Sleeping With ASMR

“Unintentional ASMR” now seems to have become a “hot” category in that a large number of videos are being labelled with this term. It therefore becomes one of those categories that is easily abused. To the extent that I wonder whether some of them are in fact “unintentional” or are instead scripted by ASMR professionals keen to attract additional views.

On the face of it this video looks genuine:

Unintentional ASMR Cranial Nerves Exam

Not that I would be an expert in diagnosing videos that have been put together to confuse the unwary. This has been liberated from somewhere but the text gives no clue as to the identities of the participants. That said, there is limited possibility of tracking the originator down, less verifying that those featured are not simply actors or (whisper it) ASMR artists.

I notice that the comments reference “sandwich breath” which was featured in a previous blog item. However I have to confess I cannot (yet) clarify fightfightfightfight, or putapitapaper. “The bulldog” will be clarified below.

From the video we have Mr Evans and Dr Wu, for whatever credence we can place in this. The crest that appears at 0:08 indicates this could be a hospital or university. A Google Image search indicates that it could be the “Royal Prince Alfred Hospital”.

However a search of the website, does not reveal this video and an overly long search of YouTube using the “Royal Prince Alfred Hospital” title reveals a heck of a lot of videos, but not this one. This might be like the Hollie Berry experience which, lacking further evidence, I put down to older training videos which had subsequently been pulled from YouTube and yet preserved by the ASMR community (for which we need only be thankful).

So after that lengthy distraction/discussion, what is the video like in terms of ASMR? (Which is presumably why most people are reading this). Dr Wu is excellent, a properly attentive voice, measured, calm, not overly loud. I can’t think how many videos I have rejected due to shouty presentation. Mr Evans does not get a lot of opportunity to talk in this one so I can’t really judge how he stands up ASMR wise.

L M (for that is the name of the account where this is posted) seems to have a few of these videos available. At the time of writing ten. As usual they are variable in their ability to produce ASMR effects.

There is but one playlist this contains music videos and not any ASMR material as far as I can tell.

My favourite (of this set of videos) so far being the one above. You will notice that some of them are similar and feature the same people. My guess would be that they were originally destined to be training videos – probably a little while ago by the look of them.

Ten is quite a long blog post but without obvious methods available to filter them I will crave your indulgence. If you’re bored already scroll right to the end where you will find the relevant playlist.

Sadly, we see Dr Wu no further in any of these videos, so let’s focus on Mr Evans who appears in quite a few.

They are here:

Unintentional ASMR Clinical exam

Dr Lynn (I’m not sure about that spelling) and Mr Evans, the title on the video itself is “Clinical Examination Gastrointestinal”. The comments are quite fun – one thing they point out is that Dr Lynn starts scanning the room as if he is sizing the place up to purchase – what is he expecting to find on the ceiling? Perhaps he’s looking for spy cameras? Anyway this does not in any way affect the ASMR-i-ness of this video (now an established term). Dr Lynn has a great voice in this respect and this one is definitely going into the playlist.

Unintentional ASMR Respiratory exam

Dr Lynn (if I’m going to spell it wrong I might as well be consistent) and Mr Evans again. He introduces himself as if he’s never seen him before. So far so normal training video. As someone astutely points out, what is the point of Mr Evans putting on a top in any of these videos since one of the first actions is to get him out of it. However, he seems suitably stoical about it. In my view equally as good ASMR-wise as the previous one. In fact thus far we appear to be achieving a remarkable level of consistency. One more for the playlist then. After this Dr Lynn disappears (from the videos), but Mr Evans, that plucky participant that he is, keeps plugging on.

Unintentional ASMR Hand exam

Mr Evans again with Dr Richards this time. (I’m more comfortable with that spelling).

(The comments on this video are quite hysterical. Normally I would miss the comments, as I would be hearing the audio whilst laid in bed, so it is interesting to review this video whilst I am more awake.) I notice that one comment asks where the “lovely and floppy” comments are – referring to Hollie Berry. This community all seem to be watching the same material that I am – probably unsurprisingly.

