There are many ways to relax and take a breather. Sitting by the fireplace on a cold winter evening or wrapping yourself up in sheets while watching your favourite Netflix series are all effective ways of relaxation. But there’s a trending niche that’s been getting on everyone’s radar. Over the past couple of years, ASMR has continued to rise in popularity. But what is it? ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response. Elizabeth Popiez is the owner of Elizabeth Anne’s sensory spa and massage in London. She offers live ASMR to her clients. She goes more into detail about what it is. “Typically ASMR come from repetitive, melodic sounds or touch. A meridian response is that good tingly feeling you get on your body when something is pleasing to your senses. That’s the core concept of ASMR: something that makes you calm and relaxed,” says Popiez. It is considered as an effective relaxation tool for many. But what makes it so relaxing? Popiez says that ASMR helps you focus and calm your subconscious. “It’s also a really good tool for sleep and rest especially for someone who suffers from insomnia, and people who are dealing with depression and anxiety,” says Popiez. There are many benefits that relaxation can bring. Sarah McCallum is a registered social worker in London, and she finds many similarities between ASMR and her mindfulness exercises. “People will do gentle tapping from side to side for mindfulness practice, and that lateral stimulation can really be grounding and help you focus on the present moment,” says McCallum. Mindfulness is a very important skill that everyone and anyone can implement within their daily lives. McCallum tells us why mindfulness is so important. “What mindfulness and relaxation helps us do is calm our central nervous system. When we can calm our central nervous system we can actually bring a sense of well-being and a sense of ease,” says McCallum. Finding time to relax and be mindful can be very hard sometimes especially given the current pandemic. ASMR can not only bring your mind at an ease, but can also benefit your well-being.



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