I destroyed my mum’s marriage with a common sleeping hack

"She considers it strange and borderline cheating.” 

A step dad looking for a little peace and quiet at bedtime has found anything but that. 

After struggling to fall asleep at night, his stepson suggested he try ASMR—a harmless solution, or so you might think.

The 20-year-old had no idea that he was recommending a relationship hazard. 

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Women whisper in his ear

The trouble began when his mother found out and didn’t approve of her husband’s new bedtime routine. 

“My mother thought it was weird that he was falling asleep listening to women whispering in his ear,” he explained.

His attempt to make a peaceful environment has instead sparked arguments.

“They fight about it pretty often because she considers it strange and borderline cheating,” he said.

All he wanted was to help his stepdad get some shut-eye, but admits he can see his mum's side.

“I get where she's coming from and how it’s weird if you don’t know much about ASMR,” he agreed.

But he insists the whisper videos are totally harmless.

“It’s all wholesome ASMR that he watches,” he clarified.

“I’ve tried to tell her that I introduced him to it, and it’s not sexual in any way, but she still argues about it.”

Now the stepson has been left feeling guilty about the whole situation. 

Image: iStock

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"So insecure"

Hoping for some reassurance, he turned to Reddit for advice.

Most commenters struggled to understand his mother’s perspective.

“Your mother is being weird, and that’s not your fault. By her logic, listening to music sung by women or watching movies with female actors could be ‘borderline cheating’ too,” said one user.

“Is there a reason your mum is so insecure?” another asked.

“He better stay off audiobooks,” a third joked. 

One commenter suggested a possible explanation for her frustration: misophonia.

It's a condition that causes intense reactions to certain sounds, such as chewing or pen-clicking.

“I know mine sends me into a rage after about 30 seconds of being forced to listen to ASMR,” they shared.

For now, his stepfather has hit pause on the ASMR, but it hasn’t completely resolved the tension.

“She still brings it up, and I just can't help but think it’s all my fault,” the stepson said.

Who knew falling asleep quietly could cause so much noise?

Originally published as I destroyed my mum’s marriage with a common sleeping hack