ASMR (Auto Sensory Meridian Response) is a craze that’s taken the internet by storm. For those who haven’t heard of it (or watched one of the 13 million videos on YouTube), ASMR is a feeling of soothed relaxation combined with a blissful, tingling sensation starting in the scalp and moving down the back of the neck, arms and legs.
The sensation is triggered in response to certain sounds picked up by microphones, such as a whispering voice or low repetitive noises like gentle tapping, scratching, pouring water and rain. Popular videos are of people doing extraordinarily simple, peaceful, calming tasks, such as folding towels, brushing their hair, or flipping magazine pages. Many also include someone’s voice speaking softly or whispering in the background.
What are the benefits of ASMR?
ASMR has been proven to help people relax and reduce stress. Given that three quarters (74%) of Britons feel overwhelmed or unable to cope, regular ASMR therapy could be a useful way to alleviate stress and improve wellbeing across the UK.
ASMR may help to:
- Induce feelings of relaxation and well-being by helping the mind to unwind and ease tension
- Trigger a feeling of relaxation before bedtime, which can help improve sleep quality and overcome insomnia
- Distract the viewer from stressful thoughts by providing a comforting and familiar set of sounds
- Increase blood flow and improve your mood
What is the ASMR experience at David Lloyd Clubs?
In order to deliver these amazing benefits to our members, David Lloyd Clubs has become the first fitness club in the UK to introduce ASMR into its spa.
We’ve collaborated with ASMR artist Sophie Michelle to create a unique spa experience for our members. Sophie will run live ASMR sessions across a number of our new Spa Retreats. These super-spas are opening in a number of clubs across the country and are designed to support anyone caring for their mental health and overall wellness. The sessions will see Sophie Michelle in a meditation room performing the ASMR triggers into a pair of microphones as headphone-wearing spa visitors look and listen-on and experience the famed ‘brain tingling’.
This special experience is also available as an online video (the most common means of experiencing the phenomenon) where Sophie uses common spa objects and sounds as ASMR triggers. These include:
- Whispering while slowly slicing lemons and squeezing lemon juice
- Pouring a jug of ice-cold water into a glass and repeatedly tapping the tumbler
- Whispering while delicately folding spa towels on a table
- Dipping a hand in and out of the Hydro Pool, allowing the water droplets to run off her fingers and drop back into the pool
You can view the video in full here.
Find out more about wellness at David Lloyd Clubs >
