THE GIFT OF SERENITY…

SELF

A new way to keep calm and carry on

Feeling the festive-season stress? Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response may be just the shortcut to calm that you need. ASMR videos, created with closely mic’d sounds of crunching, tapping and whispering, have taken the internet by storm: ‘ASMR triggers specific audio and visual stimuli, which can cause feelings of relaxation,’ says Dr Mark Winwood, director of psychological services at AXA PPP healthcare. There’s even a Christmas-focused strand, which sees ASMR artists wrapping and unwrapping gifts and tapping decorations. Search ‘ASMR Christmas’ and let the anti-stress benefits wash over you…