Sleep is essential for good overall health. It is particularly crucial for normal growth in children and adolescents. For adults, getting taller isn’t really possible, but you might notice your height is optimal after a good night's sleep.

How Does Sleep Affect Growth and Development?

Sleep is essential in all stages of life, but it can impact height for babies, children, and adolescents. The most significant determining factor in how tall someone will ultimately be is genetics, but many other factors come into play. These include hormones and diet, and other lifestyle habits. Healthier habits equate to a taller individual.

Sleep is a critical factor in determining height because it plays a role in how children grow and develop. While asleep, the body releases growth hormone. If a child consistently gets poor sleep or too little sleep, it can disrupt this process and stunt growth.

How Can I Ensure My Child Grows Tall?

While you cannot control genetic factors, you can help your child reach their full potential with healthy habits. Starting with adequate sleep. Infants and babies need between 12 and 17 hours of sleep per night. Toddlers should get 11 to 14 and young children up to age five, 10 to 13. Older children should sleep 9 to 12 hours, and teens, 8 to 10 hours per night.

It’s not just at night that the body produces growth hormones. Naps also trigger its release, so your child will benefit from any extra shut-eye they get.

Other health habits that promote growth include a balanced, healthy diet and regular exercise. A good diet ensures your child has all the nutrients their body needs to grow and develop. Exercise is necessary for overall health but also promotes growth hormone production.

Do You Wake up Taller?

As a full-grown adult, you cannot make yourself taller, even with healthy lifestyle habits. However, if you have ever measured your height at different times of day, you might notice that you’re taller in the morning.

So, how does sleep affect height in adults? As you move through your day, the force of gravity and the weight of your body compresses your spin. This is simply a consequence of being upright all day. In bed at night, the spine has a chance to decompress, so when you wake up in the morning, you’re a little taller than the night before.

Engage in Healthy Habits to Stand Taller

You can’t make yourself taller once fully grown, but healthy habits make you look taller and prevent age-related bone loss that shrinks height. A healthy diet, improving your sleep, regular exercise, and mental health self-care will keep you fit and tall.

Talk to your doctor if you are at risk for osteoporosis or concerned about how your diet might impact your bones. You might benefit from a supplement to strengthen bone tissue and slow or prevent loss. You’ll also stand taller and appear taller if you stretch regularly and improve your posture. Exercises, like yoga, are great for lengthening the spine.

Many people dream of being taller. It might be a little late for you, but it’s still possible to prevent height loss. You can also help your children reach their full potential with adequate sleep, exercise, and healthy foods.