Virtual meetings dangerous for brain and heart: these measures can prove useful

After the Corona epidemic, the use of virtual meeting platforms like Zoom and Google Meet has become a part of life.

Now scientists have warned about their use. Scientists have claimed after research that digital meetings put additional stress and pressure on the mind and heart. This research has been published in the journal Nature.

According to researchers at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, video conferencing is more tiring than face-to-face meetings.

During the study, researchers observed students from 35 universities by attaching electrodes to the head and chest and measuring their brain and heart activity. These tools were designed to investigate video conferencing fatigue (VCF).

After scanning the students' brains and hearts, it was found that those who participated in a 50-minute video conferencing session experienced changes in the nervous system. This was making the students extremely tired and they were able to concentrate less on things. Along with this, tension was being created in the brain and heart.

These are the solutions:

1. Take frequent breaks.

2. Follow the 20-20-20 rule for less eye strain. (When using a digital screen, take a 20-second break every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away. This reduces eye strain.)

3. Use mindfulness techniques to reduce stress.

4. Adopt a hybrid communication model that combines online and face-to-face interactions.

5. Minimize screen time by scheduling meetings.

It is quite obvious that these meetings have become a part and parcel of our working lives and are very difficult to avoid. We can however take necessary precautions to safeguard our health. If these minor precautions are taken then we will be able to keep ourselves fitter and healthier and also perform better at our jobs, the experts say.