A recent survey by Mobiles Please found that 82% of smartphone owners regularly use their phone while sitting on the toilet, spending and average of 3.5 minutes longer than those who don't.
It is a well known fact that spending too long on the toilet ups your chances of getting haemorrhoids. Doctors advise against reading on the toilet for this very reason, but the risks associated with using your phone on the toilet aren't widely known.
Dr Stephanie DeGiorgio commented: “Sitting on any cold, hard surface for a prolonged period can increase your chances of haemorrhoids, so as tempting as it may be to finish that level of Angry Birds before you get off the toilet, you really should finish your business and go and do it somewhere more comfortable.”
The survey found that while only 8% of people admitted to making calls from the toilet, 17% said that they would answer an incoming call. Surprisingly, or maybe not, women were more likely to make and receive calls on the toilet. The figures rose much higher for texting, with almost all of those who said they used their phone in the toilet saying that they read and sent texts.
Men were more likely to play games on their phone in the toilet, and both sexes owned up to checking Facebook, Twitter and emails, with YouTube videos another popular activity.
Thankfully less than 1% of respondents said that they had made a video call from the toilet!
The worst offenders were iPhone owners who spent on average one minute 40 seconds longer on the toilet than owners of any other brand; it seems there really is an app for everything.
If you're worried about haemorrhoids there is plenty of information and advice on the NHS direct website; just don't read it on the toilet.