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The availability of smartphones and the increase in 'doomscrolling' activities has been linked to a dramatic increase in cases of hemorrhoids, with one common daily habit at the heart of it all.
We all have to go to the toilet every day no matter what we do, but for some it's seen as a means of relaxation or a break away from the rest of the world alongside being an essential activity.
While some trips can be completed in no time, others might have you on the toilet for longer than you'd think — and if you're there you might as well spend the time doing something else too.
What previously saw people whip out magazines or even progress through a book has now – like most things – been transformed into smartphone time, as the little gadget is the perfect machine for endlessly distracting yourself.
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You might be surprised to find out that this habit is actually far more damaging to your health than you'd expect, with scientific studies pointing towards a concerning link with an uncomfortable condition.
The increase in people doomscrolling on their phones while on the toilet has been met with an equal rise in hemorrhoids cases, with a study published in PLoS One outlining the results.
Anecdotal evidence has already linked the length of time you spend on the toilet to an increased risk of hemorrhoids, but this new study cements the involvement of smartphones in the increase, revealing surprising findings.
"Participants who used smartphones on the toilet spent significantly more time there than those who did not, with 37.3% of smartphone users spending more than five minutes per visit on the toilet, compared to 7.1% of non-smartphone users," the study illustrates.
It makes sense too, as going without a smartphone means that you're likely to just finish up when your toilet activities are completed, whereas scrolling away encourages you to continue well beyond that point.
The study adds that "smartphone use on the toilet was associated with a 46% increased risk of hemorrhoids after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, exercise activity, straining and fiber intake," indicating that this is certainly something you shouldn't ignore.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that both news (54.3%) and social media (44.4%) were the two most popular activities associated with smartphone use on the toilet, especially with modern apps and algorithms that encourage a near-endless stream of content for you to scroll through.
