Genius Hour

Above is the final product resulting from my Genius Hour project! I've created my own version of a TED Talk to share my findings concerning how sound can be utilized to alleviate stress.  

The Genius Hour Process:

My Genius Hour question is "Can sound heal?". I've chosen to look at one specific element of sound and relaxation to answer this question. The phenomenon I plan on studying is ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.

The unusual thing about ASMR is that there is no "official" definition for it.

It is most often described as "a euphoric experience characterized by a static-like or tingling sensation on the skin that typically begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine, precipitating relaxation, often compared with auditory-tactile synesthesia".

I have learned quite a bit about the formerly "unnamed feeling", but I've also realized that there is still much to learn about it. Scientists do not fully understand the phenomenon and I think this is mostly because ASMR is unique to every person that experiences it.

Steven Novella, director of General Neurology at Yale School of Medicine addresses the validity of ASMR, saying "I don't think there is a definitive answer, but I am inclined to believe that [ASMR is real]. There are a number of people who seem to have independently experienced and described it with fairly specific details. In this way it's similar to migraine headaches – we know they exist as a syndrome primarily because many different people report the same constellation of symptoms and natural history." He also addresses the lack of scientific information concerning ASMR, suggesting that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and transcranial magnetic stimulation technologies should be used to study the brains of people who experience ASMR in comparison to people who do not experience it.

The University of Sheffield's Tom Stafford, a psychologist, said that ASMR "might well be a real thing, but it's inherently difficult to research…something like this that you can't see or feel" and "doesn't happen for everyone". He likens ASMR to synesthesia, stating "for years [synesthesia] was a myth, then in the 1990s people came up with a reliable way of measuring it.

Since the concept of ASMR is so new (it was only first brought to attention in 2007, though people have always experienced it), there just isn't enough concrete science to determine what it exactly is, and how it can be applied to alternative medicine.

So in order to answer my Genius Hour question, I will have to rely on popular opinion. I'm going to have to look at my own experiences with the phenomenon and also the experiences of others who are able to feel ASMR's effects.

I will not be able to come up with a fool-proof, scientific answer. I won't even be able to define ASMR fully; no one truly understands it yet.

But I am excited to formulate my own definition and my own opinion on whether this mysterious feeling can be used to better our health.

This week we've created our own Genius Hour projects that we will be tackling for the next month. I've decided to look into alternative treatments for mental health issues. Specifically, I will be asking the question "Can sound heal?" and using the internet phenomenon, ASMR, to determine whether or not anxiety and stress can be alleviated using ASMR sounds.

Take a moment to surf through YouTube. In no time you'll come across an otherwise inconspicuous looking YouTube video, that has the acronym "ASMR" in the title. Upon queuing the video up, you're likely to notice that the video has a very targeted focus on sound.

For  example, take a look at YouTube user albinwhisperland's "Makeup Collection ASMR" video.



Makeup collection videos are commonplace on YouTube, but this particular video is an ASMR makeup video. Just like any of these popular videos, albinwhisperland holds up various cosmetics from her personal collection, giving quick, personal reviews of each item. However, what sets her video apart is the way in which she uses sounds during the otherwise normal video. The entire video is spoken in a whisper, sometime slightly slower than normal speech, and albinwhisperland takes the time to tap on little eyeshadow containers so that viewers can hear what her cosmetics sound like. This is the main ingredient in YouTube's ASMR phenomenon; you take an ordinary YouTube video and play with everyday sounds in order to create auditory bliss.

ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. It describes a calming, pleasant sensation that occurs, often experienced as a tingling sensation along the scalp, when listening to specific audio stimuli. ASMR is often said to help listeners relax or sleep.

My motivation for studying ASMR is to find an alternative or complimentary treatment for everyday stress and anxiety. While I appreciate the necessity for mental health issues to be treated with pharmaceutical medications, I also believe that many natural treatments are capable of complimenting one's treatment. My hope is to discover that ASMR is a viable tool for relaxation and for combatting anxiety.

In order to do with, I will monitor my stress levels before and after exposure to ASMR. I will also create my own ASMR YouTube channel in order to see if I am capable of helping others eliminate stress.

Once I create my ASMR YouTube video, I will link it here, so stayed tuned! In the meantime, check out my trailer below!