Spending extra time on the toilet scrolling through a smartphone may carry unintended health consequences.
Scrolling on a phone might feel like a harmless way to pass the time in the bathroom. But a new study suggests that this habit could come with an unexpected downside. Researchers report that people who use a smartphone while sitting on the toilet were more likely to have hemorrhoids than people who do not.
The findings come from Chethan Ramprasad of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, U.S., and colleagues, who published the work in the open-access journal PLOS One.
Hemorrhoids are already a major and costly problem in the United States, driving nearly 4 million visits to a doctor or emergency room each year and more than $800 million in healthcare spending. They occur when veins in the anus or rectum become swollen and irritated, which can lead to pain and bleeding. Doctors have long suspected that spending too long on the toilet can contribute, and smartphones may make it easier to lose track of time.
Investigating Toilet Habits and Health
To better understand the possible connection, the researchers studied 125 adults who were undergoing routine screening colonoscopies. Participants completed online questionnaires about their daily routines and bathroom habits. Physicians performing the colonoscopies also assessed whether each participant had hemorrhoids.
Two thirds of the group, or 66 percent, said they used a smartphone while on the toilet. These individuals were generally younger than those who did not report phone use in the bathroom.
After adjusting for factors that could influence hemorrhoid risk, such as age, physical activity, and fiber intake, the researchers found that smartphone users had a 46 percent higher risk of hemorrhoids compared with non-users.
Those who brought their phones into the bathroom also tended to stay on the toilet longer. Among smartphone users, 37 percent reported spending more than 5 minutes per visit, while only 7.1 percent of non-users reported that amount of time. The most common activities included browsing news and checking social media. In contrast to some earlier studies, straining during bowel movements was not linked to a higher risk of hemorrhoids in this analysis.
The researchers suggest that phone use may unintentionally extend the time a person remains seated on the toilet. Sitting for longer periods could increase pressure in the anal and rectal veins, which may contribute to the development of hemorrhoids.
The findings may offer practical guidance for clinicians counseling patients about bowel habits. Future studies could follow people over longer periods to determine whether smartphone use directly contributes to hemorrhoids and to test strategies aimed at reducing extended bathroom time.
Trisha Pasricha, senior author of the study, adds: “Using a smartphone while on the toilet was linked to a 46 percent increased chance of having hemorrhoids. 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.”
“This study bolsters advice to people in general to leave the smartphones outside the bathroom and to try to spend no more than a few minutes to have a bowel movement. 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?”
“It’s incredibly easy to lose track of time when we’re scrolling on our smartphones—popular apps are designed entirely for that purpose. But it’s possible that constantly sitting longer on the toilet than you intended because you’re distracted by your smartphone could increase your risk of hemorrhoids. We need to study this further, but it’s a safe suggestion to leave the smartphone outside the bathroom when you need to have a bowel movement.”
Reference: “Smartphone use on the toilet and the risk of hemorrhoids” by Chethan Ramprasad, Colin Wu, Jocelyn Chang, Vikram Rangan, Johanna Iturrino, Sarah Ballou, Prashant Singh, Anthony Lembo, Judy Nee and Trisha Pasricha, 3 September 2025, PLOS ONE. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329983
