How Long Is Too Long to Sit on the Toilet?

Tempted to scroll TikTok while sitting on the potty? While it’s no secret people have a habit of bringing their phones to the bathroom, doctors suggest bathroom goers leave their phones behind.

Experts recommend people spend five to 10 minutes sitting on the toilet. If people stay longer, gravity forces the body to work harder to pump blood. The toilet seat’s oval-shaped opening also compresses the buttocks adding additional pressure and prohibiting circulation to the heart­—more so than just sitting down in a chair. In turn, prolonged sitting on the toilet can cause an increased risk of hemorrhoids and weakened pelvic muscles.

To be more cognizant of time spent on the toilet, experts suggest making sitting on the toilet seat as uninteresting as possible. Hence, phones, magazines, and books should be kept out of bathrooms.

As CMM previously reported, more than 90% of respondents to a GP Pro survey have observed others using their mobile phone while in a high-traffic public restroom.