We use our smartphones just about everywhere, even in the bathroom, though we may not want to talk about that part. A recent study of more than 100 colonoscopy patients revealed that most used their phones on the toilet at least once a week. And The New York Times reports that those phone-on-the-toilet users showed a 46% increased risk for hemorrhoids.

The cause and effect are clear. Caught up in news or games or social media, bathroom users stay seated on the throne longer, with research showing phone users tend to spend more than 5 minutes doing their business. The study says that hemorrhoids are associated with prolonged sitting on the toilet, as well as constipation and increased straining.

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