Best Relaxing ASMR Sounds: Top Triggers

Want to add crinkling, chewing or whispering sound effects to your audio, video or visual projects? Then tune into our round-up of the best – and most soothing – royalty-free sounds of ASMR available on Envato Elements.

If you want to get technical, ASMR stands for ‘autonomous sensory meridian response’, but it’s often described as a ‘brain massage’ or ‘braingasm’. This is because many people who listen to ASMR sounds say they experience an enjoyable tingling sensation that starts at the top of their head and works its way down the body.

ASMR is a relatively new trend, but it’s popularity shows no sign of slowing down. YouTube alone hosts more than 170 million videos of softly spoken ASMR artists performing popular triggers including brushing their hair, chewing gum and turning the pages of a book.

When it comes to accessing royalty-free music and sound effects, at Envato we believe there’s audio for every occasion. If you want your audience to feel inspired, then you cue up a playlist of motivational music tracks. If you want to lead them on a trip down memory lane, then it has to be the rock and pop sounds of the 80s. And, if you want to promote a sense of rest and relaxation, then press play on some ASMR. 

Just as nature sounds like buzzing bees and falling rain can make you feel relaxed, ASMR triggers are believed to reduce a person’s stress levels, improve their mood and even alleviate pain. But, in addition to these wellness benefits, the sounds can also be used as study tools. So, if you want your listeners to concentrate and really focus on your video or podcast, then ASMR can help. 

The next time you are selecting the music track for a podcast, think about what added audio treats you can offer in the form of ASMR – like pencil on paper to set a creative tone. Check out the top triggers on Envato Elements and start giving your listeners a tingle. 

Fringe trim or whole new hairstyle? You decide with this snipping scissor sound effect that recreates the sensation of sitting in a seat at the salon or barber shop. 

Bursting bubble wrap and crunching plastic packaging is classic ASMR, but this trend takes the bubbles to the bath. Immerse your listeners in the plink-plonk noise of a gently dripping tap and the sound of shampoo foam being lathered and soap bubbles popping.

When fingernails come into contact with everyday objects, ASMR magic takes place. Like the insanely addictive sound of someone running their nails along the teeth of a hair comb.

The sounds of hair brushing and scalp massages are ASMR staples, so why complicate the audio with any other elements? Keep it simple with this soothing session that simply focuses on detangling and defrizzing. 

Who knew the rustling, crackling and crinkling sound of someone handling plastic packaging could sound so deliciously satisfying? ASMR fans, that’s who. It’s one of the most popular sensory triggers out there.

We always suspected Bob Ross was ahead of his time. Proclaimed by many as the ASMR artist of the analogue age, people tuned into his painting programmes to listen to the sound of brushstrokes on canvas (and to see some simply stunning landscapes, of course). 

What’s being written? Who cares when you’re listening to this satisfying sensory trigger. The sound of fingers flying over the keys is deeply soothing, especially as you aren’t the one doing the hard work. 

Mouth sounds, chewing and eating effects are popular ASMR triggers, and this track of a horse chowing down on a crunchy carrot will really set your audience’s mouths watering.

If your multimedia project requires a sense of creative endeavour, the sound of a freshly sharpened pencil moving across paper should do the trick. Shading, scrawling, scribbling – it’s an arty audio track. 

Forget the nerve-jangling noise of fingernails scraping a blackboard and instead tune into the sound of someone scratching a wall. ASMR artists often experiment with different textures and materials, and this track is an audio ode to wallpaper.

Snatches of sentences, breathless utterances and multiple female voices combine to create a whispering audio track that won’t just have listeners’ heads tingling – an eerie element will make their hair stand on end.

To discover a huge range of sound effects and audio tracks, sign up for an Envato Elements subscription and access ASMR sounds and triggers that your audience will love. And, to discover hundreds of ways to take your multimedia project to the next level, don’t forget to subscribe to the Envato YouTube channel.