Several factors contribute to your overall height. Genetic factors are believed to account for approximately 80% of your final height. Some environmental factors, such as diet and exercise, typically account for the remaining percentage.
After age 2, most children grow at a steady rate of about 2.5 inches each year. Once you reach puberty, you may grow even faster. However, everyone grows at a different pace.
For girls, this growth spurt generally begins in early adolescence. Boys may not experience this sudden increase in height until a couple of years into adolescence.
You generally stop getting taller after going through puberty. This means that as an adult you are unlikely to increase your height.
However, there are some things you can do during adolescence to ensure you maximize your growth potential. You should continue them as an adult to promote overall well-being and maintain your height.
How to increase height naturally?
Although genetics plays a major role in determining height, there are a few things you can do to maximize your growth potential and appear taller.
1. Eat a balanced diet:
During your growing years, it’s crucial to get all the nutrients your body needs.
Your diet should include:
- fresh fruit
- fresh vegetables
- Whole grains
- proteins
- dairy products
You should limit or avoid foods containing high amounts of:
- sugar
- trans fats
- saturated fats
Consider taking more calcium if you have a medical condition that affects bone density, such as advanced age, which is causing your height to decrease. It is commonly advised that individuals over 50 and men over 70 should take in 1,200 mg of calcium daily.
Bone health is also enhanced by vitamin D. Salmon, tuna, fortified milk, and egg yolks are common foods high in vitamin D content. See your doctor about taking a supplement to meet your daily needs if your diet isn’t providing enough vitamin D.
2. Use supplements with caution:
Supplementation to prevent shrinkage in older adults and to increase height in children is only appropriate in certain situations.
For instance, a doctor might suggest a supplement containing synthetic human growth hormone (HGH) if you suffer from a condition that interferes with HGH production.
Furthermore, supplementing with calcium or vitamin D may be recommended to older adults in order to lower their risk of osteoporosis.
In all other cases, you should avoid supplements that make promises about height. Once your growth plates fuse together, there is no chance that you will be able to increase your height, regardless of what the supplement label advertises.
3. Get the right amount of sleep:
Occasionally, skimping on sleep won’t affect your height in the long run. But if your watch regularly registers less than the recommended amount during adolescence, this could lead to complications.
This is because your body releases HGH while you sleep. The production of this and other hormones may decrease if you don’t get enough rest.
Here is the recommended amount of sleep for various age groups:
- Newborns up to 3 months: 14-17 hours
- Newborns 4-12 months: 12-16 hours
- Children aged 1 to 2 years: 11-14 hours
- Young children aged 3 to 5 years: 10-13 hours
- Children aged 6 to 13: 9-12 hours
- Children aged 14 to 17: 8-10 hours
- Adults aged 18-64: 7-9 hours
- Seniors over 65: 7-8 hours
Getting more sleep can also increase HGH production, so go ahead and take that restful nap.
4. Stay active:
Regular exercise has many benefits. Strengthens muscles and bones, helps maintain a moderate weight and promotes HGH production.
Every day, school-age children should exercise for at least an hour. Throughout this time, they ought to concentrate on:
strength-building exercises, such as push-ups or sit-ups
flexibility exercises, such as yoga
aerobic activities, such as playing tag, jumping rope, or cycling
Even doing physical activity as an adult has its benefits. It can assist in lowering the risk of osteoporosis in addition to assisting you in maintaining your general health. This condition occurs when bones become weak or brittle, resulting in loss of bone density. This can make you “shrink” yourself.
Try walking, playing tennis, or doing yoga several times a week to lower your risk.
5. Practice good posture:
Poor posture can make you appear shorter than you actually are. And over time, sagging or slouching can also affect your actual height.
Your back should naturally curve in three places. If you slouch frequently, these curves may adjust to fit your new posture. Back and neck pain could result from this.
Being aware of how you stand, sit and sleep is crucial. Talk to a doctor about how to incorporate ergonomics into your daily routine. Depending on your needs, a desk or memory foam pillow may be all you need to correct your posture.
You can also practice exercises aimed at improving your posture over time. Speak with a doctor if you’re unsure of where to begin. They can assist you in creating a fitness regimen that works for you.
6. Use yoga to maximize your height:
If targeted postural exercises aren’t your thing, try yoga. This full-body practice can strengthen muscles, align the body and help with posture. This will help you stand taller.
You can practice yoga in the comfort of your home or in a group at your local gym or studio. If you’re not sure where to start, look up a yoga routine on YouTube or try some beginner poses.
Some popular poses for improving posture include:
- Mountain pose
- Cobra Pose
- Child’s pose
- Position of the Warrior II
What other factors influence height?
Your DNA accounts for about 80% of your height. In actuality, more than 700 distinct genetic variations have been found to be related to height by scientists.
Several hormones also affect growth and affect height, including thyroid hormones, growth hormones, and sex hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen.
In addition, certain genetic disorders like achondroplasia, Turner syndrome, and Down syndrome can result in delayed or stunted growth.
Eating a balanced diet, staying active, and getting plenty of sleep are all factors that can support growth, along with overall health.
What are the factors that stunt growth?
Several factors can negatively affect growth, leading to stunting, impaired development, or short stature.
Some possible factors that can slow growth include:
Inadequate nutrition: A poor diet and a deficiency of certain nutrients, such as protein, can lead to decreased growth over time.
Stress: Chronic stress can alter the functional activity of human growth hormone, which could negatively impact growth.
Poor bone health: Osteoporosis can cause height loss, along with back pain and changes in posture. Although this condition can affect people of any age, it is more common in older adults.
Environmental factors: Some research suggests that exposure to pollutants such as lead, cadmium or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may be linked to decreased height.
Health conditions: Growth hormone deficiency and chronic conditions such as anemia, cystic fibrosis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease can affect overall growth.
The bottom line:
In most cases, you reach your maximum height when you are done with puberty. While there are things you can do to maintain this height throughout adulthood, your growing-up days are long behind you.