According to a survey conducted on the ideal height of Indian women, most people believe that 5'1 to 5'4 is the ideal height for women. Many also believe that the ideal height of women should be between 5'5 and 5'9.
According to research, girls experience puberty between the age of 8 and 13. They experience maximum body growth in height before they attain puberty. According to research, women's height usually stops increasing by the age of 16. However, your height can increase even during adulthood.
How to Increase Height in 1 Week? - Is It Even Possible?
Usually, women's height stops increasing after they attain puberty. They might still gain height till the age of 18. However, it is extremely challenging to increase height once you reach your 20s.
It is even more difficult to increase your height in one week. You can try various ways like exercising, eating nutritious food and getting proper sleep. However, these methods do not guarantee height increase. If you want to appear taller, you can work on body posture and strengthen your core muscles.
Ways to Increase Height in One Week
Here are some of the most common ways to try and increase your height—
1. Exercise
According to research, bones adapt to mechanical load and become stronger. Exercises like stretching, hanging, cycling, and swimming can help increase height in children. However, it is unclear if exercising can increase height in adults.
2. Get 7-8 Hours Sleep
According to research, improper sleep can slow down the body metabolism and restrict growth. There are not enough studies that suggest lack of sleep can slow down height. However, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, sleep deprivation can affect brain health. It can hamper overall bodily growth. Therefore, you must get proper sleep if you want to increase your height.
3. Improve Body Posture
It is difficult to increase height in adulthood. However, you can try certain things that can make you appear taller. One of these ways is to improve your body posture. Slouching can make you look short. So, you should practice correct body posture to appear tall.
4. Have a Balanced Diet
According to research, one of the best ways to facilitate height growth is to have a nutritious diet. It is essential to consume food rich in calcium, protein and fiber to increase height. Another research suggests that adequate nutrition is essential for physiological growth. Vitamin D, zinc, iron, and folate are a few macronutrients that promote growth. So, a healthy diet is vital to increase height.
5. Drink Plenty of Water
Drinking 7-8 glasses of water daily provides several health benefits. It helps remove toxins from the body and promotes the proper functioning of body organs. According to research, hydration is crucial for physical growth and cognitive development. Therefore, you must drink at least two litres of water daily for normal body growth.
6. Take Vitamin D
A study on children shows that vitamin D deficiency can slow down growth. According to research, diet and lifestyle changes to increase your height will only be effective without a vitamin D deficiency. Therefore, you should spend 5-10 minutes under direct sunlight if you want to increase your height.
Exercises to Increase Height
Here are some of the common exercises that you can try if you are wondering how to grow height in one week—
1. Hanging
Hanging on a bar for 15-20 minutes can help increase height as it stretches your muscles. It will also strengthen your core muscles.
2. Cycling
Cycling may also help increase height as it stretches your calf muscles. You can adjust the height of your cycle's seat for the best effects.
3. Skipping
Skipping is another easy exercise to increase height. As you jump, it expands and contracts your leg muscles. It might increase your height. You can try jumping for a few days before you start skipping with a rope.
4. Swimming
Swimming is one of the best exercises for overall fitness. This exercise stretches your muscles and also helps tone them. There is no scientific research that suggests swimming can guarantee height gain. However, many people believe that muscle stretching while swimming can increase height.
Factors That Influence Your Height
A person's height and the ability to grow more depends on various factors. Here are some of the most significant factors that influence your height:
1. Genes
Genetics play the most crucial role in determining your growth. Older research suggests that 80% of a person's height is dependent on their genes. The remaining factors relate to nutrition and the environment.
2. Nutritious Diet
According to research, nutrition is one of the most important factors determining a person's height. Access to food, higher socioeconomic status, improved sanitation and living standards have increased the average height of people. Both overall population health and an individual's ideal nutrition are responsible for determining height.
3. Hormones
According to research, the body's hormones are also responsible for a person's height. Normal height growth is affected by the growth hormone produced by the pituitary gland, thyroid hormone and the sex hormone eostrogen. Another study suggests that taking small doses of the growth hormone can significantly increase adult height.
Things You Should Avoid if You Want to Increase Your Height!
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), a poor diet is one of the reasons for short height. Another research by the Global Diabetes Community in the UK also suggests that a poor diet can stunt height growth. Therefore, if you want to increase your height, here are a few things that you must avoid at all costs.
1. Alcohol
Excess alcohol consumption can pause height growth. According to research, consuming alcohol even for a short period during adolescence can cause harm to the liver and the endocrine system. It also impacts the brain and restricts body growth. Moreover, drinking alcohol can reduce the secretion of growth and sex hormones in the body. As a result, it affects height growth.
2. Junk Food
Eating junk food can cause several health issues like obesity and diabetes. Furthermore, research also suggests that eating junk food has a negative impact on bone growth. Highly processed food can stop or slow skeletal growth. It prevents an increase in height.
3. Excess Sugar
According to research, sugar consumption inhibits the secretion of growth hormones in the body. Since growth hormones are crucial for increasing height, eating highly-processed sugary foods can stunt height growth.
In a Nutshell How to Increase Height in 1 Week
It is usually difficult to increase your height in one week, especially in adulthood. However, it is not impossible. You can try certain exercises that promote height growth like stretching, hanging and pelvic shifts.
Along with exercising, you should also focus on a nutritious diet. It is best to have almonds, green leafy vegetables, eggs or chicken, bananas and other healthy foods. Moreover, you should also remember to avoid consuming alcohol and stay away from junk food and excess sugar.
References
- Janna Zaretsky, Shelley Griess-Fishheimer, Adi Carmi, February 2021; Ultra-processed food targets bone quality via endochondral ossification - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41413-020-00127-9
- Juan F Sotos, July 2014; Growth hormone significantly increases the adult height of children with idiopathic short stature: comparison of subgroups and benefit - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4114101/
- Jessica M. Perkins, S.V. Subramanian, February 2016; Adult height, nutrition, and population health - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4892290/
- Syed Arif Kamal, September 2013; Increasing Height through Diet, Exercise and Lifestyle Adjustment - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282012258_Increasing_Height_through_Diet_Exercise_and_Lifestyle_Adjustment
- Katherine Gunter, Adam DG Baxter-Jones, December 2007; Impact Exercise Increases BMC During Growth: An 8-Year Longitudinal Study - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2679385/
