ASMR Head Massage: For a Quick and Peaceful Sleep

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Last weekend while having my virtual head massage (and falling asleep in 3min of course), I thought maybe it's high time that I introduce my readers to this blissful method for a quick and peaceful sleep.

What is ASMR?

Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a neologism for a perceptual phenomenon characterized as a distinct, pleasurable tingling sensation in the head, scalp, back, or peripheral regions of the body in response to visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, or cognitive stimuli.

Now in Simple English:

Pleasant tingling or buzzing sensations felt in the head. YouTube videos or hearing people whispering can stimulate the sensation. Other triggers may include goal-oriented tasks, soft-speaking, role-playing, and music. 

To learn more about ASMR: Click Here

How it all started:

One fine night, I wanted a head massage and no one were ready to give me one :( , and I was too lazy to use my Head Massager. (This is a must have). You can purchase it at any online store for a few dollars, or if you are in Sri lanka, it's available for purchase Here

Pressure Point Head Massager Tool

So, here I was, dreaming about a head massage at the salon the next day, but then you know how we you tube addicts feel, we love checking out 'How its done' videos.

The next thing I know, I'm on you tube, I type in 'Head Massage at Salon' , watch a few videos, and then I come across something that says 'ASMR Hair Brushing', I'm sure just the thought of having your hair brushed gives you that tingly sleepy sensation, and that's exactly what the thought and the video did to me.

From that day I've watched all kinds of ASMR videos, and a few selected ones more than once.

You can watch that very first Hair Brushing video below:



Basically ASMR videos are shot in a very feel at home atmosphere, and instead of talking they whisper (Not in a creepy way, but in a soothing tone).

A few special equipment are used while recording ASMR videos in order to achieve the real feel, when you watch these you realize that you can actually hear the comb brushing the hair, or the scalp scratching etc.

If you like to know what the basic equipment are, watch the video below:

Types of ASMR videos:

1. Audio Only (All you have to do is close your eyes and listen)
2. Video
    i. Ones where they massage or comb the camera
   ii. Ones where massages are done on another person

Most of these videos are Binaural (which requires you to wear both headphones), and I love the videos (especially the 2nd type) over audios, and I also hate wearing headsets in bed, it doesn't help me sleep well. You know that feeling when something is nagging you constantly, that's what the headset does, a tiny barrier between be and my bed.

Best and my most favourite ASMR Video Channels on Youtube:

Fairy Char ASMR
MassageASMR
ASMR Massage Psychetruth
Olivia's Kissper AMR
WhispersRed ASMR

My Challenge for You:

I have shared one of my most favourite and most watched (I finally downloaded it) videos below, and I challenge you to watch it till the end (It's only 12 mins, and I rarely get to watch it full) without falling asleep.

Most of the time I feel really sleepy by the 6th minute, and I pause the the video, off the mobile data, and within the next second I'm in a deep sleep, the 1st thing I wake up to in the morning is the paused you tube video.

Back to the challenge, the rules are:

• You must lie on a bed or any other comfortable surface
• To be watched only at Night or in the Evening
• No Multitasking (Texting, Writing, Talking etc)
• Last but not the least, MUST WATCH ALONE

Try it out and let us know how it went along with the hashtag #AQasmrChallenge , on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

2016: The Year so far, My Plans and Some Tips for you

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It's been only 7 days since the dawn of new year, and it has been great so far, very satisfying actually, be it Food, Happiness level, Active level or anything, way better than last year, and I see myself making proper use of time. 

I recently had the time to look at my Blog, and realized that I've been writing posts annually, and none in 2015, so this year, one of my New Year Resolution was to publish posts on my personal blog (Do I have another blog? Oh yeah!! ;) ) at least once a month. And then the makeover to the blog, went pink, purple, black and girly this time with the background, and an EASY to remember domain (even I found thinkdistinctively hard to pronounce), and now with the new domain the blog shows up first on Google search. 

2016 has been a year of great changes (ALREADY?!!), I've started on my usual practice of 'Dawn of the New Year Assumptions', which I think I stopped doing for the past 3years, well, it's basically assuming what happens in the upcoming new year, based on how and what you felt on the Dawn of New Year (that is at 12 midnight) and on the 1st of Jan, you write down your assumptions (Ex: I'll be taking over responsibilities or Travelling throughout the year or a lot of food this year) on a paper or diary and check them on the dawn of the next new year to see if your gut feelings or assumptions were correct or not. 

In my case of course, whatever I've assumed so far has come true (weird though, or my gut feelings are right), just give it a try and see, it's not late yet. 

And I got a DIARY this year (Whaat), yes, sounds crazy, but been 3 years since I owned a diary, and I blame the loss of creativity on that. 

