Undoubtedly, people often bring their phones to the bathroom. Hence, a three-minute trip to the loo can easily turn into 15 minutes of reading, scrolling, and posting.
It might seem harmless to pass the time when you’re going number two. However, experts warn that prolonged sitting on the toilet can harm your health. It’s even been connected to an increased risk of haemorrhoids and weakened pelvic muscles, said Dr Lai Xue, a colorectal surgeon at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre in Dallas, according to CNN.
“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,” Xue said.
What goes on when you overstay your toilet time?
Potty problems from sitting too long
According to Dr. Farah Monzur, an assistant professor of medicine and director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Centre at Stony Brook Medicine on Long Island, New York, people should spend an average of five to ten minutes on the toilet.
Why is it a problem if you stay longer? First, here’s a short physics lesson. Gravity keeps us grounded on Earth, but that same gravity also forces the body to work harder to pump blood back up to the heart, Xue said.
The open, oval-shaped toilet seat compresses the buttocks, keeping the rectum in a lower position than if you were sitting on the couch. With gravity pulling the lower half of the body down, the increased pressure affects your blood circulation.
“It becomes a one-way value where blood enters, but blood really can’t go back,” Xue said.
As a result, the veins and blood vessels surrounding the anus and lower rectum become enlarged and engorged with blood, increasing the risk of haemorrhoids.
Don’t force it either
Forced straining can also increase the pressure, allowing haemorrhoids to build up. Monzur said that people scrolling on their phones on the toilet tend to lose track of time, sitting and straining their muscles to have a bowel movement.
And guess what? Your doctors can tell. “Nowadays, we’re seeing an increase in people passing more time on the toilet, and that is very unhealthy for the anorectal organs and the pelvic floor,” Xue added.
In addition to weakened anal muscles and forced straining, Monzur said sitting on the toilet bowl for too long can also increase the risk of rectal prolapse. A rectal prolapse is when the rectum, part of the large intestine, slips down and bulges out of the anus.
The pelvic floor muscles are another muscle group weakened by prolonged periods of sitting on the toilet. Xue explained that the pelvic floor muscles coordinate significant bowel movements and work in conjunction with the rest of the body to ensure stool is expelled smoothly. The gravitational pressure on the pelvic floor can strain the muscles when sitting for long periods.
Be more mindful of toilet time
Dr Lance Uradomo, an interventional gastroenterologist at the City of Hope Orange County in Irvine, California, advised keeping phones, magazines, and books out of the toilet to avoid spending too much time on the porcelain throne.
“You don’t want to go with the mindset that you will be there for a long time. Because then you’ll want to bring something to keep the mind occupied,” Monzur said. “Make sitting on the toilet bowl as uninteresting as possible.”
If you’re having trouble relieving yourself, Xue advised quitting after 10 minutes. Instead, walk around a bit, since the motion can stimulate gut muscles to produce a bowel movement. Xue also recommended staying hydrated and eating high-fibre foods, such as oats and beans, to promote regular bowel movements and prevent straining.
Need to know how much? The National Academy of Medicine recommends 2.7 to 3.7 litres of water daily. The US Department of Agriculture also recommends 14 grams of fibre for every 1,000 food calories. Xue said fibre and water soften the stool, making it easier to pass.
Long toilet times and colorectal cancer
However, there are situations in which people have to spend an unusually long time on the toilet. Constant difficulty or discomfort when passing stool can be a symptom of gastrointestinal issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease.
Worsening constipation or a need to sit on the toilet for a long time may also be a sign of cancer. “If a growth inside the colon grows big enough, it can block the flow of your stool, which can cause constipation and bleeding,” Uradomo said.
The American Cancer Society recently reported an increase in colorectal cancer rates among people under age 55 since the mid-1990s, and the nonprofit estimated there would be 106,590 new cases of colon cancer and 46,220 new cases of rectal cancer this year.
In Uradomo’s career, he’s recalled more young people talking to him about haemorrhoids and constipation, and later being diagnosed with rectal cancer.
If you’ve had constipation or been sitting on the toilet for more than three weeks, Monzur said it might be time to bring your concerns to your doctor. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, your primary care doctor may refer you to a gastroenterologist or a colorectal surgeon for a more detailed examination.