Dr Richards again scans for spy cameras in the same way that Dr Lynn (excuse spelling) did previously. This must be established procedure, perhaps hospital rooms get rogue geckos on the walls?

That said Dr Richards has a great voice here. This is a definite playlist candidate.

Unintentional ASMR Back exam

Dr Richards and Mr Evans again. Now we find the origin of that “the bulldog” term mentioned earlier. This isn’t a term I like particularly as to my ears it does not sound respectful. One of the comments states “bull-dog is a colloquial term for examining assistant”. Goodness knows where they found that because I’ve been unable to track it down.

That said, I am trusting that this is not a dreadful term in some way because I’m intending to include this one in the playlist. It would not be the first time that a term in common parlance a decade or so ago is now regarded as basically rude. If anyone finds this to be the case let me know and I’ll delete it from the playlist.

Unintentional ASMR Cardiovascular Examination

Dr Richards and Mr Evans again. Once again with the lighthouse head examination of all the walls in the room – maybe an extreme form of arachnophobia.

One of the commentators states “I know she clearly wanted to show that she is looking around the room for surroundings that can give a hint of heart issues (maybe machines, medicine etc.)” This seems the most reasonable statement on the scanning behaviours we’ve seen but if it’s really to detect all those things it is a bit perfunctory.

Interesting that Dr Richards should choose “stop breathing” as a term rather than “hold your breath” – as if anyone could voluntarily choose to stop breathing. “Cosmic Parsec” comments that this is Dr Bethan Richards.

So ends the videos featuring Mr Evans. Now we are into a much more mixed bag ASMR-wise.

Unintentional ASMR Hands & Arms Exam

Mr O’Neill and Dr O’Carrigan (potentially misspelled both of those). This is such a gentle approach to examination. Very effective in terms of ASMR.

A number of commentators are interested in the use of the term “light monkey grip” which I’ve not heard before this. No doubt this will become another term reiterated in ASMR-related exchanges as we go along reading comments on other YouTube videos.

This one definitely belongs on the playlist.

Unintentional ASMR Leg and Walking exam

Mr O’Neill and Dr O’Carrigan again. Yet again Mr O’Neill spends hardly any time with much in the way of clothing on. As one of the commentators relates, he is suspiciously attractive.

One of the commentators states that this is Dr Daniel O’Neill – neurologist and Dr Brent O’Carrigan.

This is another for the playlist.

And now a complete change.

Unintentional ASMR Scleroderma Exam

Mr Parker and Dr Blaiswell (potentially misspelled). As a number of people comment the catches releasing on that briefcase at the start is far too loud for proper restfulness – in an ideal world I would edit that out. However this is a lovely peaceful exam. Very attentive and careful.

This is another for the playlist.

Unintentional ASMR Activator adjustment (Brasil)

Lots of positive comments with this one but it wasn’t very useful in my opinion. To be honest it is so muted (and there is so much background noise) it isn’t that great as an ASMR video – so I will not include it in the playlist.

The L M playlist is here:

The complete playlist of all videos covered in this blog so far is here:

I hope that you find it restful

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Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash

Sleeping with ASMR

The next item in the ASMR sleep series is a little more complicated. Now that I have been following ASMR-related videos for a while it has become obvious that some ASMR publishing people are trying to game the system.

From the number of follows, comments, views, and so-on I am not the only person who is searching for ASMR content. There appears to be a subset of people who are interested in videos where the person produces ASMR effects by mistake. Examples include speeches made where the person has a gentle voice; a lecture where the lecturer’s tone happens to be the correct one to set off ASMR in some of the listeners; interviews where the participants have very calm voices.

Some professional ASMR artists, (and indeed amateur ASMR artists) are now making videos deliberately but claiming they were produced entirely coincidentally. There is obviously a money angle – the more adherents you have – the more advertising-related revenue you can captivate. So the temptation is there, frankly, to cheat.

Some titles will say something like “by a genuine person” (as if there were non-genuine people wandering around). Sometimes there are “medical examination” videos, with a couple of suspiciously attractive young people in the video who don’t appear to know a great deal about medicine.

