Brits issued urgent toilet warning about ‘sitting for too long’

A neurologist has explained how long you should be sitting on the loo for

A neurologist has warned about the dangers of spending excessive time sitting on the toilet. According to the expert, this could potentially result in a serious medical emergency.

In a video shared on TikTok, neurologist Dr Baibing Chen discussed the issue, drawing on his own professional experience. He began by showing his followers a scan revealing a brain bleed.

Dr Chen, known online as Dr Bing, explained: “This is unfortunately what can happen to your brain if you sit on the toilet for too long and get up all of a sudden. This is a CAT scan of the brain right here and when you see this white part is not normal, and that’s actually a bleed and what we call subdural haematoma.”

He then described a case involving one of his patients. He said: “I once saw a 50-year-old man that fainted after sitting on the toilet for 30 minutes. He fell down, he hit his head and he’s brought in by his wife.

“We found that he had a head bleed.” He shared why this happened: “Well, why did he faint?

“Well, prolonged sitting allows gravity to pull the blood into your legs and when you stand up suddenly, there is a redistribution of the blood throughout your entire body,” he said.

“And when there is not enough blood going into your brain, you can pass out from that.”

How long is safe to sit?

Dr Bing noted that this varies depending on numerous factors. “But how long is too long?” he asked.

“Well, that depends on the person and how much water you had to drink, how good your autonomic system is, how conditioned you are and other factors.

“And when you go to the bathroom, whether it’s going number one or number two, that itself can trigger a reflex syncope or what we call vasovagal syncope. And syncope is just a fancy word for passing out.”

He explained this can be made worse by straining whilst using the toilet. Dr Bing went on: “But when you strain really hard when you poop, what we call the valsalva manoeuvre, you can cause your blood vessels to expand and cause your heart rate to drop. And this would then lead to less blood going to your brain.

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“On top of that, when you strain, A lot of pressure can build up in your chest, and less blood is then able to return to your heart, which then is another risk factor for decreased blood flow to your brain when you suddenly stand up.”

Where possible, he recommended keeping toilet visits brief. He added: “Unless you have a bowel issue that always keep you on the toilet for a long time, for the rest of us when you do your business in the bathroom, you should try to make it quick.

“If you’re having a hard time pooping, check the simple things like are you drinking enough water or eating enough fibre. And consider putting your phone away and give your brain a mental break.”

According to specialists at the Mayo Clinic in the US, prolonged toilet sitting is also a frequent contributor to haemorrhoids. “The veins around the anus tend to stretch under pressure and may bulge or swell,” the clinic states on its website.

“Haemorrhoids can develop from increased pressure in the lower rectum due to sitting for long periods of time, especially on the toilet.”

Additional causes of haemorrhoids include:

• Straining during bowel movements
• Having chronic diarrhoea or constipation
• Being obese
• Being pregnant
• Having anal intercourse
• Eating a low-fibre diet
• Regularly lifting heavy items

The Mayo Clinic further advises: “If you have bleeding during bowel movements or you have haemorrhoids that don’t improve after a week of home care, talk to your health care provider.

“Don’t assume rectal bleeding is due to haemorrhoids, especially if you have changes in bowel habits or if your stools change in colour or consistency. Rectal bleeding can happen with other diseases, including colorectal cancer and anal cancer.

“Seek emergency care if you have large amounts of rectal bleeding, lightheadedness, dizziness or faintness.”