‘Zoom fatigue’ is real, scientists say

Psychologists and cognitive scientists agree that videoconferencing disrupts concentration and the natural flow of communication. — AFP Relaxnews

A large proportion of business meetings now take place online, largely due to the rise in remote working. But some employees report feeling wiped out by these virtual meetings. Recent research suggests that this phenomenon may be far more marked than you might imagine.

Researchers in Austria set out to determine the effects of so-called "Zoom fatigue" on the physical and mental health of those who report feeling it. They measured the brain and heart activity of 35 university students, using electrodes attached to their heads and chests, while they attended a 50-minute lecture. But not all the volunteers attended the lecture in the same way: 18 did so in person and 17 dialed in remotely.