1 in 5 Brits use their phone in the shower – expert reveals worrying effects

While the bathroom seems like a great escape for a break from endless email and text notifications, it seems that people are against leaving phones behind. New research has unveiled the bathroom habits of Brits with a staggering amount of people confessing to using their phones while showering.

Previous YouGov figures revealed that the majority of Brits (67 per cent) admit to using their phone on the toilet in some capacity, with this number rising to an astounding 84 per cent when looking at those aged 18-29.

However, with researchers at the University of Arizona finding that mobile phones carry 10 times more germs than most toilet seats, not to mention the risk of dropping them down the toilet, many Brits might want to think again about the relationship between their mobile phones and the bathroom.

Phone usage isn't just limited to the toilet, either. Faith In Nature’s research found that one in five (21 per cent) young Brits admit to even Facetiming or video calling while they’re in the bath or shower (compared to a seven per cent national average).

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To help Brits further understand the effects that using technology in the bathroom might be having on them, Faith In Nature has teamed up with psychologists Nilou Esmaeilpou and Georgina Sturmer to explain further.

Esmaeilpou revealed that in an age of constant connectivity, young people are experiencing more FOMO (fear of missing out) than ever before, which "further pushes them to be online even on occasions set apart for personal time, such as bathing."

She also explained that: "Bathrooms have traditionally provided a personal space to let the mind unwind, reflect, and shut off from the outside world. Taking a phone into this setting disrupts this potential for mental rest and recuperation integral to overall well-being."

Esmaeilpou suggests "setting boundaries" around phone use, "especially in the bathroom."

"If there is constant phone use, especially in areas dedicated to personal care, this can increase anxiety and decrease the quality of personal interactions by replacing in-person conversations with digital ones," she added.

Meanwhile, Sturmer suggested younger people using their bathroom downtime to catch up with friends should "be celebrated rather than criticised, especially in a world where we are feeling more lonely and isolated than ever."

However, Sturmer acknowledged how phones in bathrooms may stem from device addiction.

"Consider what happens when we don’t have our devices with us. Our response might be a sense of boredom or even a fear of being alone with our thoughts," she added. "It’s this fear or worry that keeps us tapping and scrolling, even when we have a few moments to ourselves."

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