Do you ever spend your bathroom breaks catching up on headlines, checking your inbox, or scrolling through social media?
You may want to think twice — new research suggests this habit could raise your risk of developing hemorrhoids.
According to a study published Sept. 3 in PLOS One, people who use their smartphones while on the toilet face a 46% higher risk of hemorrhoids compared to those who don’t. Researchers say the extra time spent sitting — often without realizing it — may increase pressure on the anal area, contributing to the development of hemorrhoids.
“We’re still uncovering the many ways smartphones and our modern way of life impact our health,” senior researcher Dr. Trisha Pasricha, a gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, said in a news release. “It’s possible that how and where we use them — such as while in the bathroom — can have unintended consequences.”
Hemorrhoids involve swollen veins in the rectal or anal region that can lead to discomfort, pain or bleeding. Harvard Medical School notes that they often arise from added pressure, whether due to pregnancy, excess body weight or straining during bowel movements.
For this study, researchers surveyed 125 adults preparing for colonoscopy at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Of that group, about 43% had hemorrhoids.
Two-thirds of participants — roughly 66% — reported that they use their smartphones while on the toilet. The most common activities were reading the news and browsing social media.
Even after accounting for factors like age, physical activity and fiber consumption, smartphone use in the bathroom remained linked to a 46% higher risk of hemorrhoids.
The study also found that people who bring their phones into the bathroom tend to sit longer. About 37% of smartphone users spent more than five minutes on the toilet per visit, compared with only 7% of those who didn’t use their phones there.
“It’s incredibly easy to lose track of time when we’re scrolling on our smartphones — popular apps are designed entirely for that purpose,” Pasricha said. “But it’s possible that constantly sitting longer on the toilet than you intended because you’re distracted by your smartphone could increase your risk of hemorrhoids,” she said.
Pasricha said the findings reinforce general bathroom advice many have heard before.
“Leave the smartphones outside the bathroom and to try to spend no more than a few minutes to have a bowel movement,” she said. “If it’s taking longer, ask yourself why. Was it because having a bowel movement was really so difficult, or was it because my focus was elsewhere?”
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