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Should I Be Using my Smartphone on the Toilet?

Steve Jobs once told an audience that there are revolutionary products which come along every so often that change everything. The iPhone (and smartphones in general) have done just that in a variety of ways.

These small computers help us to manage our schedule, play games anywhere, stream movies, and manage our favorite playlists. They let us access millions of apps, protect our homes, and they even still offer text and talk options.

Smartphones also changed the way we use the toilet. There’s a good chance that you’re even reading this while using the bathroom right now.

 

How Many People Use Their Phone on the Toilet?

An incredible 9 out of 10 people who own smartphones admit that they use their device while on the toilet. That’s more than the number of folks who follow through with a New Year’s resolution, admit to having a one-night stand, and most other behavioral categories.

The issue isn’t one of need. It is one that resembles an addiction. You use your smartphone on the toilet because you’re addicted to the noise of modern life.

We have forgotten what it means to disconnect. When the stall door closes or you shut yourself into the bathroom at home, boredom strikes while you sit. That creates an urge to reach for your mobile device.

Although this behavior eliminates the feelings of stress, anxiety, or boredom we encounter, it creates a new, and much more dangerous issue.

 

Health Threats from Smartphone Use on the Toilet

1. Germs
Phones attract germs. There’s no getting around that fact. Yeast, fungi, and other nasty stuff gets onto the surface of your device, creating the potential to get sick. If you have yeast on your phone, then you put on deodorant, you could literally give yourself an infection there – or anywhere else you touch.

2. Hemorrhoids
Spending extra time on the toilet increases the risk of hemorrhoid formation. You’ll place extra pressure on any existing ones which are around your rectum too. Even the gastrointestinal issues you face can feel worse because of how long you might be sitting there with your device. Nerve and hip problems occur thanks to this issue too. This can all be exacerbated by the wrong toilet height. 

3. Stress
You need to take breaks from the world to find some peace. Retreating to your bathroom is one way to achieve this result. Taking the smartphone to the bathroom with you eliminates it. Using the toilet used to be the one place you could be free of distractions. Now you don’t have any place to let your brain try to relax or wander. That can put a limit on your creativity.

There’s only one solution to this issue: leave the phone in your pocket.

You don’t need to respond to everything immediately. It is okay to become disconnected from the world for a few minutes. Even if you end up staring at the wall when you’re on the toilet, that is an opportunity to look for creative solutions to the problems you face each day.

Designate a zone that is always 100% smartphone free – even if it isn’t the toilet. Your brain will thank you for your efforts.

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