Why Taking Your Phone to the Toilet Can Be Dangerous to Your Health

Nowadays, people’s attachment to their smartphones is crossing all boundaries. 73% of those surveyed admitted that they don’t part with their device, not even in the bathroom. And among young people under 30, the figure is even higher: 93%. Experts warn that this habit may be harmful to both mental and physical health. In this article, we will tell you what consequences can be expected by those who like to sit on their throne with a mobile device in hand.

Using the phone on the toilet increases chances of contracting pathogenic bacteria.

The door handle, toilet seat, toilet paper tray, bin, and flush button are all surfaces we inevitably touch in the bathroom. Add to that a mobile phone, and the risk of contracting salmonella or E. coli increases manifold. It’s so easy to pick up a smartphone before washing your hands, and then bring that same device up to your face while you’re on the phone.

For those who sneak the phone into the bathroom, hygiene experts recommend literally watching your hands. At that most crucial moment, move the phone into your left hand, wipe with your right, and press the flush button with your right hand while still holding the device in your left hand. Only return the phone to your right hand after washing.

Those with a sweet-tooth need to be even more careful.

It’s not just for fun that experts recommend regularly cleaning your phone with an antibacterial cleaner, as germs on the surface of your device can live there for up to a few days. This can be exacerbated by the sticky residue left by sweets on the phone screen. This creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria to thrive and proliferate.

Smartphones get hot too, and that warm environment is ideal for germs. While you may feel relatively safe at home, you should be extra cautious in public toilets. The risk of catching a virus or fecal contamination in a hospital or on a cruise ship is much higher than in a small office or at home.

Going to the toilet with your phone can provoke hemorrhoids.

Another reason to stop bringing your phone to the restroom is the high risk of developing hemorrhoids. You can spend a lot of time on the throne looking at your smartphone. Experts, on the other hand, advise you not to stay in the bathroom for more than 10-15 minutes. Ideally, you should get off the toilet immediately after you’re done, which can take as little as 12 seconds. If you push regularly and for long periods of time, you can develop hemorrhoidal lumps.

Doctors say that scrolling can interfere with bowel emptying and even cause constipation. Your attention should be focused on the process. As soon as you feel the need, go to the toilet and relieve yourself. Otherwise, the stool will partially return to the large intestine and you will find it more difficult to empty the bowels.

Using a smartphone on the toilet harms mental health and productivity.

Doctors also warn that this symbiosis between people and their phones is a sign of gadget addiction. Experts have found that people become anxious and irritable when they put away their mobile devices. We find it increasingly difficult to be alone with our own thoughts, so we seek escape in the digital world of smartphones.

Even productivity coaches recommend going to the bathroom the old-fashioned way, without your phone, for the sake of mental health and creativity. Your head needs breaks to rest and tackle more complex creative tasks. Give yourself a few minutes of quiet time. And for that, both your brain and your gut will only be grateful.

Do you regulate the amount of time you spend on your smartphone? Are you ready to kick the habit of using it in the bathroom?