Sitting with earbuds plugged in, simple taps or a gentle voice giving reassuring messages brings Zen and sleep to people suffering from insomnia, such as sophomore Samantha Argento. She gets about three hours of sleep per night, four if she is lucky.

The videos of ASMR Argento has experimented with actually helped her get her sleeping schedule back on track.

ASMR, which stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, starts from the scalp and moves down the spine and occasionally to the limbs. Some can experience ASMR at any time throughout the day. It can be triggered by hearing a noise like a gentle voice or even rain hitting a rooftop.

Tom Stafford, a lecturer in psychology from University of Sheffield thinks ASMR “might well be a real thing, but it’s inherently difficult to research…something like this that you can’t see or feel” and “doesn’t happen for everyone,” according to his website.

Stafford compares the current status of ASMR with development of attitudes toward synesthesia, which he says “for years…was a myth, then in the 1990s people came up with a reliable way of measuring [synesthesia].”

As there are simple noises that trigger relaxation in people, others find more interesting ways to gain the sensation. ASMR role-plays all over YouTube help people in a more unique way. Roleplays can consist of anything from a person pretending to put makeup on the viewer to him pretending they are giving a physical as a doctor.

An ASMR artist, Michael While (known by his channel name as TirarADeguello on YouTube) speaks about how he values ASMR roleplays as a type of art.

“Roleplays are important because sometimes, through roleplay and fantasy, you can allow yourself to see things you can’t in your normal life. It allows the viewer to be someone else for a while and forget or reflect on their issues,” While says.

He also thinks that specific role-plays or noises combined gives tingles to people it helps with things like insomnia, anxiety, and stress

Argento turns to this helpful resource to rely on when insomnia hits.

“I have insomnia problems occasionally and sometimes listening to ASMR, or at least experiencing it, helps me sleep. It’s all the different little noises combined; if you listen to some all together it can make you feel like you’re at the beach or some other relaxing place.”

Another ASMR artist Ami Blu (known by her channel name as Bluewhisper on YouTube) explains how it is a personal experience for the viewer when she puts out videos.

“I never realized people would come to me during their dark times for comfort and to help them sleep. So, I try to help those people as well.”