ASMR for Anxiety: Does It Help, and How to Use It
By Tingly Room · Reviewed by Ethan Caldwell
· 8 min read
In short
ASMR may help you feel calmer in the moment: in one small study, anxiety dropped after a single ASMR video in people who experience ASMR, though not in people who don't. It is not a treatment for anxiety disorders. Therapy such as CBT, medication when prescribed, exercise, sleep and cutting caffeine are what health bodies recommend, and ASMR can be one calming tool alongside them.
In this article
ASMR may help with anxiety in a limited way: it can make some people feel calmer for a while, especially people who get ASMR tingles. One small study found that anxiety dropped after a single ASMR video in people who experience ASMR, but not in people who don't.
It is not a treatment for an anxiety disorder. What health bodies recommend is talking therapy (especially CBT), medication when a doctor prescribes it, and everyday habits like exercise, sleep and less caffeine. ASMR can be a comforting extra on top of those, not a replacement.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (US) to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or chat at 988lifeline.org. It is available 24/7 (SAMHSA).
Normal anxiety vs. an anxiety disorder
Feeling anxious now and then is a normal part of life. Anxiety disorders are different: the worry or fear doesn't go away, can get worse over time and gets in the way of work, school and relationships (NIMH). About a third of US adolescents and adults have an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
With generalized anxiety disorder, for example, the worry is hard to control, happens on most days for at least six months and comes with symptoms such as restlessness, tiredness, irritability, muscle tension or poor sleep (NIMH).
That difference matters. A calming video can take the edge off a stressful evening. It is not built to treat a disorder.
What actually helps anxiety
Here is what official health sources recommend.
Talking therapy, especially CBT
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is commonly used for generalized anxiety and is considered the "gold standard" psychotherapy for it (NIMH). It is usually short-term and teaches skills to manage symptoms and gradually get back to things you've been avoiding (Mayo Clinic).
In the UK, a GP will usually suggest talking therapy before medicine, and adults can refer themselves to NHS talking therapies (NHS).
Medication, when prescribed
Treatment usually involves therapy, medication or both. Medication options include certain antidepressants (SSRIs and SNRIs), which can take several weeks to work, and buspirone. Fast-acting benzodiazepines are usually prescribed only for short periods because of the risk of tolerance and dependence (NIMH). Finding the right fit can take some trial and error, so this is a decision to make with your doctor.
Exercise
Mayo Clinic recommends physical activity on most days of the week, starting slowly, and calls exercise "a powerful stress reducer" (Mayo Clinic), and the NHS notes it can ease anxiety and improve sleep (NHS).
Breathing and relaxation
The NHS suggests breathing exercises, yoga or pilates for anxiety (NHS). Its simple method:
- Sit, stand or lie down comfortably and loosen tight clothing.
- Breathe in gently through your nose, deep into your belly, counting steadily from 1 to 5.
- Breathe out gently through your mouth, counting from 1 to 5 again if it helps.
- Keep going for at least 5 minutes.
The NHS says you get the most from it by practicing regularly, as part of your daily routine (NHS).
Sleep, caffeine and alcohol
Getting enough sleep helps you cope with difficult feelings. The NHS also advises cutting back on caffeine (coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks) and not using alcohol, cigarettes or drugs to cope, since they can make things worse (NHS). Mayo Clinic adds that caffeine and nicotine can worsen anxiety (Mayo Clinic).
NIMH notes that exercise, mindfulness, meditation, less caffeine and enough sleep can help alongside standard care, but cannot replace treatment (NIMH). For more everyday ideas, see how to reduce stress.
Does ASMR help with anxiety? What the research says
The short answer: it may help in the moment, mostly for people who feel ASMR, and the studies are small.
The Northumbria study (2022)
The most direct study so far tested 64 people: 36 who experience ASMR and 28 who don't. Everyone filled in anxiety questionnaires, watched one ASMR video, then answered again (Eid et al., 2022).
- People who experience ASMR started out more anxious, with higher trait anxiety and neuroticism.
- Their in-the-moment anxiety dropped after the video.
- People who don't experience ASMR showed no change.
The authors suggest ASMR videos could be a short-term aid for acute anxiety, while calling for more research. Their analysis also suggested the difference between the groups was explained by the ASMR group's higher neuroticism and anxiety to begin with, so people with more to calm down may notice more.
Calm and stress in the Sheffield study (2018)
In an online study of 1,002 people, those who experience ASMR reported more calm and less stress after watching ASMR videos than people who don't (Poerio et al., 2018). In the lab part of the same study (110 people), their heart rate fell by an average of 3.41 beats per minute while watching ASMR videos, compared with a non-ASMR control video. Their stress ratings in the lab, though, didn't differ significantly from those of non-experiencers.
