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The bathroom is the place where your mind is most active, where crazy ideas are born and the only place where everything revolves around you and your thoughts. Hmmm...not anymore. Well, it's up to you and your phone, a habit that's more dangerous to your health than you think. Let’s admit it – we take our phones to the bathroom with us now. Whether you go to the bathroom in the morning or take frequent breaks at work, your phone is always with you. Most likely you are also reading this article about the toilet seat.
Horrible Germs: If you take your phone to the bathroom, a lot of bad things will happen to it, starting with germs. It's dirty there and everyone knows it. Using a smartphone in the bathroom means it becomes contaminated with harmful bacteria that can easily spread outside the bathroom and lead to illnesses like stomach aches. But despite the well-known connection between toilets, germs and phones, that doesn't stop people from carrying around their cell phones.
Painful papules (hemorrhoids): But beyond the obvious bacterial factor, this habit brings with it a whole host of other health problems. For example, hemorrhoids, which are swollen veins in and around the anus and lower rectum, are problems that can bother you for a long time. . When this condition occurs, bowel movements can be very painful. Using a cell phone in the bathroom is a growing habit, but it poses serious health risks. Sitting on the toilet for long periods of time can put too much pressure on the veins in the rectum, which can lead to hemorrhoids. The body's natural position when defecating is to defecate quickly and efficiently, but the distraction of mobile devices often delays bowel movements.
Have you ever forgotten your phone and turned around on the way to the toilet? If the answer is yes, then you probably agreed to sit on the toilet seat longer than you should? The actual work only takes a few minutes, but when you're out and about, the urge to watch another loop or that episode will put you on the toilet seat. Before I knew it, 30 minutes had passed. Sitting in the bathroom for long periods of time can lead to constipation and bloating. Sitting like this for long periods of time can increase pressure on the veins around your rectum and anus. The position of the toilet seat already puts pressure on this area, and the distraction of the phone and the delay in bowel movements add to the pressure. Over time, this repeated pressure can lead to hemorrhoids.
There is a difference between sitting in a chair and sitting on a toilet seat. While sitting for long periods of time is not ideal under any circumstances, sitting on a toilet seat for long periods of time can put a lot of pressure on the rectal area due to the lack of support underneath. As a proctologist and anorectal surgeon, I have noticed a common habit in many of my patients suffering from hemorrhoids. This often means spending 30-45 minutes in the bathroom, watching Reels or YouTube videos, or playing games on your phone. Hemorrhoids can cause discomfort, pain, itching, and bleeding. Depending on the severity of symptoms, treatment may require medication, lifestyle changes, or even surgery.
Most people who are treated for hemorrhoids feel better and can carry on with their normal activities. However, it can have long-term effects. Some people may experience chronic symptoms, especially if they do not eat a high-fiber diet and do not have healthy bowel habits. Health experts say you shouldn't sit on the toilet seat for more than 10 minutes.
To maintain healthy bowel habits, avoid distractions like cell phones that encourage prolonged trips to the bathroom and focus on responding quickly to natural urges rather than forcing yourself to defecate. Maintaining a correct toilet position, e.g. E.g., sitting with your knees slightly raised will help you poop more effectively. Bringing a cell phone into the bathroom not only increases your risk of hemorrhoids, constipation, and pelvic floor dysfunction, but it can also put strain on your back and neck. Neck and back pain can also be caused by poor posture. If you get distracted by your phone and ignore your body's signals, you're at risk of overstretching.
The psychological effects cannot be ignored either. Most people don't want to face their thoughts and subconsciously prefer to take their phone with them to the toilet. This habit can also reinforce unhealthy mental patterns. Ideally, the bathroom should be a brief, private and mindful experience, but turning it into a time of digital distraction blurs the line between self-care and screen viewing and puts your mind at risk. Psychologists say this habit reflects the struggle many people face today, namely the boredom and discomfort of having their hands and mind empty, making it difficult to do anything. After all, idleness and doing nothing is important for health. Constant digital distractions can lead to problems in the long run.
Using your phone as a distraction in the bathroom can provide temporary relief, but short-term use is usually not harmful. However, when this behavior is exaggerated, it can lead to avoidance, which often leads to anxiety and dissociation, especially in trauma survivors. So your phone will be happy for a bathroom break. What about your body? Absolutely not! FYI: It is not a good idea to bring newspapers or books. The idea is to avoid spending extra time on the toilet seat.
