ASMR is best described as a physical sensation of tingling that often begins in the scalp and moves down through the spine and sometimes to the limbs. It is a pleasurable feeling that some would call relaxing. ASMR is also known as AIHO (attention induced head orgasm) or AIE (attention induced euphoria).

The feeling of ASMR is triggered by a number of different stimuli, and the effective triggers can differ from person to person.


Some common triggers include:

- The sound of lips smacking, such as when eating.
- Slow or soft speech patterns. Whispering, too.
- Receiving personal attention from someone, such as having your hair done/haircut, having your make-up done, receiving an eye exam, receiving a massage, etc.
- Having someone play with your hair.
- Certain sounds may trigger the effect, like fire crackling, paper scratching, white noise, running water, etc.
- Watching someone who is performing a meticulous task, like fixing an electronic, working origami, making tea, etc.
- etc, many different "triggers" for people