The bathroom has become the new digital haven. A survey shows 60 to 66% of adults use their smartphones while sitting on the toilet. Among young people aged 25 to 34, the figure rises to 80%.
What starts as a quick check of social media or apps can drag on longer than planned. Nearly half of users (48%) have been surprised by how quickly time passes with their phone in the bathroom.
Connection between mobile phones and health problems
But this habit comes at a price: spending too much time sitting on the toilet can promote the development of hemorrhoids, medical experts warn. The cause: persistent increased pressure on the blood vessels in the anal area due to the sitting position and a relaxed pelvic floor.
A recent study from Harvard Medical School supports this concern. The research, published in the journal PLOS One by Trisha Pasricha’s team, analyzed 125 adults and found an alarming correlation: those who used their cell phones in the bathroom had a 46% higher risk of hemorrhoids than those who didn’t.
The data is revealing: of the 66% of participants who used their smartphone in the bathroom, 37% stayed there for more than five minutes per visit. In contrast, among those who didn’t use the device, only 7% stayed that long.
After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, physical activity, straining during defecation, and fiber intake, statistical analysis revealed a significant association with hemorrhoids.
Prolonged sitting time: the key factor according to science
The key factor is time, not effort. Contrary to traditional medical beliefs that associated hemorrhoids primarily with constipation and straining during defecation, this study found no significant differences in these factors between mobile users and non-users.
Pasricha explained. “If it takes longer, ask yourself why. Was it because defecation really was that difficult, or because my attention was elsewhere?” Setting a timer might help.
However, German gastroenterologist Ulrich Tappe questions the validity of the study. According to Tappe, colonoscopy has limitations in accurately diagnosing hemorrhoids, and the research does not adequately consider the influence of other determining factors.
Enlarged hemorrhoids also develop over longer periods of time; therefore, a long-term study, not a mere snapshot, would be necessary. “Methodologically, this is simply weak,” he asserted.
Everyone naturally experiences hemorrhoids: they are vascular structures located in the anal canal that, along with the sphincter muscles, help maintain continence. The problem arises when they become permanently enlarged, causing pain, itching, and bleeding.
Problematic hemorrhoids are often caused by chronic constipation that requires straining during bowel movements. This constipation, Tappe explains, can be due to multiple factors: a sedentary lifestyle, a low-fiber diet, and being overweight, among others.
Smartphone hygiene: an underestimated risk in the bathroom
Beyond hemorrhoids, there’s another concern: hygiene. Many people are repulsed by the thought of using their phones in the bathroom, and with good reason. The YouGov survey reveals that only 39% of users clean their devices after using the bathroom, with women being more careful than men (44% versus 33%).
“The flora of the mobile phone reflects the flora of the owner’s hand,” says Markus Egert of Furtwangen University. Just like hands, the smartphone should also be cleaned after using the bathroom, for example, with an alcohol-based eyeglass cleaning wipe, the microbiologist explains.
Cell phones are not a good breeding ground for germs, but fecal germs capable of reproducing can remain stuck to them.
Experts also have a tip for those who find it hard to give up the bathroom as a valuable refuge for short breaks: simply sit on the closed toilet lid.
