Music can be therapy for the soul. It speaks to to a special part inside all of us and can help you work through or express emotions. It motivates you to get your body moving. It helps you let loose and relieve stress. It’s part of overall Sound Therapy for wellness.

Recently my husband and I invested in some new, incredibly high quality headphones and earbuds. We both use them to listen to music when we workout or go on walks. He uses them to listen to podcasts. And I started using them before bed as I listen to ASMR YouTube videos (more on that in a moment). These Encore headphones by LSTN Sound Co. are made from ebony reclaimed wood, metal, and vegan leather, and support someone hearing for the first time through the Starkey Hearing Foundation. (I got the Bowery earbuds). It’s a win-win when you support another business that does well by doing good!

What is Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR)? It “signifies the subjective experience of ‘low-grade euphoria‘ characterized by ‘a combination of positive feelings, relaxation, and a distinct static-like tingling sensation on the skin’. It typically begins ‘on the scalp’ before moving ‘down the spine’ to the base of the neck, sometimes spreading ‘to the back, arms and legs as intensity increases’, most commonly triggered by specific acoustic and visual stimuli including the content of some digital videos, and less commonly by intentional attentional control.” (Wikipedia). I can only describe it as the feeling I have experienced off and on my entire life but never knew the name for it until now. Whenever I visit a library, the gentle sounds of pages being turned and books being shuffled around gives me a feeling of ecstasy, really.

My favorite ASMR artist without doubt is Maria of Gentle Whispering. She soothes me to sleep most nights and is very popular for a reason. Check her out and see if you get the relaxing tingles too!

-Summer