreaming. For some they use this as a stress and anxiety reliever, I have a few friends that swear by it for these purposes. To be honest, I'm rarely afflicted by such things for long so I can only say that I find it relaxing in many contexts, so it seems logical it would work for these issues.
I have been listening to these videos for a few years and my tastes have changed a bit from the beginning. For one thing I've found that I am only interested in the auditory effects, meaning I rarely watch the videos in question, mostly I just listen. For some this might be reversed, I know there are a great deal of "role play" style asmr videos, and because it is not my taste I believe it may have more of a visual effect, or perhaps it's the combination. I'm going to put a small variety of videos here that cover most of the different areas of ASMR. For me personally I prefer either whispering videos or a variety of sounds.
Maria Gentlewhispering has been a favorite of mine since the beginning, so I'll put one of her older videos at the top, then end with her newest. It's not only the 'artist' that factors in whether or not a video appeals, but also the equipment they are using, you'll be able to see the contrast between inferior and quality equipment with these two videos.
If you're new to the subject of ASMR and find yourself interested I have a wealth of information to share on the subject, don't hesitate to ask questions :)
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