Have you ever heard of ASMR?

Autonomous sensory meridian response — it’s a brain tingling phenomenon that involves soothing sounds putting people straight to sleep.

“ASMR is a perceptual sensory phenomenon, likened to meditation, which encompasses a pleasant and calming ‘tingling’ sensation localized to the scalp and neck in those able to experience it,” according to an NIH article entitled ‘Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response: What is It? and Why Should We Care?’ “These sensations are triggered by specific auditory and visual stimuli such as whispering, personal attention, and even being the subject of a physician’s clinical examination. People looking to experience ASMR turn to the website “YouTube” where videos have been produced that utilize these triggers. These videos are generally watched by users in a quiet environment to achieve the relaxing effect of ASMR.”

While those YouTube videos typically involve some gentle whispering, unboxing items or tapping plastic, you probably have never been lulled to sleep by the dulcet sounds of rushing water as a submarine makes a dive beneath the waves, until now.

It’s just as soothing as playing Endless Ocean — if you grew up in the 90s and your parents bought you a GameCube. Just kick back and let the water rush over you.

While you are being lulled to sleep though, it’s worth noting that surfacing can be one of the most tense moments for submariners, whether in combat or just entering a crowded harbor. You might call it the calm above the surface.

Sarah Sicard is a Senior Editor with Military Times. She previously served as the Digitial Editor of Military Times and the Army Times Editor. Other work can be found at National Defense Magazine, Task & Purpose, and Defense News.

Share:
In Other News
No more stories