And then, one of my assumptions was Food, loads of food, and that is what has been happening, whether at Home, Office or From Bae, I'm being stuffed with all kinds of cuisine. (There is also me treating myself to JUNK FOOD) 

My Plans for 2016: 

2016 is gonna be a busy year, (I think) and I've got hundreds and thousands of plans running on my mind, raw materials needed, how to implement, how to market, etc etc. Too many Hows and Can't wait to Try it outs, if I had the money would start off everything this week, but then maybe I should take it slow, if not be broke for the rest of the month. (Heehee) 

I've got to juggle between office work, personal work (can't let the room be a mess, can I), then the Online store, Personal blog, Other Blog (Which I haven't written a post until now), DIY ideas and other ideas (which I will not reveal now). 

But the sad part is that we've got only 24 Hours a day, and January is a lil slow, and the rains are messing with my plans too, but soon, will start off other things I'm missing. No, I do not procrastinate, I get too excited to try out everything all at once. The other day, on the 1st, I was looking for a branch for a craft idea, went to the garden, got one off the Cherry Tree, but then it was too cute to chop off the extras, and now there it is, as part of my room decor (I found another for the craft though, now my room has 2 dried branches) 

As to rarely writing on my blog, the problem is I get ideas on what to write (I compose the post on my head) at night, while doing chores at home, and by the time I go to a paper to write it down, I've forgotten almost everything. (And its mind to mouth with me, before mind to pen, so if you see me talking on my own, its just the ideas flowing), So now, I've started recording what I speak (Awkward). 

Tip to Everyone: 

It's not late to be who you want to be, start off right now, you don't necessarily have to do one job, give time to your passions as well, and my suggestion would be to start your own blog so that you can share who you are and your ideas with the world, and maybe you can make some money out of your passion as well. (But make sure money is not your priority, instead the happiness of doing what you like). 

'Never Depend on a Single Income'

Nowadays lives are way too complicated, and many work in places they don't belong in, but remain there for the money, you can stick do that, and at the same time do what you like to do. 

I'd like to end with this quote by Robin Sharma I saw this morning, "Don't Live The Same Year 75 Times and Call it a Life". Keep this in mind at all times peeps.

Do let me know what your plans for 2016 are, and what changes you want to incorporate into your life this year (Hoping to write on this subject), and try the Assumption Game too.

'Big Girl' by Danielle Steel, It's not only about the weight :Book Review

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After days of reading action, thriller and romance, I finally found a novel I was touched by, and had important messages to its readers.

The novel was 'Big Girl' by Danielle Steel.

Whenever I get my hands on a Steel novel & see the advert for Big Girl, I made it a point to read this one day. And special thanks to a colleague who recently reminded me about the book :)

Being a one without weight gain issues so far, and having friends who are always in the mood to diet frantically, I was curious to know the the point of view of girls with weight issues, well, the book didn't disappoint me.

The story revolves around Victoria (named after Queen Victoria, for her chubby appearance and the nose) born to parents who are slender, model looking, self centered, outspoken and disappointed by her looks, making her constantly feel like the outcast of the family.

“.. that terrible feeling that you're not good enough to be loved by the people you love most, and eventually by anyone else.” 
― Danielle Steel, Big Girl

 "Big Girl: A novel on unconventional beauty, while exploring deeply resonant issues of weight, self image, sisterhood and family" (Daniellesteel.com)

While reading the book, it makes you realize that there may be people in this world to whom looks do matter a lot.

While the story does say about Victoria's constant urge to reduce wight, and how her dieting plans are ruined when she is depressed, it also reveals a few important aspects of life, something all of us can learn from, or relate to.

* Parenting, for example, how it should be and shouldn't be done, 'Comparison' between children being a big NO!! (Here, Victoria is compared with her sister Grace, who resembles her parents).

Every child born in this world is beautiful, and looks don't matter in life anyway, it is the heart that the people will remember till the end.

A child sees the world through it's parents eyes during its growing up period, and the way they view the child is how the child thinks that the world views him or her.

When a single parent or both the parents fail to be a moral support to the child, and constantly point out that the child will be a failure in life, and makes the child feel that he or she doesn't deserve to be loved as a result of how the child looks from the outside, it can have a great impact on the child's' life later on, affecting the child psychologically, making them question him / herself as to whether they really deserve what they have, and underestimate about themselves.

* Siblings also play a vital role in a child's future, when the parents fail to support a child, a kin to support, smile with, to give love and care, to speak to, can be a great consolation to the child. 

* All the people don't think that you deserve to be unloved, there are people out there who will love you for just the way you are.

* No matter who you are, how you look, what you go through, there's always a better half to whom your looks don't matter, and who will indeed make you feel better, loved, understands you, protects and celebrates you!!!

"Life has a way of working out, the lid for every pot theory seemed to work, if you waited long enough and were patient"  - Danielle Steel, Big Girl

 “People are so obsessed with that these days. As long as you're healthy, what difference do a few pounds make? Crazy diets. Thirteen-year-old girls on magazine covers who wind up in hospitals because they're so anorexic. Real women don't look like that. And who wants them to? No one wants a woman who looks sick or like she;s been from a refugee camp.” 
― Danielle Steel, Big Girl

I say it's a good read, a book for everyone, it makes you feel better, gives you hope, and makes you realize that you are not the only one who feels like an outcast within your own family, and that you can be loved and celebrated!!