Here's another reason to check your tech at the door, a Harvard Medical School discovery says—plus, here's when usage time becomes a pain.
We all know taking our phones into the bathroom is a pretty germy habit…but that doesn’t stop most of us from scrolling on the throne.
If the hygiene factor doesn’t inspire you to slip into privacy hands-free, a study published Septemember 2025 in the physician-vetted PLOS One medical journal might. Gastroenterology researchers at Harvard Medical School have found that scrolling on your phone while sitting on the toilet can significantly increase incidence of hemorrhoids—the enflamed, swollen veins that can develop inside the rectum or outside the anus, causing symptoms like pain, itching, and possible bleeding.
To understand this impact of bathroom phone use, the research team assembled a group of 125 adults who were scheduled to undergo routine colonoscopies. For data collection, the participants completed surveys about their smartphone habits while using the toilet, filled out questionnaires used to screen for “functional” gastrointestinal disorders like hemorrhoids and constipation, and answered questions about “additional behaviors including straining, fiber intake and levels of physical activity.” Gastroenterologists then conducted the participants’ colonoscopies, evaluating for presentation of hemorrhoids in the process.
The researchers report that 66% of the participants revealed they used their phones in the restroom, largely checking the news or browsing social media. The researchers report these folks experienced notably higher hemorrhoids rates: After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), exercise activity, straining, and fiber intake, people who reported taking their phones into the bathroom were 46% more likely to have hemorrhoids compared with those who did not.
The researchers explain the simple association: Sitting for longer periods of time on the toilet can cause prolonged strain on the rectum, anus, and pelvic floor. The study notes that 37.3% of smartphone users spent more than five minutes on the toilet per visit, compared to 7.1% of non-smartphone users.
Excessive smartphone use has been previously linked to a range of health problems, including anxiety, sleep disturbances, eye strain, neck and back pain, and an increased risk of high blood pressure and cholesterol. Hemorrhoids, “the third most common outpatient gastrointestinal diagnosis with nearly 4 million office and emergency department visits annually,” according to the study, can now be added to that list.
If you’re among that group who knows the feeling, the Cleveland Clinic suggests some hemorrhoids cases can be remedied with diet and making changes to your toilet habits. A visit to a licensed healthcare professional can help you determine if further intervention is needed.
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- If You Have To Keep Wiping After You Poop, Here’s What It Means, Says a Gastroenterologist
- Bathroom Accessory Sold at Walmart, Lowe’s, and Other Major Retailers Recalled for Risk of Injury
- Watching Too Much TV Raises Your Risk of This Bathroom Issue, Says New Study
- How Gross Is It to Bring Your Phone Into the Bathroom?
