The Brain Science (and Benefits) of ASMR | Craig Richard | TED

Transcriber: Leslie Gauthier

Translator: Ana Vázquez Pérez Reviewer: Servizo de Normalización Lingüística

I’m a bald man --

Son un home calvo…

(Laughter)

(Risas)

but I don’t miss my hair.

mais non estraño o meu cabelo.

What I do miss is going to the hairdresser.

O que boto en falta é ir ao peiteador.

I found it to be such an enjoyable and relaxing experience.

Paréceme unha experiencia tan agradable e relaxante…

I loved it when they would rub their fingers through my hair

Encantábame cando me refregaba o cabelo cos dedos

while they washed my hair in the sink.

mentres mo lavaba na pía.

I enjoyed it when they walked me over to the chair,

Gozaba cando me levaba á cadeira

and they would play with my hair more

e xogaba máis co meu cabelo

and talk to me about different hairstyles and haircuts I could get.

e me falaba dos estilos e cortes de pelo que podería facer.

And I even enjoyed the gentle sound of the scissors --

Incluso gozaba do suave son das tesoiras

snip, snip, snip --

—snip, snip, snip—

right next to my ears.

ao carón das orellas.

I enjoyed it so much and I was so deeply relaxed

Gozábao tanto e estaba tan profundamente relaxado

that I remember many times I would just sit there

que recordo moitas veces que sentaba alí

and I’d think, “I’d pay you even if you just pretended to cut my hair.”

e pensaba: “Pagaríache incluso se só finxises que me cortas o cabelo.”

(Laughter)

(Risas)

There’s another moment also

Tamén hai outro momento

that often stimulates this deep relaxation for me.

que adoita producirme unha profunda relaxación.

It’s whenever I get an eye exam.

É cada vez que fago un exame da vista.

(Laughing)

(Ri)

And I’m not talking about those puffs of air they blow into your eyeballs.

E non falo deses sopros de aire que che disparan nos globos oculares.

That just makes my eyelids flutter thinking about it.

Iso faime pestanexar só de pensalo.

But instead it’s when they bring out the wheels of lenses.

É cando sacan a roda de lentes.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

And they click through them all.

E fan clic en todas elas.

And they want to know which lens helps you see better.

E queren saber con que lente ves mellor.

“One or two?”

“A primeira ou a segunda?”

(Laughter)

(Risas)

“One or two?”

“A primeira ou a segunda?”

(Laughter)

(Risas)

And they say it in this very relaxing voice.

E dino con esa voz relaxante.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

And there’s something about that moment of personal attention

Hai algo nese momento de atención persoal

and that soft voice that just deeply relaxes me.

e nesa suave voz que me relaxa profundamente

And it gives me these light, sparkling, pleasurable brain tingles.

e me produce un lixeiro e agradable formigo no cerebro.

I enjoy it so much

Gózoo tanto

that as they click through each option,

que, a medida que fan clic en cada opción,

I want it to last a little bit longer.

quero que dure un pouco máis,

So when they ask me, “One or two?”

así que cando preguntan “a primeira ou a segunda?”

I say, “Oh, I’m not sure.”

digo: “Ai, non estou seguro”.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

Another moment that often stimulates this deep form of relaxation

Outro momento que adoita producirme ese profundo estado de relaxación

is when I watch the TV show, Bob Ross’s “Joy of Painting.”

é cando vexo o programa de televisión The Joy of Painting, de Bob Ross.

(Laughter and applause)

(Risas e aplausos)

I would come home from school,

Volvía á casa da escola,

throw some pillows on the floor,

tiraba uns coxíns no chan,

lie down

deitábame

and let that soft voice just sweep over me.

e deixaba que esa suave voz simplemente me invadise.

And he had the nicest personality.

E tiña unha personalidade xenial.

He’d turn to the camera,

Xirábase cara á cámara,

he’d look right at me,

fitábame

and he’d say the kindest things like, “There are no mistakes,

e dicía cousas do máis amables, como “non hai erros,

just happy accidents.”

tan só felices accidentes”.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

And then he’d turn back to his canvas

E xirábase de novo cara aos lenzos

and he’d make these gentle, relaxing sounds with his paintbrush.

e facía eses sons suaves e agradables co pincel.

Tap, tap ...

Tap, tap...

tap, tap, tap.

Tap, tap, tap.

