It’s a scene familiar to millions: sitting on the toilet, scrolling through Instagram, catching up on emails, or watching a quick video. The bathroom, once a place for solitude, has become an extension of our digital lives. But according to a recent study published in PLOS ONE, this seemingly harmless habit may be putting your health at risk in surprising ways.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have found that adults who use their smartphones while on the toilet face a 46% higher risk of developing hemorrhoids compared to those who keep their devices out of the bathroom. The study, highlighted both in PLOS ONE and discussed on the Health360 program on September 13, 2025, surveyed 125 adults to uncover just how widespread this habit has become—and what it might be costing us.
Of those surveyed, a staggering 66% admitted to using their phones in the bathroom. The researchers noticed a pattern: those who brought their phones with them tended to sit for longer periods, often more than five minutes per visit. While that might not sound like much, it’s a major risk factor for hemorrhoids—a condition that’s both painful and, in many cases, preventable.
What’s most surprising is that the increased risk isn’t primarily due to constipation or straining, as many might assume. Instead, it’s the prolonged sitting itself that’s the culprit. The immersive nature of social media, endless newsfeeds, and engaging videos can make time slip away unnoticed. As people lose track of the minutes, they end up spending far longer on the toilet than necessary, putting extended pressure on the anal veins and increasing the likelihood of developing hemorrhoids.
Health experts featured on Health360 emphasized this point, drawing a direct connection between attention and gut health. One expert explained, “If somebody is concentrating on the mobile... your attention is taken, you will not get the brain signal will not reach your intestine.” In other words, the brain-gut connection can be disrupted when our focus is elsewhere, potentially slowing down the natural process of elimination and further contributing to the problem.
But the risks don’t end with hemorrhoids. The study and subsequent reporting also shed light on the hidden world of germs lurking on our phones. According to the researchers, smartphones can harbor up to 17,000 bacterial gene copies, making them even dirtier than the average toilet seat. This means that every time you bring your phone into the bathroom, you’re not just risking your vascular health—you’re also exposing yourself to a host of potentially harmful microbes.
It’s a double whammy: prolonged sitting increases physical risk, while the device itself can introduce new threats. The Health360 program didn’t mince words, describing the habit as one with “big consequences” despite seeming so minor. The message is clear: it’s time to rethink what we bring with us into the bathroom.
To understand why this matters, let’s break down what hemorrhoids are and why they’re such a nuisance. Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the lower rectum or anus, often caused or aggravated by increased pressure in the area. Symptoms can include pain, itching, swelling, and sometimes bleeding. While not typically life-threatening, they can cause significant discomfort and, in severe cases, may require medical intervention.
Traditional wisdom has long blamed constipation and straining as the main culprits, but this new research shifts the focus to something far more common: our daily habits. The simple act of lingering on the toilet—thanks to the distractions on our phones—may be enough to tip the scales toward trouble.
So, what’s the solution? Experts recommend making a conscious effort to limit time spent on the toilet. That means leaving the phone outside the bathroom and focusing on the task at hand. If you’re someone who finds themselves routinely scrolling through feeds while seated, setting a timer or adopting a new routine could help break the cycle.
Beyond the bathroom, the Health360 program also touched on other pressing health topics, underscoring the importance of everyday choices. The show explored links between untreated hearing loss and dementia, chronic acid reflux and esophageal cancer, and even discussed the World Health Organization’s decision to add GLP-1 weight loss drugs to its essential medicines list—a move signaling a global shift in how obesity is treated. But it was the segment on smartphone use and hemorrhoids that sparked the most immediate concern, given how universal the behavior has become.
It’s worth noting that the study’s findings are based on a relatively small sample—125 adults—but the consistency of the results and the plausibility of the mechanism (prolonged sitting) make the conclusions hard to ignore. The immersive, time-consuming nature of smartphone content is a modern twist on an age-old problem, and the data suggests it’s making things worse for our digestive health.
For those who might dismiss the findings as alarmist, the numbers speak for themselves. A 46% higher risk is significant, especially when the behavior in question is so widespread. If two-thirds of adults are using their phones in the bathroom, that’s a potential public health issue hiding in plain sight.
And then there’s the issue of germs. With up to 17,000 bacterial gene copies on a single device, the risk of transmitting harmful microbes from phone to hand—and then to mouth, face, or other surfaces—is real. This is particularly concerning in an era where hand hygiene has become a central focus in preventing the spread of illness. The advice here is simple: keep your phone clean, and keep it out of the bathroom whenever possible.
Small changes can make a big difference. By being mindful of how long we sit and what we bring with us, we can reduce our risk of hemorrhoids and limit exposure to harmful bacteria. The next time you reach for your phone before heading to the bathroom, it might be worth thinking twice.
In a world where our devices are never far from reach, it’s easy to overlook the impact of our habits. But as this study makes clear, sometimes the smallest changes—like leaving your phone outside the bathroom door—can have the biggest payoff for your health.
