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Sitting on the toilet seat for extended periods may lead to serious health issues, including haemorrhoids and weakened pelvic muscles, Health experts have warned. Since most people carry their phones to the bathroom, a quick break easily stretches into 15 minutes of scrolling or reading. While it may seem harmless, doctors advise spending no more than 10 minutes on the toilet, according to a CNN report.
Dr Lai Xue, a colorectal surgeon at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, observed a pattern among patients with bathroom-related health complaints. “When patients present to me with complaints, one of the main areas we have to delve deeply into is spending a lot of time on the toilet,” Dr Xue told CNN.
The seated position on a toilet puts the body at a unique disadvantage, he said. Gravity not only keeps humans anchored to Earth but also makes the body work harder to pump blood back to the heart, Dr Xue added. Additionally, the toilet's oval-shaped seat keeps the rectum in a lower position than it would be on a regular chair, meaning gravity compounds the strain on the pelvic floor. This could lead to conditions such as rectal prolapse, where part of the intestine slips out of place.
“It becomes a one-way valve where blood enters, but blood really can't go back,” CNN quoted him as saying. This can result in swollen blood vessels and increase the risk of haemorrhoids. Sitting for extended periods also encourages straining, further aggravating the problem.
Dr. Farah Monzur, an assistant professor and director at Stony Brook Medicine, New York, advises a quick approach to toilet time. “People scrolling on their phones on the toilet tend to lose track of time,” she told CNN. This unintentional habit can lead to straining and undue pressure on the pelvic muscles.
Experts say it's best to limit bathroom time and remove distractions. Dr. Lance Uradomo, an interventional gastroenterologist at City of Hope Orange County, California, suggested keeping phones, books and magazines out of the bathroom. “You don't want to go with the mindset that you will be there for a long time. Make sitting on the toilet bowl as uninteresting as possible,” Monzur said.
For those struggling with regular bowel movements, Dr Xue recommended quitting a toilet session after 10 minutes. Instead, gentle movement, proper hydration and a high-fibre diet can promote regularity without strain.
In some cases, extended toilet time could signal underlying health issues. Chronic constipation or prolonged bathroom sessions may indicate gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn's disease. In fact, worsening constipation can even be a symptom of a more serious problem, such as colon cancer.
“If a growth inside the colon grows big enough, it can block the flow of your stool, which can cause constipation and bleeding,” Dr. Uradomo said.
Dr Monzur said that if constipation or long toilet visits persist for over three weeks, consult a healthcare provider.