Toilet Secrets 🚽: Smartphone Habits & Health Risks!

Tech & Science

We use our smartphones nearly everywhere, even in the bathroom – a behavior that, surprisingly, appears linked to increased health risks. A recent study of colonoscopy patients revealed that approximately 66% used smartphones while sitting on the toilet at least once a week, and those frequent users exhibited a 46% increased risk of developing hemorrhoids. The study suggests a clear connection: individuals who use smartphones in the bathroom tend to remain seated for extended periods, often exceeding five minutes, compared to those who don’t. Research indicates this prolonged sitting is associated with hemorrhoids, alongside constipation and increased straining. Furthermore, the study found a significant disparity in usage patterns; 37.3% of smartphone users spent more than five minutes on the toilet during each visit, while only 7.1% of non-smartphone users did. Adjusting for factors such as age, sex, BMI, exercise activity, and “straining and fiber intake,” the data continued to demonstrate a 46% elevated risk of hemorrhoids. Notably, men were more likely than women to spend six minutes or more on the toilet. Researchers also noted that smartphone users reported less exercise than non-users, suggesting “a higher level of engagement with technology and a more sedentary lifestyle outside of the toileting environment.”

According to recent research, reading news was the most prevalent activity associated with toilet phone use, with 54.3% of respondents reporting this behavior. Furthermore, 44.4% admitted to engaging with social media while on the toilet, a feature often utilized for casual gaming or simply passing the time.