Let's be honest – bringing phones to the bathroom has become a habit for many, often turning a quick three-minute trip into 15 minutes of scrolling and reading. However, health experts warn that prolonged sitting on the toilet can harm your health, increasing risks like hemorrhoids and weakened pelvic muscles. Dr. Lai Xue, a colorectal surgeon, explains that sitting too long on the toilet with added gravitational pressure on the lower body disrupts blood circulation, causing veins near the rectum to swell.
In addition to hemorrhoids, excessive bathroom time can weaken pelvic floor muscles and increase the risk of rectal prolapse, which happens when the rectum slips and bulges out of the anus. To avoid these risks, Dr. Farah Monzur advises against bringing phones or reading materials to the bathroom to prevent losing track of time. Sitting on the toilet for extended periods can harm your health