Virtual meetings on Google Meet, Zoom, Teams take a toll on mental & physical health; researchers suggest tips to tackle long-term impact
Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet has become ubiquitous, reshaping the way we work, learn, and connect socially. However, recent scientific studies have raised alarms about the potential adverse effects of prolonged use of these tools on our mental and physical well-being.
A study published in Nature, conducted by researchers from the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, delves into the impact of virtual meetings on the human brain and heart.
Using electrodes to measure brain and heart activity, the study focused on 35 university students participating in a 50-minute video conferencing session. The results unveiled concerning changes in the nervous system, indicating heightened fatigue, reduced attention, and physiological strain on the heart.
Rene Riedl, a professor at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria and one of the study authors, emphasized the significance of their findings, stating, «Based on our research results, we recommend a break after 30 minutes, because we found that with 50 minutes of video conferencing, significant changes in physiological and subjective fatigue could be observed.»
The study's participants reported feeling notably more fatigued, tired and fed up during the virtual meeting compared to face-to-face interactions.
