‘Zoom fatigue’ is taxing the brain. Here's why that happens.

2020 has thrust people into a regular virtual space.

This unofficial social experiment confirms that virtual interactions can take its toll on the brain, commonly known as Zoom fatigue. This exhaustion also applies to Google Hangout, Skype, FaceTime, or any other video-calling interface.

• A typical video call demands more intense focus on the words, as most other body language cues are missing. If somebody is really dependent on those non-verbal cues, it can be very draining not to have them.
• Multi-person screens magnify this exhausting problem, as it challenges the brain’s central vision, forcing it to decode too many people at once.

• If you view a single speaker at a time, you can’t recognize how non-active participants are behaving - something you otherwise would pick up with a peripheral vision.

• For some people, the prolonged split in attention can overwhelm the brain by unfamiliar excess stimuli while being hyper-focused on searching for non-verbal cues that it can’t find.

A traditional phone call may be less taxing on the brain because it delivers on a promise to convey only a voice.

For those who have neurological difficulty with in-person communication, such as those with autism, the shift to video calls has been positive.

Video calls lead to fewer people talking and less filler conversation, which relieves tension and anxiety felt by autistic individuals.

Once people learn to navigate the mental overload video chatting can cause, Zoom fatigue can be reduced.

• If you're feeling over-stimulated, turn off your camera. Save your energy for when you want to perceive the few non-verbal cues available.
• If the meeting can be done by phone, try walking at the same time.