Researchers at University of Nevada at Las Vegas have found that the way you stayed connected with friends and family during the COVID-19 pandemic affected your stress levels. In a study published in the journal Human Communication and Technology, researchers found that regular voice phone calls and emails were more effective at helping people feel less lonely through the pandemic than newer technology, such as video chats, interactive video games, and social media. Somewhat surprisingly, the researchers found that instead of helping them connect to their friends and family, social media actually added stress for most people during those already stressful times.