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Zoom Brain: What You Need to Know and How to Manage

We’ve been substituting video calls for IRL connection. What’s it doing to our brains?

Amy Maoz

Read when you’ve got time to spare.

Since early 2020, video calls have become the solution to everyone’s would-be canceled plans. From work meetings to happy hours, conferences to weddings, Kindergarten to grad school, everybody Zooms in at some point.

After hours upon hours of approximating eye contact and “I think you’re on mute” snafus, scientists and academics began to warn that our brains might be suffering in new and distinct ways from the lack of face-to-face connection we’ve been experiencing. Read on for a fascinating reading list of how video conferencing has contributed to burnout, fatigue, fight-or-flight responses, and an odd breed of self-loathing—plus, how to counter the negative effects.

‘Zoom Fatigue’ Is Taxing the Brain. Here’s Why That Happens.

Video calls seemed an elegant solution to remote work, but they wear on the psyche in complicated ways.

What Happens to Your Brain When You Look at Yourself on Zoom Too Much

“With video, we must rely on our eye contact at all times. It takes much more emotional effort to stay engaged in video interactions.”

Kids Are Growing Up Wired — and That's Changing Their Brains

Smartphones and other tech pose special challenges—and opportunities—for young brains.

Combating Zoom Overload with Reverse Meetings

The attention economics of reverse meetings can be much more favorable than our current standard.

The Origins of Video-Chat Voice

We sound strange on Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime. Why?

Zoom and Gloom

Sitting in a videoconference is a uniformly crap experience. Instead of corroding our humanity, let’s design tools to enhance it.

Stanford Researchers Identify Four Causes for ‘Zoom Fatigue’ and Their Simple Fixes

It’s not just Zoom. Popular video chat platforms have design flaws that exhaust the human mind and body. But there are easy ways to mitigate their effects.

Class of Zoom

The reality of virtual graduation, prom, and college orientation.

Zoom Calls Trigger Our ‘Fight or Flight’ Survival Reflex Because We Can’t Escape the Squares of Close-up Faces

The medium can be more taxing and intensifies everyday work communication.

How to Combat Zoom Fatigue

To make video calls less exhausting for yourself, try using a few research-based tips.

Zoom Burnout Is Real

And here’s what to do about it.