Have you ever experienced a sudden increase in height in the morning? Perhaps you’ve noticed that your clothes fit differently or you appear taller in the mirror. If so, you’re not alone, as the Internet is abuzz with claims that this phenomenon is natural.
But, is there any truth to these assertions? And if so, what scientific explanations can be provided? Is it really the case that we are taller in the morning?
VERDICT:
SOMEWHAT TRUE
When we stand upright, gravity compresses the spinal discs, resulting in a slight decrease in height. This, combined with daily activities like walking and standing that further compress the spine’s discs, contributes to height loss.
Conversely, sleeping horizontally during the night allows the spinal discs to rehydrate, causing a small increase in height in the morning. This expansion is explained by Jean Sibonga of NASA’s Human Research Programme.
“Normally, standing up in standard Earth-gravity compresses these discs. Because we sleep horizontally at night, we actually wake up ever so slightly taller courtesy of fluid-engorged intervertebral discs,” said Sibonga.
“When we’re walking around in the morning and we have that one-g [force] push on us, these discs start to extrude some of that fluid,” she added.
So, how much height can a person gain overnight? Studies have shown that an average individual can experience a 0.5 to 1cm increase in height while asleep. While this may seem minimal, it could impact how tall we appear.
Research conducted at the University of Manchester in the UK utilized a stadiometer to measure the heights of 12 individuals throughout the day, revealing an average height increase of 0.6cm in the morning compared to the evening.
Similarly, an independent study published in the Annals of Human Biology reported an average overnight height gain of 0.8cm among participants.
So, it turns out you are indeed a bit taller in the mornings – so go ahead and strut with a little extra confidence armed with this newfound knowledge.
REFERENCES
1. https://indianexpress.com/
2. https://www.bbc.com/future/
3. https://www.onlymyhealth.com/
