Published in PLOS One, the cross-sectional study surveyed 125 adults undergoing colonoscopy and found a troubling correlation: individuals who used their phones in the bathroom had a 46% higher risk of haemorrhoids—even after adjusting for factors like age, BMI, fiber intake, exercise, and straining.

According to the data, about 66% of participants admitted to using smartphones on the toilet. Among them, 37% spent more than five minutes per bathroom session, compared to just 7.1% of non-users.

Prolonged sitting increases pressure in the anal veins—known as hemorrhoidal cushions—leading to swelling and discomfort. Interestingly, the study found no link between straining and haemorrhoid risk, suggesting that time spent seated is a more critical factor.

Senior author Dr Trisha Pasricha commented that smartphones  attention-sucking design can cause users to lose track of time during bowel movements, inadvertently extending toilet visits.

The most common in-bathroom activities included reading news (54%) and scrolling social media (44%), followed by emailing, texting, and video watching.

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Limiting toilet visits to under five minutes and avoiding mobile devices has been encouraged by experts to reduce the risk of haemorrhoids. To further help prevent haemorrhoids, experts have advised adopting healthier habits such as increased fiber intake, proper hydration, regular exercise, and using posture aids like a footstool.