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Doctors in New York City say spending too much time on the toilet could be bad for your health. To avoid issues like hemorrhoids and weak pelvic muscles, doctors recommend keeping bathroom breaks under 10 minutes.
Dr. Lai Xue, a colorectal surgeon at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas has noticed more people coming in with problems from lingering on the toilet.
"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.
The open design of toilet seats can compress the buttocks, keeping the rectum in a lower position. This, combined with gravity, increases pressure on blood circulation in the lower body.
"It becomes a one-way valve where blood enters, but blood really cannot go back," Xue explained. Sitting too long can make the veins around your backside swell up, which might give you hemorrhoids.
Dr. Farah Monzur, an assistant professor of medicine and director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Stony Brook Medicine on Long Island, New York says people get absorbed in their phones while on the toilet and lose track of time. Pushing too hard for too long can lead to hemorrhoids and other unpleasant problems in that area.
Experts also warn of potential links between extended toilet time and more serious conditions. Dr. Lance Uradomo, an interventional gastroenterologist at City of Hope Orange County, cautioned that persistent difficulty or discomfort during bowel movements could indicate gastrointestinal issues or, in some cases, colorectal cancer.
To promote healthier bathroom habits, doctors recommend:
1. Limiting toilet time to 5-10 minutes
2. Avoiding phone use and other distractions in the bathroom
3. Walking around to stimulate bowel movements if having difficulty
4. Drinking plenty of water and eating vegetables to keep things moving
If you're constantly constipated or spending long periods in the bathroom for weeks on end, it's time to see a doctor.
Oncologists say more young people are getting colon cancer these days, with over 150,000 new cases expected this year.
As more people learn about the downsides of long toilet sessions, doctors are advocating for smarter bathroom habits to keep us healthy.
