Indore (Madhya Pradesh): For many people, the bathroom feels like the last private refuge, a place to scroll endlessly, smoke in peace and escape the noise of daily life. What most do not realise is that this “safe space” may be silently harming the body in multiple ways. Medical science now warns that common bathroom habits are directly linked to haemorrhoids, bacterial contamination and cardiovascular stress.
The first and most overlooked danger is prolonged sitting on the toilet. A toilet seat is not designed like a chair. Its open centre fails to support the buttocks, allowing gravity to pull blood downward into the rectal veins — a process known as venous engorgement. Ideally, bowel movements should take no more than three to five minutes. However, smartphone use often extends this time to 15–45 minutes. Studies published in Clinical and Experimental Gastroenterology show that people who use smartphones on the toilet have a 46 per cent higher risk of developing haemorrhoids.
Explaining this rising trend, Dr Karan Dave, Lifestyle Disease Reversal Expert, notes that extended toilet sitting places unnecessary strain on the anorectal veins, gradually weakening them. “The body was never meant to stay in that position for entertainment,” he explains, adding that modern habits are turning a basic biological function into a chronic health trigger.
The second hazard lies in the phone itself. Flushing a toilet releases an invisible aerosol spray called the “toilet plume,” which can propel microscopic bacteria up to six feet into the air. When a phone is held during this process, it becomes coated with bacteria. Research by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that one in six mobile phones carries fecal bacteria, including E. coli. These microbes are then unknowingly transferred to hands, food and household surfaces.
Smoking inside the bathroom creates a third and more dangerous threat. Bathrooms are enclosed spaces and smoking here delivers a vascular double blow. Nicotine constricts blood vessels, while gravity promotes blood pooling in the lower body due to the toilet’s design. Together, they place excessive stress on the circulatory system and heart. Toxic third-hand smoke residue also lingers on surfaces, increasing exposure for family members.
Health experts stress that breaking these habits requires collective effort at home. Simple steps such as enforcing a five-minute rule, banning phones in bathrooms and avoiding smoking indoors can significantly reduce long-term risks.
Key Points to Remember
Prolonged toilet sitting increases haemorrhoid risk due to venous engorgement
Smartphone use extends toilet time and worsens circulatory strain
Toilet plume spreads fecal bacteria onto phones and surfaces
Smoking in bathrooms stresses the heart and blood vessels
Family-led habit control can prevent long-term damage.
