At 11:00 pm each night, Phan Thi Ngoc Giau dims the lights in her Hanoi room, sits down, and powers up her camera.
Arranged on the desk before her and a nearby shelf is an assortment of items: pens, books, paintbrushes, plush toys, snacks, and of course, her microphone.
For the next two hours or so, the 27-year-old will live-stream herself engaging in a range of activities, from the ordinary to the unusual.
She may squeeze slime, apply makeup, put in eye drops, or even spray water into a plastic bag to mimic the patter of rain.
Every action is carefully designed to create sounds that evoke the ‘tingles’ associated with autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR).
In these ASMR live streams, loud noises and boisterous conversation are avoided to ensure a tranquil experience for viewers on the cusp of sleep.
During these peaceful hours, Giau occasionally whispers softly to interact with her audience.
When viewers send digital gifts, she expresses her gratitude with a heartfelt, heart-shaped gesture.
Giau’s live streams are a multisensory experience, combining captivating sounds with soothing music to maximize viewer relaxation.
Thousands tune in to Giau’s calming live streams on TikTok daily.
Even first-time viewers often find themselves lulled to sleep by her unique sounds, sometimes with their phones still in hand.
As the night progresses, the audience gradually dwindles, with most drifting off to sleep around 1:00 am, and the remaining few bidding her farewell before signing off.
A Demanding and Detrimental Job with Modest Pay
Giau’s seemingly simple actions belie the skill and hard work required.
Regardless of the props used, she must maintain a rhythmic and moderate volume, avoiding exaggeration in her sound effects.
“I’ve studied various techniques from international sources and experimented to find what works best,” Giau said. “I fine-tune the sounds until they’re just right for my live streams.”
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| Phung Minh Hau, a sleep influencer from Long Hai Town, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, Vietnam, engages with his audience during a live session. Photo by An Vi for Tuoi Tre |
Her repertoire includes ocean waves crafted from modeling clay, sea breezes simulated with towels and brushes, and even the sound of ear cleaning, created with plastic wrap and cotton buds.
Giau dedicates 30 minutes daily to learning English, which is crucial for connecting with her international audience. This has significantly improved her language skills.
Before going live, Giau often spends extra time on her makeup, ensuring she looks her best.
Few know that behind her glamorous online persona is someone who struggles with insomnia due to the post-stream cleanup, tool organization, and late-night makeup removal routine, which can keep her up until 3:00 am.
“This work has completely changed my daily routine,” she said. “I stay up while others sleep, and sleep while others are waking up. I also often get stomachaches from irregular meals and late-night eating.”
ASMR live streaming is Giau’s primary source of income, thanks to donations, advertisements, and platform monetization. However, experts caution that it may not be as financially rewarding as some headlines suggest.
According to ABC News, those making videos on TikTok typically earn about four cents per 1,000 views, and the platform also takes a cut of digital gifts.
“Only a small minority are making significant money,” said Edith Hill, an associate lecturer at Flinders University in Australia.
This is also true for Vietnamese sleep influencers like Phung Minh Hau, a 29-year-old from Long Hai Town, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, with approximately 780,000 TikTok followers. His monthly income averages more than VND10 million (US$393), which may not seem substantial but is a lifeline for Hau, who suffers from kidney failure and was previously unable to work.
Live-streaming as a sleep influencer has given him a new source of regular income to fund his treatment and support his family.
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