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Doctors issue warning against sitting on the toilet seat for over 10 minutes: "It is causing..."

Although many of us treat toilet time as a quick break, it’s crucial not to stay seated for too long.
PUBLISHED FEB 12, 2025
A representative image of a woman using a mobile while on the toilet seat. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Sutthichai Supapornpasupad)
A representative image of a woman using a mobile while on the toilet seat. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Sutthichai Supapornpasupad)

Toilet seats aren't an ideal place to spend time but in the age of social media, users keep scrolling through different platforms for a while. Apart from the lack of productivity, doctors also warn that spending excessive time on the toilet can lead to some serious health issues. Dr. Roshini Raj, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone, advises that no one should spend more than about 10 minutes on the toilet seat at a time. Prolonged sitting, she warns, can increase the risk of developing hemorrhoids.

A representative image of a woman using a mobile while sitting on the toilet seat. (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Westend61)
A representative image of a woman using a mobile while sitting on the toilet seat. (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Westend61)

According to her, it might result in painful, and swollen veins in the anal region. However, the doctor also noted that this problem can be worsened by the toilet's design. She said, "So the actual anorectal area is hanging a little bit lower than the part that’s supported — your thighs. Just by that position, gravity is causing everything to hang a bit, and that is causing pressure on the veins. So even if you’re not straining, if you’re just sitting there thinking of something else, doing something else, there is some pressure being applied to those veins." As reported by Unilad, the doctor added, "I see a lot of people who get food poisoning or catch different things by not having good hygiene practices in the bathroom.”

She continued, "I just think generally speaking, if you’re on the toilet having a bowel movement or trying to have a movement, you shouldn’t be using your fingers on anything else." Speaking of his warning about anal veins, Dr. Joe Whittington told Newsweek, "It's surprising how many people resonated with the message and even shared their own stories or 'aha' moments about their bathroom habits."



 

According to Newsweek, he added, "It's a reminder of how common certain health practices are and how many of us could use a little guidance on the impact of everyday habits." Whittington clarified that toilets are built differently from standard chairs, which makes sitting for extended periods less than ideal for proper blood circulation and pelvic floor health. Hemorrhoids, or piles, are swollen blood vessels that form inside or around the anus. Common symptoms include bleeding after bowel movements, itching, tender lumps either inside or outside the anus, as well as mucus or blood after passing stool, along with pain, redness, and swelling in the area.



 

Similarly, Dr. Farah Monzur also warned that prolonged toilet sitting could raise the risk of rectal prolapse, a condition where part of the large intestine, the rectum, slips down and protrudes through the anus. Dr. Lai Xue, a colorectal surgeon at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, also noted an alarming rise in people spending more time on the toilet, which he stressed is harmful to the anorectal area. Xue advised that if you're struggling to relieve yourself, it's best to stop after 10 minutes, as reported by CNN.

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