In this climate I am a little unsure about this series. They are great videos for ASMR which purport to be part of a medical education series.

Patient Examination Series- Dr Hollie Berry

Given I am suspicious I took a look on DuckDuckGo (other search engines exist) and it turns out there is no Dr Hollie Berry other than as part of this video series (or other people discussing this video series). No LinkedIn account, no medical papers, no references or citations – and no college sites linking to the videos.

So far Aidan Blunt appears to be the only source and he (assuming it is a he) is obviously aware that Dr Berry has this affect in some listeners as he has produced some videos edited in order to enhance the ASMR effect.

Here:

Cranial Nerves Examination ASMR Loop

I have a dislike of ASMR loop videos. There will be (say) a medical exam which is about ten minutes and to make it an hour it will play (or parts of it will play) over and again. It might be that I am just dosing when a part I’ve heard before comes winging back. This is one of those. So I will not be adding it to the playlist.

And here:

Cardiac Examination ASMR Edit

This one edited in order to enhance its ASMR effect. Again I won’t add this one to the playlist, however some people reading may find this kind of thing right up their street perhaps.

And here:

Abdominal Examination ASMR Edit

Also edited for its ASMR effect and therefore, as before, not included in the playlist.

And here:

Upper Limb Neuro Examination ASMR Edit

As before.

However Aidan also produces some more dedicated medical videos so for the purposes of this blog item I am prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I found this series originally through a posting on Reddit

Which leads to this video:

Cranial Nerve Examination

Which leads me to suspect that the filming was done at Manchester Medical School and the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. However I am currently not able to find any similar video content other than that put out by Aidan.

This video has the smell of the genuine article and is a sensible seven and a half minutes in length which seems to fit with a reasonable length medical examination video found elsewhere.

Aidan Blunt – this is the channel where the Hollie Berry videos are all found. There are thirty four videos here and so too many to feature in any one blog item.

However I started with a Hollie Berry video and so I will concentrate on the videos from this channel that feature Hollie Berry.

Apart from the compilation, ASMR edit and ASMR loop videos (all of which I know to be doctored and therefore will discount) there are these:

Abdominal Examination

This is a sensible length at five minutes thirteen seconds.

Cardiovascular Examination

This one is five minutes six seconds.

I think Hollie may have my favourite ASMR voice of the videos I have covered so far.

Diabetic Foot Examination

Three minutes twenty five seconds in length.

A repeating theme in these is that the “patient” appears either petrified or completely distracted. I’m not sure what they could have said to them to get them in this state. Hollie seems the ideal medical person – professional and relaxing. But for the people in these videos it does not appear to be working.

Lymph Gland Examination

Three minutes fourteen seconds in length. And given the comments I’d say a number of people find Hollie’s voice to be relaxing.

Respiratory Examination

Five minutes thirty four seconds in length. The more I listen the more I think this set of videos is a great find ASMR-wise.

Upper Limb Neuro

This last set seem all to have been posted eleven years ago. I think we can assume that Hollie Berry does (or did) exist and probably made a set of videos for the Manchester Medical Schools a decade or so ago. They’ve moved on and taken down her videos subsequently but Aidan has preserved them for some reason.

Why Hollie should disappear altogether at that point is anybody’s guess but a set of six short videos is all we have of the greatest ASMR voice I have so far discovered. A great shame.

The playlist is here:

The complete playlist of videos covered so far is here:

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

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Sleeping with ASMR

In my opinion the first of these is the best in terms of ASMR-i-ness (if such a term could be said to exist). Yet again a change of direction as we look away from standard medical examinations and move to eye-related exams instead.

The channel comes from the Moran Eye Centre at the University of Utah.

Moran CORE (for such is the channel) provide a number of ophthalmic-related videos, but the best from an ASMR perspective is this one:

The Neuro-ophthalmology Exam: Neuro

The key to this I think is probably the interactions between Judith Warner, ophthalmologist and the “patient” Megan (who turns up in other videos in the series). Megan seems to have the most naturally restful voice here I think.

Moran CORE has so many videos that I gave up counting them and so it is critical to limit the videos that I present here. (Both for my typing fingers and your no doubt tired eyes).

