ASMR won't treat chronic pain, and the research on it is thin. What it may do is help you relax, give your attention somewhere softer to go, and make it easier to fall asleep, which matters, because poor sleep and pain tend to feed each other.
Below: what the studies actually found, what doctors and health agencies recommend for chronic pain, and how to use ASMR sensibly on a mild pain day.
Does ASMR help chronic pain?
Probably not in any direct way that's been measured. We found only two studies that looked at ASMR and pain, and they point in different directions.
What viewers said (2015 survey)
In the first large ASMR survey, 475 fans recruited from Facebook and Reddit answered questions about why and how they watch. Among the people who reported chronic pain, 38 said ASMR improved their pain, 40 said it had no effect, and 13 weren't sure (Barratt & Davis, 2015).
In the 45 people with complete pain ratings, pain was rated lower during ASMR than before it, and the difference was still there three hours later.
So roughly 4 in 10 felt some relief, and a few more felt nothing. Everyone was already an ASMR fan, the ratings were from memory, and there was no comparison group.
What a lab test found (2022)
A small study at Bath Spa University tested pain more directly. Nineteen students (11 who experience ASMR, 8 who don't) watched a 3-minute hairdressing ASMR video and a 3-minute control video of someone peeling vegetables. Researchers pressed a device into their forearm to measure how much pressure they could tolerate, and asked them to rate their pain (Janik McErlean et al., 2022).
- Pain tolerance went up during both videos compared with no video, but the ASMR video did no better than the vegetable-peeling one.
- Pain ratings didn't differ significantly between the two videos.
- People who experience ASMR rated the pressure as more painful overall than people who don't.
The authors call it exploratory: a tiny sample, short videos and no one with chronic pain. But it's a useful reality check: tolerance was higher while watching either video than with no video, and ASMR wasn't special.
The closest well-studied cousin: music
This is an analogy, not evidence about ASMR. Music has been studied far more for pain. A 2017 meta-analysis of 14 randomized trials found that listening to music reduced self-reported chronic pain and depressive symptoms, with a bigger effect when patients chose the music themselves (Garza-Villarreal et al., 2017). The authors suggest music as an add-on, and note the trials were small and varied.
NCCIH, the federal agency for complementary health research, summarizes it the same way: music-based interventions can reduce self-reported pain and depression, more so when people pick the music. Whether calm ASMR audio works similarly hasn't been tested. For the wider research on ASMR, see the benefits of ASMR.
What helps chronic pain
The CDC defines chronic pain as pain lasting more than three months (CDC). It's common: about 20% of US adults had chronic pain in 2019, and about 7% had pain that limited their daily activities (NCCIH).
For chronic pain, the CDC lists options such as over-the-counter pain relievers, physical therapy and exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and certain antidepressant and antiseizure medications. It notes that many nonopioid options work better with fewer side effects, and it recommends working with your doctor to set goals for both pain and daily function.
NCCIH's review of the research adds several mind and body approaches (NCCIH):
- Mindfulness programs and CBT both reduce pain intensity and improve function.
- Acupuncture, yoga, tai chi, massage, spinal manipulation and relaxation techniques may help, depending on the condition.
- Progressive muscle relaxation and biofeedback may moderately improve low-back pain.
Relaxation techniques aim to trigger the relaxation response: slower breathing, lower blood pressure and a lower heart rate. NCCIH says they might help with pain after surgery, headache, low-back pain and arthritis pain, though much of the evidence is low quality (NCCIH).
This is where ASMR could sit: not as a pain treatment, but as an easy way into relaxation for people who find formal exercises hard to stick with.
The sleep and pain loop
Pain makes it harder to sleep, and short or broken sleep makes pain feel worse. Researchers broadly agree the relationship runs both ways, and current evidence suggests poor sleep predicts pain more strongly than pain predicts poor sleep (Jain et al., 2024).
A 2024 review sums up some of the evidence (Chen et al., 2024):
- In a one-week study of 971 healthy adults, the previous night's sleep predicted next-day pain, roughly twice as strongly as pain predicted the next night's sleep.
- Sleeping less than 6 hours was linked to greater pain sensitivity the next day.
- Sleep disorders are very common in people with chronic pain, with rates reported as high as 70% or more.
That makes sleep one of the most practical levers you have. If pain keeps you up, tell your doctor: in the same review, treating sleep disorders such as sleep apnea was linked to lower pain sensitivity. A calm, consistent wind-down routine can help too. Our guide on how to fall asleep fast covers the basics.
How to use ASMR on a mild pain day
Think relaxation and distraction, not relief you can count on. Some practical ways to try it:
- Get comfortable first. Lie or sit in a position that's easy on your body. If earbuds press when you lie on your side, use a speaker or a phone on the nightstand.
- Pick slow and gentle content. Fast, unpredictable triggers can be energizing. Slow ASMR with steady sounds or a calm voice is a better fit for relaxing.
- Try a spa or massage roleplay. These videos are built around slow, calm care and soft talking. Browse spa roleplay ASMR.
- Pair it with a relaxation exercise. Breathe slowly with longer exhales, or tense and release one muscle group at a time while the video plays.
- Choose what you like. In the music research, self-chosen music worked better. Skip anything that irritates you; on the video finder you can hide triggers you don't like, such as mouth sounds or eating.
- Use it at bedtime with a timer. Keep the volume low, turn the screen face down, and let a sleep timer stop playback.
On a bad pain day, ASMR may not do much, and that's fine. Use the plan you've made with your doctor.
When to see a doctor
NCCIH is clear on one point: don't use an unproven approach to put off seeing a provider about pain (NCCIH). See a doctor if:
- Pain has lasted more than three months, or keeps coming back.
- It's getting worse, or your current plan isn't working. The CDC recommends following up regularly about whether your pain plan is working.
- It's keeping you from sleeping, working or doing things you care about.
- You have new pain you can't explain.
Tell your doctor about any complementary approach you're using, including relaxation audio.
Living with pain can wear you down. If it's affecting your mood for weeks, mention that too. Depression is treatable, and it can show up as physical aches and pains as well as sadness (NIMH). Our guide on ASMR and depression covers what helps. If you're in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US).
