How can I increase my height at the age of 17?

By the age of 17, some adolescents have already completed puberty while others are still going through it. If you belong to the former group, it is unlikely that you will gain any additional height. However, for those who are late bloomers, their growth plates may not have completely fused, and they may still have the potential to grow taller.

To make the most of the remaining time, you need to maximize the important factors that can affect your height growth. Are you interested in knowing what these factors are? Keep reading to find out!

Get good and enough sleep

To increase height, it is important to get enough quality sleep. The human growth hormone (HGH) is naturally produced during slow or deep sleep, making it essential for growth and development. For 17-year-old teenagers, it is recommended to get 8-11 hours of sleep per night to support their health and reach their maximum height potential.

If you have difficulty falling asleep, there are a few things you can try, such as taking a warm bath or drinking herbal tea before bed. Additionally, it is important to create a calm sleeping environment by minimizing unnecessary light sources and loud noises.

Ensuring a balanced diet

Ensuring a balanced diet is crucial for promoting growth and development. Consuming an adequate amount of calories from essential nutrients provides your body with the energy it needs to grow. Additionally, incorporating supplements into your diet can help ensure that you are getting all the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Here are some of the top nutrients to focus on:

• Vitamin D is essential for bone and muscle growth. You can get vitamin D by eating fish, mushrooms, and spending time in the sun. It is highly recommended to spend more time outdoors as sunlight is the primary source of this vitamin. Simply exposing your skin to the sun for 5 to 15 minutes is enough for your body to absorb sufficient vitamin D.
• Calcium is necessary for enhancing bone growth and preventing osteoporosis. You can easily obtain this mineral by consuming dairy products and green vegetables.
• Zinc deficiency can stunt growth in adolescents. To ensure you are getting enough zinc, consume foods such as eggs, peas, chocolate, and peanuts.
• Protein is a vital building block for the body. Ensure that your meals contain a good source of protein, such as eggs, tofu, meat, or beans.

Drinking milk

Drinking milk is important for promoting bone growth and overall development because it is a rich source of calcium, protein, and vitamin A. As a 17-year-old, it is recommended to consume at least 2 glasses of milk per day. Additionally, incorporating dairy products such as yogurt and cheese into your diet can provide extra protein and nutrients.

Drink plenty of water

Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water is also essential for supporting metabolism and digestion, which can aid in reaching full growth potential. There is no one-size-fits-all recommendation for how much water teenagers should drink, as it depends on factors such as age, health, body size, activity level, and weather conditions. However, it is important to drink more water when exercising or in hot weather. Although some suggest 8 glasses a day, the amount of water each person needs may vary.

Maintain ideal body weight

Maintaining an ideal body weight is important for overall health and proper growth. Excess weight or obesity can cause various health issues and can also result in a shorter frame as gravity presses down on the intervertebral discs. Additionally, carrying too much weight puts pressure on the bones and joints, which can also make you appear shorter.

To determine if your weight is within a healthy range, refer to the table below. It is important to achieve a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular exercise.

Engage in height-boosting exercises

Engaging in activities like swimming, cycling, yoga, or aerobic exercises, along with proper nutrition and adequate sleep, can help increase your height while you are still growing. Additionally, stretching exercises such as corba, toe touching, or pilates can improve your posture and make you appear taller. Exercising stimulates the pituitary gland to release human growth hormone (HGH), which is essential for height growth.

Maintain good posture

Poor posture, such as hunching over or rolling your shoulders, can negatively impact the curve of your spine, affecting your overall height. To prevent this, maintain good posture by avoiding slouching when walking and sitting up straight with your feet flat on the floor when sitting down. Good posture can make you look taller, even if you are not naturally tall.

Avoid growth inhibitors

Certain habits like smoking, drinking coffee, and consuming alcohol during puberty can have adverse effects on your height growth. Smoking hinders blood flow and oxygen to the body, making it difficult to build muscles and interrupting the natural cycle of bone health. Coffee contains caffeine, which can interfere with sleep and indirectly disrupt growth. Alcohol lowers bone density, limb growth development, and changes the levels of HGH in both male and female adolescents.

Manage stress

Stress is damaging to your body, and chronic stress can lead to decreased steroid supply, which affects the communication between the brain and the pituitary gland, resulting in a reduced release of growth hormone. At the age of 17, stress may stem from school, social relationships, and peer pressure around sex and substance use. It is essential to have parental support and advice to help you manage stress and grow into healthy and happy adults.

Consider using height growth supplements

Height growth supplements have been available for many years with the promise of naturally and effectively increasing height. While each supplement may have its own unique formula, most contain common height-boosting ingredients, such as Calcium, vitamin D3, zinc, and magnesium. Taking these pills is a simple and convenient way to ensure optimal absorption of essential vitamins and minerals.

Furthermore, some supplements also contain herbal ingredients to improve immune health and enhance sleep quality, which stimulates the natural production of HGH. You can find a list of top height growth supplements for further information.

In conclusion, it is recommended to try all the methods mentioned above to maximize the chances of growing taller at the age of 17. Give it a try and don’t forget to share your experience with us.

• Related post: How can cardio exercises help to increase height?