Sadly Moran CORE does not present any helpful playlists that include this particular video so the obvious approach is to filter on videos “starring” the same ophthalmologist or featuring the same “patient” (Megan).

What leaps out scanning the videos is that a number of them feature the same “patient”.

Sticking to videos initially that feature the same “patient” we have this one:

The Orbital Exam

Which is with Tom Oberg instead of Judith Warner. Tom actually has a good voice ASMR-wise but again Megan’s is better. The approach is calm and de-stressing. Both Tom and Judith have been encouraging and patient – the kind of person that you want if someone is going to be examining you.

The Ophthalmic Exam: Retina and Posterior Segment

This is with Andrew Davis, who is technically brilliant I’m sure, but sadly does not have a great voice for ASMR. In this one Megan seems to say very little. So it’s a washout for us sadly and will not be added to the playlist.

The Neuro-ophthalmology Exam: Pupils; Color; Eye Movements; Prism

This is Laura Hanson with the “patient” Megan again. Laura doesn’t have the greatest ASMR voice but Megan here gets more of a speaking role which compensates to an extent.

However as before I do not think this makes the grade for the playlist.

Indirect Ophthalmoscopy with Scleral Depression

This is James Zimmerman with Megan. James’ voice is actually quite good here. But I don’t think it is going to be good enough sadly. This isn’t going to make the grade for the playlist.

How to Instill Topical Anesthetics

Lloyd B Williams with Megan. Lloyd also has a good voice. But again I don’t think this one will graduate to the playlist.

The Neuro-ophthalmology Exam: Eyelids

Laura Hanson again, as far as I can tell the last video featuring Megan and so the last of this blog item. This is slightly better than the earlier Laura video I think. However I still don’t think it is going to make the playlist.

Filtering the videos by the “patient” is an arbitrary method for limiting the videos. However Moran CORE has so many videos and they are so varied that I suspect we will be mining this resource in the future.

The Moran CORE Playlist is here:

The playlist of all videos so far covered in this blog is here:

I hope that you find them restful.

unsplash credit Photo by Drew Coffman on Unsplash

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Sleeping With ASMR

One of the consequences of entering the fifth decade of being alive (which no one seemed to warn me about when I was somewhat younger) is that it is almost impossible to get to sleep. And having got there, to stay in that state for any period of time.

I have tried various hacks for this over the last years, to varying degrees of success, and by chance I happened upon the fact that ASMR works for me.

The little reading I’ve managed to do seems to indicate that only some people are affected.

It also appears that different people have preferences for different sounds.

For me, the most potent trigger is a person speaking quietly and calmly.

Sadly though the effect soon wears off, and over time the same person – with the same speech – stops working.

This means that I am more-or-less constantly looking for new material, which may be of some merit for this blog and for people who react in a similar way.

For some time I have avoided revealing that I find ASMR helpful in that a number of commentators respond to it as if it is akin to some kind of sexual perversion.

However for me it feels more of the kind of attention I would see on a David Attenborough programme in which one monkey is grooming another and both monkeys are more relaxed as a result.

As science progresses it appears that there is more acceptance that relaxing to ASMR is not necessarily a sexual experience.

Hence it is moderately safe to give some recommendations around ASMR that I have found work for me.

I am also getting some playlists together on YouTube for those who do not have the time to look around for ASMR videos.

(Most of the ASMR material I find on YouTube at the moment – although other ASMR resources exist.)

Recently I came across an article for a Welsh stone carver who has been an ASMR discovery after he published some YouTube videos about his stone carving.

There are only three and I found them effective. Three is a suitably short number to start with to see if you feel the same way.

My playlists are here:

https://www.youtube.com/@theprocrastinationpensite

the playlist for Leuan Rees is here:

I will be assembling further ASMR into a complete playlist here:

please feed back if they are effective for you or if you have any further ASMR material which would be worth considering.

Sadly these videos no longer work for me so I am looking for new material, which I will shortly publish here.

I hope that you find them relaxing.

Photo by Colin White on Unsplash

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