What surveys report
In the first large survey of 475 people who experience ASMR, 70% said they used it to deal with stress (Barratt & Davis, 2015). These were fans recruited online, so this shows how people use it, not proof that it works.
Results that didn't go ASMR's way
A 2021 study of 212 Malaysians with no history of anxiety disorders found no drop in anxiety in the ASMR group after an ASMR video. The non-ASMR group actually felt more anxious afterward (Jairom, 2021).
And a review of 54 ASMR studies found no study showing long-term effects on mental health (Ruhr University Bochum, 2023). The whole picture, including sleep and brain imaging, is in our guide to the benefits of ASMR.
The honest summary
- May help: short-term calm, especially if you feel ASMR.
- Not shown: lasting reduction in anxiety, or any effect on anxiety disorders.
- Can backfire: for people who don't like ASMR, some videos may be irritating rather than soothing.
How to use ASMR as a calming tool
If you want to try it, set it up so it has the best chance of working.
1. Choose gentle, low-stimulation triggers
People looking for calm often go for:
- Soft-spoken videos: a quiet, warm voice, easier to follow than whispering.
- Personal attention: a creator speaking to you as if you were there. In the 2015 survey, 69% of respondents named personal attention as a trigger, second only to whispering at 75% (Barratt & Davis, 2015).
- Affirmations and comfort: reassuring words and kind phrases.
- Slow, gentle pace: 53% of survey respondents were triggered by slow movements.
Spoken ASMR videos also raised feelings of connection among ASMR viewers in the Sheffield study, which sound-only videos didn't (Poerio et al., 2018). That may be why soft-spoken and comfort videos are popular on anxious days.
2. Avoid what winds you up
Fast, unpredictable or "aggressive" videos, and loud mouth sounds, may feel more agitating than calming. People who experience ASMR also tend to score higher on misophonia, a strong negative reaction to certain everyday sounds (Janik McErlean & Banissy, 2018). If a sound makes you tense, close the video and pick another.
3. Pair it with a breathing exercise
Start a calm video, then do the NHS breathing exercise above for the first few minutes. The video gives your attention a soft place to land while your breathing slows.
4. Keep it short and intentional
Use ASMR as a deliberate break: after work, before bed, after a stressful call. If you use it at night, keep the volume low and the screen dim or face down. The CDC advises turning off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime (CDC), so listening with the screen off is a good compromise. For bedtime routines, see how to use ASMR to fall asleep.
5. Notice how you feel, not whether you tingle
The goal is to feel calmer. If you feel calmer without tingles, it's working for you. If you feel more restless, try a different trigger or step away.
On Tingly Room you can filter by voice (soft-spoken, whispering, no talking), pace and length on the video finder, or swipe through a personal feed on /explore until something feels right.
When ASMR isn't enough
ASMR is fine as a relaxation habit. It is not a substitute for care. Talk to a doctor or mental health professional if:
- Worry or fear is there most days and is hard to control.
- Anxiety is getting in the way of work, school, relationships or sleep.
- You're avoiding places or people because of anxiety.
- You're using alcohol or drugs to cope.
- Self-help hasn't made a difference, or treatment isn't working.
NIMH suggests starting with a primary care provider, who can refer you to a psychologist, psychiatrist or clinical social worker (NIMH). In the UK, the NHS advises seeing a GP if you think you might have generalized anxiety disorder, or if your treatment isn't helping (NHS).
If you're in crisis
Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or chat at 988lifeline.org. It is available 24/7 and isn't only for suicidal thoughts: you can also reach out about emotional distress, anxiety, stress, loneliness or worries about someone else (SAMHSA). If someone's life is in danger, call 911 (NIMH).
Sources
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Fact Sheet, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- Anxiety Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder: When Worry Gets Out of Control, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Anxiety treatment, Mayo Clinic
- Generalised anxiety disorder in adults: Treatment, NHS
- Generalised anxiety disorder: Self-help, NHS
- Breathing exercises for stress, NHS
- Untangling the tingle: Investigating the association between the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), neuroticism, and trait & state anxiety, PLOS ONE, 2022
- More than a feeling: Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is characterized by reliable changes in affect and physiology, PLOS ONE, 2018
- Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR): a flow-like mental state, PeerJ, 2015
- The Effects of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) Videos and ASMR Group on State Anxiety, Jurnal Psikologi Malaysia, 2021
- Psychology: What's the story behind ASMR clips?, Ruhr University Bochum, 2023 (on Lohaus et al., Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice)
- Increased misophonia in self-reported Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, PeerJ, 2018
- About Sleep, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This article is general information, not medical advice. If sleep problems, stress or anxiety last for weeks or get in the way of daily life, talk to a doctor. In the US, if you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). How Tingly Room works and who runs it: About.
