How these bad toilet habits could be damaging your health

By Stephanie Taylor, Managing Director of StressNoMore

2020 has been the year of conscious hand washing. Since COVID-19 broke out, we have been diligently scrubbing in the sink for 20 seconds a time and stockpiling hand sanitizer.

If there is one positive to take from this year, it is an improvement in hygiene awareness, but there are so many other bad habits that we don’t even realise we have that need further attention.

Luckily, Stephanie Taylor is here with a guide of all the things you could be doing in the bathroom that you don’t even realise are bad for your health.

Lingering on the loo

It can be tempting to take your time when you’re going to the toilet, with some people viewing it as a moment of peace and quiet in the day, but this can actually be very damaging to your health in more ways than one.

Firstly, your pelvic health can suffer. Hovering on the loo for too long can weaken the muscles and encourage urine to dribble intermittently, rather than just start and stop. This can eventually cause incontinence or even prolapse, so try to keep the process succinct to avoid long-lasting damage.

It can cause problems the other end, too. 10-minute toilet sessions could give you haemorrhoids by putting extra pressure on the veins that are at risk of bleeding.

Leave your phone alone

Mostly, when people spend excess amounts of time on the loo, it’s filled with time on your phone – playing games, reading the news or watching videos. Not only is it affecting your pelvic region, but the number of germs is a serious problem too.

Unsurprisingly, bathrooms are often crawling with bacteria. Not just toilets but sinks and floors too – fungi and yeast could be lurking anywhere. Much like your phone! Both are generally really dirty unless they have just been cleaned, so by taking your phone into the bathroom you’re only making the problem far worse.

Leave the phone outside and have a few minutes away from technology. It’ll benefit your mind and body alike to have some time alone with your thoughts.

Store your toothbrush

In a place with such a high germ count, nothing you use directly on the body should be laid willy-nilly – especially something you use inside the mouth.

Your toothbrush can collect an abundance of bacteria if it’s not stored carefully, even from something as simple flushing the toilet with the seat up. This can spray a small amount of water, and whatever else may be in the toilet at the time, into the air and onto your toothbrush.

For safety, either store it away in a cabinet, or buy a toothbrush head protector. One small investment could save your mouth from a dirt frenzy!

Wiping worries

This may sound like an obvious statement but wiping back to front is one of the oldest errors there is. This can land you with some complications, especially as a woman, with the most common side effect being a UTI.

Put simply, this will theoretically spread bacteria from the anal area to the vagina. If you’re worried that bad wiping habits could have given you an infection look out for itchiness, red rashes and a change in the smell of your pee.

Wet towel woes

If you leave your wet towels in the bathroom, whether they’re for the shower or hands, you could be creating the perfect environment for bacteria to cling to.

Germs love to fester in cold, damp environments so when you use the toilet or wash your dirty hands, they will immediately gravitate towards your used towels. By also sharing towels amongst your household, you’re circulating the existing bacteria around everyone.

To avoid the unnecessary spread, store towels out of the bathroom after use, and have a few hand towels on the go that you regularly clean.