Avoid this common toilet habit to cut down the risk of infection
It wasn't too long when people used to take newspapers and magazines to their bathrooms to read them while doing their business. But these days papers and magazines have been replaced by smartphones. Most people do not give much thought to it before walking into the toilet with their mobile phone. Checking out the Instagram feed and getting the news of the world in the toilet may seem like a great way to kill time, what most people do not realise is how this one habit can make them more prone to infectious diseases and can have some serious health concerns.
It can make you more prone to infectious diseases
Out of all the places in your house, bathrooms is one of the germiest places. Everything in your bathroom including the faucet, hand dryer or doorknob harbour germs and bacteria. So when you take your phone in there, it is also coming in contact with faecal bacteria. This could happen when you wipe yourself, touch the flush handle or door lock and then touch the phone.
A study published in the Journal Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials revealed that 95 per cent of healthcare workers’ mobile phones were covered with infection-causing bacteria like salmonella, E. Coli and C. Difficile.
Cell phones carries germs
Another study carried by the researchers at the University of Arizona found that smartphones carry ten times as much bacteria as toilet bowls.
The problem is that we do wash our hands after using the loo, but we do not clean the phones. As a result, the disease-causing germs and bacteria remain stuck on them and can easily cause infection. Bacteria and viruses present on your phone come in contact with different parts of your body and surface when you keep them outside or text thereafter.
It can lead to anxiety
Technology has made our lives very easy but is also a reason for anxiety and stress. The more you use it, the more you are prone to feeling stressed. Your bathroom time is your free time and when you take your phone in there, you are inviting more stress and anxiety into your life. By taking your phone in the bathroom you are putting your brain and health both at risk. Some even have difficulty passing their bowel because of this.
It can put extra pressure on your anus
There is another health risk of using the phone in the bathroom: haemorrhoids. People who take phones with themselves to the loo, spend more than average time in there. Sitting on the toilet for a prolonged period can also lead to haemorrhoid problems. Squatting for too long puts too much strain on the anus, which may cause pain, swelling or bleeding in your pelvic region.
The bottom line
Every person is at the risk of getting infected with the germs picked from the bathroom, but older adults and those with compromised immunity are at a greater risk for infection. If you fall into this group, it is even more important for you to stay safe and maintain proper hygiene. The best option is to leave your phone outside when you go to the bathroom. In case you choose to take it along with yourself, clean it with 70 per cent alcohol-based sanitisers regularly. Also, try not to spend too much time in the lavatory. Experts recommend that one should not spend more than 10 minutes in the loo. This the healthy amount of time to stay in the toilet.