We all love to sleep, apart from those who would rather stay awake because the reality is far much better than their dreams. There is a time for everything, and regardless of how much better reality is than your dreams, there is a time when we should power down for a while and let our bodies recover. This is a song that has been sung to us since childhood, but somewhere along the way to adulthood, as reality kicks in and we see life for what it is, we forget it. Sleep is vital to us, particularly for those who are still in the process of growing. It is true that for most people, the most conspicuous signs of growth, particularly height-wise, will be between the ages of 14 and 17 years old. After 17, any changes in growth are not that noticeable. However, there are those who will still keep growing – though not that visible – until the age of 27. This means that after 27, your chances of increasing your height are gone. Enough sleep plays an important role in increasing one’s height. Read on if you are interested in finding out how.
Building and Repair
The main cause of disease in the world is stress. In fact, if you were to eliminate much of the stress most people experience in their lives, most people will be very happy, healthier, and taller. One of the most effective ways of reducing stress is getting enough sleep. Enough sleep is on average, 8 hours long. Women can get by very well with just 7 hours of sleep, and men should have 8 hours of sleep. It is during the hours we are asleep that our bodies do most of the crucial repair of worn out tissues in the body, as well as build new ones that will contribute the development of the body.
It is during deep sleep that the body releases a very important hormone that is the sole player in contributing to the increase of height; the growth hormone (webmd.com). This hormone is responsible for creating new tissues and enabling the body to develop to its maximum potential. If you are meant to be 6 ft. tall, it’s this hormone that will work on that (provided you give it enough time to do its thing). Of course, genes play their role. If you come from a family of not very tall people, you may not necessarily be twice as tall as everybody else, but with enough sleep, you’ll at least be taller than most of the people in your family. So don’t think that it’s being communicated that having enough sleep will make you 7ft tall when you come from a family of 6ft tall people. The main point is that enough sleep will guarantee you reach the highest height possible for your body (healthguidance.org).
Enough sleep will make you less stressed. The more stressed you are, the weaker your immune system will be, and that is the reason why most people who are stressed fall ill more often. The more stressed you are, the more restless your body will be and the fewer growth hormones it’ll produce. This will not only affect your overall health but also your height. When you are sound asleep, your mind will be quieter, reducing your level of stress (if you are troubled in any way); hence, giving your body the chance to repair any damaged tissues, as well as produce enough growth hormones to encourage the development of your body.
Exercise
Working out on a regular basis also encourages the release of growth hormones (healthguidance.org). Now, combining regular physical exercises together with enough sleep will work wonders for you. It has been determined that particular exercises are more effective than others. Squats and sprinting are some of the exercises that seem to work really well. The main idea is that exercises that encourage the building of muscles are what seem to encourage the release of growth hormones the most. For this reason, young people who work out often, and ensure they get enough sleep have a better chance of attaining their highest growth potential – growing to be as tall as their bodies will permit.
Gravity Falls
While you are standing, gravity has a higher impact on your bones than when you are asleep (yourbodychanging.com). In fact, if you were to measure your height in the morning, and then do the same in the evening, possibly before retiring to bed, you’ll discover a difference in height; around an inch. When you sleep, your vertebral disks get hydrated, which causes them to expand; hence, increasing your height. Furthermore, your posture and stress level will also increase the effect gravity will have on you. When you are stressed, you are likely to slouch. And when you have a habit of assuming the posture of cavemen, you are also likely to stay that way, and that will affect your height. Therefore, avoid stress, make a habit of assuming the best posture for whatever position you’re in, and get enough sleep, and you’ll be as tall as you can be.
How and Where you sleep
I’ve been going on and on about enough sleep here, and enough sleep there, and enough sleep. Be that as it may, how you sleep also affects how tall you’ll eventually be. Most doctors discourage the use of pillows while sleeping (yourbodychanging.com). The reason is that pillows affect the natural alignment of the spine and the neck; hence, affecting the growth of the spine. So if you make a habit of sleeping with a pillow under your neck, it’s possible it’ll chop off a few centimeters or inches from your spine and affect your height. Moreover, we are encouraged to sleep on our backs, and avoid sleeping on our stomachs or the sides (yourbodychanging.com). Sleeping on our backs encourages the natural growth of the spine and does not necessarily adversely affect the natural alignment of the neck and the spine.
The environment we sleep also impacts how we sleep (getbestmattress.com). You see, the main idea here is not just sleeping, but having enough, deep, and sound sleep. The only way this can be realized is if we are sleeping on the right surface; the right mattress, and the right environment. A comfortable mattress is recommended; hence, get the best mattress – one that fits your situation and circumstances (getbestmattress.com). It goes without saying that a quiet environment with no interruptions is vital for a good night sleep.
Sleep is crucial for the general development of your body. It not only affects your health but also your height. Enough sleep will give your body enough time to repair any damages it may have undergone as well as encourage a smooth development. This will ultimately ascertain that you’ll be able to grow to the maximum potential of your body.
References:
Lee, J. (2016, January 21). Does Sleeping Make You Taller? Get the Answers HERE – Your Body Changing. Retrieved from Your Body Changing: https://yourbodychanging.com/does-sleeping-make-you-taller/
Lemouse, M. (2017, December 19). Importance of Sleeping in Growing Taller. Retrieved from Health Guidance: http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/13394/1/Importance-of-Sleeping-in-Growing-Taller.html
Top 10 Best Mattresses 2017 – 2018 | Buyer’s Guid and Reviews. (2017, December 19). Retrieved from Get Best Battress: https://getbestmattress.com/