Scrolling through social media or catching up on the news while sitting on the toilet has become a common part of daily life for many, but new research suggests this modern habit may come at a painful cost: a significantly higher risk of developing hemorrhoids. A study published on September 4, 2025, in PLOS One by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston and Harvard Medical School found that using a smartphone while on the toilet is linked to a 46% increased chance of having hemorrhoids. The findings are raising eyebrows—and perhaps prompting some to reconsider their bathroom routines.
Hemorrhoids, those swollen blood vessels in the rectum and anus that can cause pain, itching, and bleeding, are not exactly a new problem. In fact, they’re the third most common gastrointestinal issue that sends Americans to the doctor, according to BIDMC. What’s changed is how our digital behaviors, particularly smartphone use, are shaping risk factors in ways that previous generations never imagined.
“We’re still uncovering the many ways smartphones and our modern way of life impact our health. It’s possible that how and where we use them – such as while in the bathroom – can have unintended consequences,” said Dr. Trisha Pasricha, the study’s corresponding author and an instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, in a statement provided by BIDMC.
To get to the bottom of this issue (pun intended), the researchers recruited 125 adults aged 45 and older who were scheduled for routine colonoscopies between January and December 2024. Each participant filled out detailed surveys about their demographics, physical activity, fiber intake, and, crucially, their bathroom habits—including whether they used a smartphone while on the toilet. Their bowel function and straining were assessed using the Rome IV questionnaire, and doctors visually confirmed the presence of hemorrhoids during colonoscopy procedures.
The numbers were telling. A full 66% of participants admitted to using their phone on the toilet. Of these, 37% stayed seated for more than five minutes per visit, compared to just 7% of non-phone users. Some smartphone users even reported spending 11-15 minutes or more on the toilet. The most popular activities? Reading the news (54%) and scrolling through social media (44%).
Colonoscopy results confirmed that 43% of all participants had hemorrhoids. After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), exercise, fiber intake, and straining, the researchers found that smartphone use on the toilet was associated with a 46% higher risk of hemorrhoids. Notably, straining and constipation—long considered primary culprits—were not independently predictive in this study. Instead, prolonged sitting time emerged as the key risk factor.
“This study bolsters advice to people in general to leave the smartphones outside the bathroom and try to spend no more than a few minutes to have a bowel movement,” Dr. Pasricha advised. “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?”
The research team explained that sitting on a toilet seat—unlike sitting in a chair or on a couch—provides no support to the pelvic floor. This lack of support increases pressure in the hemorrhoidal cushions, which can lead to them becoming engorged and symptomatic. As Dr. Pasricha described, “We all have hemorrhoid cushions—vascular cushions made of blood vessels, connective tissue, and smooth muscle—right at the end of our GI tract. That’s a normal part of our body. It’s only when they get engorged that we notice them and that’s when they become symptomatic and they’re called hemorrhoids.”
Interestingly, the study found that smartphone users tended to be younger (average age 55.4 years versus 62.1 years for non-users) and exercised less. This echoes other research linking excessive smartphone use to broader health issues, including depression, anxiety, poor sleep quality, and even cardiovascular disease. As technology continues to shape daily habits, these findings hint at a ripple effect that could impact multiple aspects of health.
Jarrah Dowrick, PhD, a research fellow with the Gastrointestinal Research Group at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, commented on the study’s broader implications. “From what I can see, this paper is a thinly veiled study of the relationship between time spent on the toilet and hemorrhoids, but using the catchier hook of ‘phone use’ to attract wider attention,” Dowrick said. “While the reality of modern screen addiction does make the smartphone narrative more compelling, the real story here is that spending longer on a seated toilet appears to be linked with hemorrhoid presentation.”
Dowrick also highlighted the study’s importance in challenging long-held beliefs. “There is a surprising lack of evidence for commonly believed hemorrhoid risk factors like low fiber intake, straining, constipation, age, sex differences, pregnancy, and time on the toilet. Studies like this one are vital to empower clinicians to make evidence-based recommendations to patients. Phone or no, this study suggests limiting each visit to the toilet to five minutes where possible.”
Despite its strengths, the study has some limitations. Its cross-sectional design means it can show associations but not prove cause and effect. Participants’ bathroom behaviors were self-reported, which could introduce recall bias, and the sample consisted of adults aged 45 and older undergoing colonoscopies—meaning results may not generalize to younger people or the broader population. The study also didn’t track how many years participants had been using their phones on the toilet.
Still, the implications for both patients and healthcare providers are clear. The researchers recommend that doctors routinely ask about technology use when discussing gastrointestinal health. For patients, the advice is simple: keep toilet sessions (especially those involving a smartphone) under five minutes to reduce risk. Greater awareness may help people recognize just how much time they’re spending on the toilet—often without realizing it, thanks to the endless scroll of smartphone content.
Looking ahead, the research team suggested that future studies could track smartphone use and hemorrhoid development over time to better establish causation. They also floated the idea of educational interventions, such as bathroom timers or apps that limit phone use in certain locations, as potential solutions. There’s even interest in exploring whether particular types of smartphone content—like social media versus news reading—are more likely to lead to prolonged toilet sitting.
For now, the takeaway is clear: while smartphones have revolutionized how we spend our time, they may also be quietly reshaping our health in unexpected ways. It might be time to give your phone—and your rear—a break the next time nature calls.
