5 Days of ASMR to Relax This Work Week

Damla Ozdemir
5 min readMay 13, 2024

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Come with me on this week-long ASMR journey to discover new ways to relax after work or school, and keep that bliss rolling into the next morning.

Once you start making the time to wind down, the relaxation becomes addicting, and soon enough it’s a habit that you incorporate into your day-to-day without thinking about it… Until one day you notice how much better of a mood you’re in as you head out to work, having let go of the energies that were not serving you the night before. Happy listening!

DAY 1

We’re starting off strong with a Synthesizer Sound Exploration by the king of weird ASMR, Ephemeral Rift. There are a couple of winners here. One is the long, sustained sound waves that will fill up your headspace and drown out the unwanted noise that might be hiding there. Another is the satisfaction of learning something new and expanding your worldview, while seemingly doing nothing but relaxing — thanks to Rift’s soft-spoken synth tutorial throughout the video. The third winner, for me, is the thrill of the gentle surprises that come up as Rift fiddles with his machine; you never know what strange, distorted noise will tickle your brain next, although you can rest assured that it’s all for the sake of the ASMR, so everything follows some general relaxation guidelines.

If you like today’s selection:

If you can’t get enough of the synthesizer, Ephemeral Rift has a video where he keeps the purr of a synth drone going in different ways for 90 minutes. It’s very monotonous in the funniest way, and definitely features only synth sounds.

If you like the idea of learning something new while getting your daily dose of ASMR, you might want to check out a soft spoken overview of Turkey’s history and geography, by ASMR Geographica.

DAY 2

On to the next day: It’s time to say goodbye to tech and reconnect with nature on a walk through the French countryside with Yannic ASMR. He holds his mic up close to any potential triggers he finds on his way, from a herd of cattle to a field of corn. The crackling of branches and leaves under his feet as he makes his way towards the next sound is my favorite part of the whole experience.

If you like today’s selection:

If you are a fan of nature walks, Moonlight Cottage ASMR, another French YouTuber, has a meditative, five senses walk that feels like a piece of art.

If you were obsessed with the sounds of the walking itself, you’ll love it pared down to its purest elements in the crunchy walk that ASMRSurge goes on.

DAY 3

We’re going more lo-fi today, with an adorable elephant puppet doing your makeup in Japanese (with English subtitles, if you’d like to understand, or no subtitles, if you’re more into the “unintelligible ASMR” concept). The Japanese people are the world experts in “kawaii” (the concept of “cuteness” that permeates Japanese pop culture), and this proves it. A pretend makeover is also perfect for rekindling the magic of childhood. The whispers create the feeling of late-night sleepover shenanigans hidden from the parents next door. Oh, the nostalgia. Who might be controlling the puppet? A best friend? An older sister, perhaps? Just lie back and bask in the close attention of this talking toy as she gets you makeup-ready, and you get ready for bed!

If you like today’s selection:

If you enjoyed the up close attention of getting your makeup done, there are countless videos for you to choose from. But I find that few of them are as comforting and heart-warming as the lady on the airplane who does your makeup (Rea Moon ASMR).

If you think there should be more puppets doing ASMR, then a professional eye exam by a fuzzy pink creature might be right up your alley (Cosmo Whispers ASMR). This one also has some great light triggers.

DAY 4

Today’s selection is going to follow up on the childhood theme, with a Korean witch who is creating a magic potion to revert time (once again, with subtitles). Koreans are top-tier when it comes to ASMR, and I think a big part of this status is the fact that their language, when spoken softly, is just dripping with brain-tingling properties. And there is something so satisfying about the wooden scraping of the spoon against the bowl. But this video is definitely quieter and more subdued than the previous ones, so it requires more subtle listening. Also, is it just me, or is the act of stirring miscellaneous bits and bobs in a bowl to make a “potion” such a staple of childhoods around the world?

If you like today’s selection:

If you feel mesmerized by the act of mixing things together, I think you’ll enjoy the gameplay of an alchemist simulator with JubileeWhispers. She uses a mortar and pestle to prepare ingredients and serve them to medieval customers.

If you found your new favorite trigger with the wooden sounds, you can’t go wrong with the top-notch production quality of Vito ASMR in his Wood + Water + Ice video.

Day 5

This one is for those who prefer something more melodic, or are seafarers at heart: a softly sung concert of sea shanties, by FrivolousFox ASMR. I find her voice particularly relaxing among the ASMR singers out there. And the low, warm lighting below deck is just the thing I’m looking for as I get ready to doze off after a day of straining my eyes against the white light of computers and offices. The whole production, though simple in concept and not too long, has a great way of immersing you. At first it’s the lived-in eyeliner that starts reigniting my obsession with Pirates of the Caribbean. But then, as she begins stroking the towel on top of the microphone, it mimics the sounds of waves and the whole thing comes together even more. In my humble opinion, listening to some sea shanties is also a truly underrated way to celebrate the freedom that Friday night brings!

If you like today’s selection:

If you enjoy the pirate aspect most, I think you will like an ASMR gameplay of Sea of Thieves with some softly sung shanties, by JubileeWhispers. And it starts off with a relaxing treasure hunt to get you hyped up for the songs.

If you enjoy the idea of having a lullaby lull you to sleep, check out a Disney version in English and French by ASMR Glow. It sounds a lot like a mother singing to her child.

I hope I have given you enough material to explore for one week…

Let me know in the comments what your favorite way to relax after a work day is! And if it’s ASMR, what channels or triggers do you prefer?

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Damla Ozdemir

Duke University ’23 w/ a degree in Linguistics 🏫 Worldschooling/Unschooling ✏️ 9 countries, 3 continents, boarding school, 10 languages 🏫