And I found it so relaxing that I often fell asleep

Atopábao tan relaxante que adoitaba quedar durmido

and never saw him finish the painting.

e nunca o vía rematar o cadro.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

In 2013, I learned that this special response has a special name.

En 2013, souben que esta resposta especial ten un nome especial:

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response,

resposta sensorial meridiana autónoma,

or much more simply, ASMR.

ou, simplemente, ASMR.

That is a complicated word,

É unha palabra complicada,

so it’s a good thing we’ve got it simplified.

así que está ben simplificala.

Now, I’m a physiologist.

Eu son fisiólogo.

I’m a researcher.

Son investigador.

I’m a data nerd.

Son un friki dos datos.

I was so excited to read about the science of ASMR.

Por iso, devecía por ler sobre a ciencia do ASMR.

In 2013, there wasn’t a single peer-reviewed research study.

En 2013, non había nin un só estudo de investigación.

What I did find were plenty of forums:

O que si que atopei foron moitos foros:

thousands and thousands of comments,

milleiros e milleiros de comentarios,

all across the internet,

por toda Internet,

discussing this blissful sensation.

debatendo sobre esta magnífica sensación.

And they all reported the same response that I felt.

E todos eles falaban da mesma resposta que eu sentía.

They were deeply relaxed,

Estaban profundamente relaxados,

they felt comforted,

sentíanse cómodos,

they felt calmed

sentíanse calmados

and they had these light, sparkly brain tingles.

e tiñan esas lixeiras cóxegas no cerebro.

And I also noticed

Tamén caín na conta

that every scenario they described

de que todas as situacións que describían

that stimulated their ASMR

que estimulaban a súa ASMR

had a simple theme to it.

tiñan algo en común.

It was always when they were receiving positive personal attention

Sempre sucedía cando recibían atención persoal positiva

from a kind and caring individual.

dunha persoa amable e afectuosa.

And the examples they gave were very similar to my moments.

E os exemplos que daban eran moi similares aos meus momentos.

It was moments with hairdressers;

Eran momentos con peiteadores;

it was moments with health care professionals;

momentos con profesionais da saúde;

it was moments with teachers.

momentos con profesores.

They’d tell stories of the teacher from their childhood with the soft voice

Contaban historias do mestre da infancia con esa voz suave

who would kneel down next to them

que se axeonllaba ao seu carón

and help them solve a math problem.

e lles axudaba a resolver o problema de mates.

It was moments with parents.

Eran momentos cos pais.

It was moments with their best friends

Eran momentos cos seus mellores amigos

when they would whisper to each other in childhood.

cando se bisbaban uns aos outros de nenos.

Or they’d braid each other’s hair.

Ou cando se trenzaban o cabelo mutuamente.

Or they’d play that game

Ou cando xogaban a ese xogo

where you just lightly with your finger draw letters on each other’s backs

no que debuxabas suavemente co dedo letras na costas da outra persoa

and try to guess the letter.

e tratabas de adiviñar a letra.

But the moment that stimulated ASMR

Pero o momento que estimulaba a ASMR

that I saw the most often mentioned

que vin que se mencionaba máis a miúdo

was watching the TV show, Bob Ross’s “Joy of Painting.”

era vendo o programa de televisión The Joy of Painting, de Bob Ross.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

Now we know Bob Ross was not trying to stimulate people’s ASMR

Agora sabemos que Bob Ross non estaba tratando de estimular a ASMR da xente

or cause them to relax.

ou de provocarlle relaxación.

He was trying to teach you how to paint.

Tentaba ensinarnos a pintar.

But there are individuals today who are creating ASMR videos

Mais hai persoas hoxe en día que están creando vídeos de ASMR

just for the purpose of relaxing their viewers

só coa intención de relaxar os seus espectadores

and helping them to fall asleep more easily.

e axudalos a quedar durmidos.

They’re called ASMR artists,

Son os chamados artistas da ASMR

and they have millions of followers.

e teñen millóns de seguidores.

Some of them have more followers to their YouTube channel

Algúns deles teñen máis seguidores nas súas canles de YouTube

than Kim Kardashian has to her YouTuve channel.

ca Kim Kardashian na súa.

And what are they doing in these videos?

E que fan neses vídeos?

