No one wants to envision themselves chatting away with a friend, while said friend is sitting on the throne. There’s just one problem: As many as 90 percent of us use our phones in the bathroom, according to a poll by Verizon Wireless (via CBS Detroit). That means you’ve been in that situation — and are probably guilty of it yourself.
As long as you’re not on FaceTime or Zoom, you might think, “What’s the big deal?” But there is a very big deal: A risk of hemorrhoids (nope, not kidding). Whether you’re talking, scrolling the news, or browsing Facebook, using your phone encourages you to spend more time in the bathroom. And when you do, “you’re putting unnecessary pressure on the rectum, [which] can cause hemorrhoids, and definitely make any pre-existing hemorrhoids way worse,” Dr. Partha Nandi explains to Thrillist. He adds that prolonging this pressure on your bum also can cause gastrointestinal issues, and recommends you get the deed over with as quickly as possible.
Another reason to leave your phone out of the loo
You probably know bathrooms aren’t the cleanest, but there’s a lot more ickiness going on than you may realize. In fact, a study from the Hygiene Council found that the average toilet bowl has 3.2 million bacteria per square inch, while a bathroom faucet handle has 6,267 and a toilet seat has 295 (via CBS News).
Why is this bad for your phone? It makes it germy. Just like those surfaces, your phone will pick up bad things, including fecal matter, which are released into the air when you go, explains microbiologist Charles Gerba in Health. Adds Ron Cutler, director of biomedical science degrees at Queen Mary’s University London to Fox News: “Basically, you just shouldn’t [take your phone into the toilet] if you are at all concerned about the transfer of viruses and fecal contamination.” It’s probably a good idea right about now to grab a disinfectant wipe and clean your phone!
Disconnecting from your phone during bathroom breaks is clearly the way to go for your health, and less phone time provides a host of other amazing benefits.
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