Doctors WARNING - Don’t Sit on the Toilet for More Than 10 Minutes
People frequently carry their phones to the restroom, let's data-face it. I have personally engaged in this behavior, and, likely, someone is currently reading this page while using the restroom. It's easy to stretch a three-minute bathroom break into fifteen minutes of scrolling, publishing, and reading.
Going number two could appear like a harmless way to kill time. Experts caution that extended sitting on the toilet might have negative health effects. According to Dr. Lai Xue, a colorectal surgeon at the university of texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, it has also been linked to a higher risk of hemorrhoids and weak pelvic muscles. “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.
Potty problems from sitting too long
Dr. Farah Monzur, an associate professor of medicine and head of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Stony Brook Medicine on Long Island, New York, advises people to spend five to ten minutes on the john on average.
Why would staying longer be an issue? Let's start with a quick physics lecture. According to Xue, gravity keeps us rooted to the earth, but it also makes it more difficult for the body to pump blood back up to the heart.
Why would staying longer be an issue? Let's start with a quick physics lecture. According to Xue, gravity keeps us rooted to the earth, but it also makes it more difficult for the body to pump blood back up to the heart.
In contrast to sitting on the sofa, the open oval-shaped toilet seat keeps the rectum lower by compressing the buttocks. Your blood circulation is impacted by the elevated pressure caused by gravity dragging your lower body downward.
According to Xue, "it becomes a one-way value where blood enters but really can't go back."
This raises the risk of hemorrhoids by causing the veins and blood vessels around the anus and lower rectum to expand and swell with blood.
According to Xue, "it becomes a one-way value where blood enters but really can't go back."
This raises the risk of hemorrhoids by causing the veins and blood vessels around the anus and lower rectum to expand and swell with blood.
Don’t force it either
Additionally, forced straining can raise the pressure, which promotes the growth of hemorrhoids. According to Monzur, people who use their phones while using the restroom often lose track of time when sitting and tensing their muscles to expel waste.
And you know what? Your physicians are aware of it. "People are spending more time on the toilet these days, which is really bad for the pelvic floor and the anorectal organs," Xue continued.
Long periods of sitting on the toilet bowl can also raise the risk of rectal prolapse, according to Monzur, in addition to weakening the anal muscles and causing straining. When the rectum, a portion of the large intestine, slides down and protrudes from the anus, it is known as a rectal prolapse.
And you know what? Your physicians are aware of it. "People are spending more time on the toilet these days, which is really bad for the pelvic floor and the anorectal organs," Xue continued.
Long periods of sitting on the toilet bowl can also raise the risk of rectal prolapse, according to Monzur, in addition to weakening the anal muscles and causing straining. When the rectum, a portion of the large intestine, slides down and protrudes from the anus, it is known as a rectal prolapse.
Another muscle group that is damaged by extended toilet sitting is the pelvic floor muscles. According to Xue, the pelvic floor muscles collaborate with the rest of the body to ensure that stool exits the body smoothly and coordinates a large portion of bowel movements. Sitting for extended periods of time causes the muscles in the pelvic floor to be strained by gravity.
Be more mindful of bathroom time
Dr. Lance Uradomo, an interventional gastroenterologist at City of Hope Orange County in Irvine, California, suggested keeping books, periodicals, and phones out of the toilet to prevent excessive time spent on the porcelain throne.
The idea that you will remain there for a long period is not something you want to adopt. For that reason, you should bring something to keep your mind busy," Monzur explained. "Make it as boring as possible to sit on the toilet bowl."
The idea that you will remain there for a long period is not something you want to adopt. For that reason, you should bring something to keep your mind busy," Monzur explained. "Make it as boring as possible to sit on the toilet bowl."
Long bathroom times and colorectal cancer
However, there are instances where people must use the restroom for an abnormally long period. Constant discomfort or trouble passing feces may indicate gastrointestinal disorders including Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome.
Constipation that becomes worse or the need to spend a lot of time in the bathroom might potentially be an indication of cancer. Constipation and bleeding may result from a growth in the colon that becomes large enough to obstruct the passage of stool, according to Uradomo.
Constipation that becomes worse or the need to spend a lot of time in the bathroom might potentially be an indication of cancer. Constipation and bleeding may result from a growth in the colon that becomes large enough to obstruct the passage of stool, according to Uradomo.