Well very simply,

Pois é moi simple:

they’re sitting close to the camera,

sentan preto da cámara,

they’re gazing into the lens,

miran cara ao obxectivo

and they’re speaking softly

e falan baixiño

or they're whispering gently.

ou murmuran docemente.

They may even be pretending to be a hairdresser

Incluso poden simular ser peiteadores

or pretending to be a health care professional

ou profesionais da saúde

or just speaking softly the way a close friend would to you.

ou simplemente che falan suavemente como o faría un amigo íntimo.

And right now ...

E agora…

I’d like to introduce you

Gustaríame presentarvos

to some very popular ASMR artists on YouTube.

algúns artistas da ASMR moi populares en YouTube,

So lean back,

así que acomodádevos,

stretch out your legs.

estirade as pernas…

(Laughter)

(Risas)

And enjoy.

e gozade.

(Video) ASMR Glow: Good.

(Vídeo) ASMR Glow: Ben.

Good.

Ben.

One last time.

Unha última vez.

Great.

Xenial.

(Video) WhispersRed ASMR: So there are lots of different things we need.

(Vídeo) WhispersRed ASMR: Precisamos moitas cousas diferentes.

Some we would have in our regular spa kit.

As que teriamos no noso kit de balneario habitual.

Some of them are quite obvious.

Algunhas son moi obvias.

(Breathing)

(Respiración)

Things like ...

Cousas como…

cotton buds ...

cotonetes…

e…

and ...

cotton pads.

algodóns.

(Video) Paris ASMR: I’ve brought some tasty tea from Paris.

(Vídeo) Paris ASMR: Merquei un saboroso té de París.

For you, yeah.

Para ti, si.

It is called, “Weekend à Paris.”

Chámase “Weekend à Paris”,

“Weekend in Paris.”

“Fin de semana en París”

I think it takes like, um ...

Penso que leva…

um, rose.

mmm, rosa.

(Video) Gentle Whispering ASMR: Alright.

(Vídeo) Gentle Whispering ASMR: Ben.

A bit to the front here.

Un pouco na fronte aquí.

(Scissors cut)

(Corte de tesoiras)

(Scissors cut)

(Corte de tesoiras)

OK.

Vale.

Stay still.

Non te movas.

(Scissors cut)

(Corte de tesoiras)

(Scissors cut)

(Corte de tesoiras)

Stay to make sure ...

Imos asegurarnos…

(Scissors cut)

(Corte de tesoiras)

It’s nice and even.

de que queda ben e igualado.

Mhm.

Mmm.

Craig Richard: Now, if you felt deeply relaxed

Craig Richard: Se vos sentistes profundamente relaxados

or maybe you felt those special brain tingles,

ou se sentistes esas cóxegas cerebrais especiais,

you might have been wondering, “What is going on inside my brain?”

tal vez vos preguntedes: “Qué está ocorrendo dentro do meu cerebro?”

Well, we wondered the same thing.

Nós preguntámonos o mesmo.

I recently published a brain scan study with Bryson Lochte

Hai pouco publiquei un estudo dun escáner cerebral con Bryson Lochte

and other researchers from Dartmouth College.

e outros investigadores de Dartmouth College.

And we saw that the brain regions that are activated

Vimos que as rexións do cerebro que se activan

while people are watching ASMR videos like these

mentres as persoas ven vídeos de ASMR coma estes

are the same brain regions that are activated

son as mesmas rexións cerebrais que se activan

when people are receiving positive personal attention

cando reciben atención persoal positiva

from a kind and caring person in the real world.

dunha persoa agradable e cariñosa na vida real.

I’ve also collected data from over 30,000 participants

Tamén recollín datos de máis de 30 000 participantes

as part of a research study with Karissa Burnett and Jennifer Allen.

como parte dun estudo de investigación con Karissa Burnett e Jennifer Allen.

And Jennifer Allen is the woman who coined the term

Jennifer Allen é a muller que acuñou o termo

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response in 2010.

resposta sensorial meridiana autónoma en 2010.

And what we see is that ASMR is experienced

O que vimos é que a ASMR esperiméntase

in over 130 different countries.

en máis de 130 países diferentes.

And the people are reporting the same experience.

E a xente fala da mesma experiencia.

They feel deeply relaxed.

Séntense profundamente relaxados

They have these special, light brain tingles.

e teñen esas cóxegas cerebrais especiais.

And it’s helping them to fall asleep more easily,

Tamén lles axuda a quedar durmidos máis facilmente

and it’s helping them to reduce their stress.

e a reducir o seu estrés.

Even individuals who are diagnosed with anxiety and insomnia

Hai incluso persoas diagnosticadas con ansiedade e insomnio

are reporting benefits from watching these ASMR videos

que falan dos beneficios de ver vídeos de ASMR

and experiencing ASMR.

e de experimentar a ASMR.

Other institutions are also publishing data about ASMR

Outras institucións tamén están publicando datos sobre a ASMR

and they’re reporting similar health benefits.

e documentando beneficios na saúde similares.

One study in particular,

Un estudio en particular,

from the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom,

da Universidade de Sheffield, no Reino Unido,

showed that when people watch ASMR videos,

mostrou que, cando as persoas ven vídeos de ASMR,

their heart rates significantly and effectively are reduced.

o seu ritmo cardíaco redúcese de forma significativa e eficiente.

Now there’s plenty of unanswered questions still.

Agora, aínda quedan moitas preguntas por responder,

Like, what might be the brain chemicals that are causing this amazing sensation?

como cales poderían ser os químicos que causan esta incrible sensación.

One likely candidate is the neural hormone oxytocin,

Unha candidata probable é a hormona neural oxitocina.

and you might have heard of this as “the love hormone.”

Se cadra coñecédela como “a hormona do amor”.

It’s already well known

E xa é ben sabido

that your oxytocin levels in your brain increase

que os niveis de oxitocina do cerebro aumentan

when anyone gives you positive personal attention

cando alguén nos dá atención persoal positiva

in a kind and caring way.

dunha forma agradable e cariñosa.

It's also already known that your oxytocin levels, when they increase,

Tamén se sabe que, cando aumentan os niveis de oxitocina,

you’ll feel relaxed,

sentímonos relaxados,

you’ll feel calmed,

sentímonos calmados,

you’ll feel comforted.

sentímonos cómodos.

Another big question is why doesn’t everyone experience ASMR?

Outra gran pregunta é por que non todo o mundo experimenta ASMR.

You might have been watching those video clips and been like,

Se cadra algún estaba vendo os vídeos e pensando:

“I didn’t feel any of those amazing brain tingles.

“Non sinto ningunha desas increíbles cóxegas cerebrais.

Grrr!”

Grrr!”

(Laughter)

(Risas)

Well, it could be that those clips aren’t the ones that work for you.

Ben, podería ser que estes clips non fosen do tipo que funciona con vós.

If you've never felt this experience,

Se nunca sentistes esta experiencia,

maybe you just haven’t had the right real-world encounter yet.

pode que non vivísedes o momento adecuado na vida real.

Or maybe it's determined at birth.

Ou pode que veña determinado de nacemento.

It could be determined by the sequence of your genes related to oxytocin

Podería estar determinado pola secuencia de xenes relacionados coa oxitocina

or other brain chemicals.

ou con outros químicos cerebrais.

Another big question is how do these health benefits of ASMR compare

Outra gran pregunta é como se comparan estes beneficios para a saúde da ASMR

to the widely reported health benefits of yoga,

cos amplamente documentados beneficios do ioga,

of mindfulness,

do mindfulness

of meditation?

e da meditación.

And how do these health benefits of ASMR compare to the therapeutic pros and cons

E como eses beneficios da ASMR se comparan cos pros e contras

of medications used to treat anxiety and insomnia?

de medicamentos utilizados para tratar a ansiedade e o insomnio.

And lastly,

E, por último,

will health professionals someday advocate ASMR

recomendarán algún día os profesionais da saúde a ASMR

as another tool in the toolbox

como unha ferramenta máis

to help people manage their stress and their sleeplessness?

para axudar a xente a manexar o seu estrés e a falta de sono?

I don’t have the answer to those questions ...

Non teño resposta para esas preguntas…

but I do know one thing.

pero sei unha cousa.

I know that my vision of a blissful heaven

Sei que a miña visión dun paraíso marabilloso

is Bob Ross greeting me at the pearly gates

é Bob Ross saudándome ás portas do ceo

and asking me, “Craig, would you like a haircut and an eye exam?”

e preguntándome:“Craig, prefires un corte de pelo ou un exame da vista?”

(Laughter)

(Risas)

(Applause)

(Aplausos)

(Applause and cheers)

(Aplausos e ovacións)