The Morning Height Boost: Why You’re Taller When You Wake Up

August 4, 2024

by Cathe Friedrich

Do you feel a smidge taller when you wake up in the morning? It’s not your imagination! According to science, you have a bit more height in the morning when you wake up. This fact is so ingrained in the scientific literature that it has a name – the morning height boost. And everyone has it. What’s more, understanding this phenomenon can help you prevent lower back pain and improve your posture.

The force of gravity on your spine is the reason you wake up a little taller. When you awaken in the morning, gravitational forces on your spine are at their lowest. But once you’ve walked around for a while, gravity exerts its pull, compressing the cartilage discs between your vertebrae, making you shorter.

So, you can expect a height difference of 0.5 to 0.75 inches between morning and evening due to this compression. These compressive forces lessen when you lie down to sleep. Because of this, the force lifts, and your discs rehydrate and expand.

The change in height you get from morning to evening isn’t dramatic. But it’s perfectly normal and expected. Yet it should make you more aware of how important it is to take care of your spine and keep it healthy. Here are ways to maximize your spinal health:

Optimize Your Sleep Posture

To enhance your morning height boost and do something healthy for your vertebrae and discs, change your sleeping position to one that doesn’t contort your spine. The goal is to support the natural curve of your spine. You can do this by sleeping on your back. And before drifting off to sleep, place a firm pillow under your knees for added support.

But what if you can’t break the habit of sleeping on your side? If you’re a habitual side sleeper and won’t change, support your spine by placing a pillow between your knees. You’ll wake up feeling taller and experience less back pain during the day.

Invest in a Supportive Mattress

How long have you had the mattress you’re sleeping on? Most people don’t give their back and spine enough support to prevent back pain. They choose the wrong mattress or let the one they have get old and saggy. There’s a sweet spot for mattresses – not too firm and not too lax. A soft, lax mattress won’t give your spine the support it needs for health and maximizes your morning height boost. As popular as hard mattresses are, too much hardness will place too much pressure on your spine.

An excellent choice for most people is a medium-firm memory foam mattress. Memory foam, a material that conforms to your shape, is supportive but also offers pressure relief for your joints. Don’t be afraid to spend a little more money on the right mattress. A good mattress will last a decade. Most experts say you should invest in a new mattress every 7 to 10 years.

Practice Spinal Decompression Exercises

One of the smartest things you can do for the health of your spine and to maximize your morning height boost is to take the load off your spine. You can do this with decompression exercises. Think about how much force your spine must deal with throughout the day due to the force of gravity. Adding gentle stretches and decompression exercises to your daily routine will help counter that downward pull that does no favors for the health of your spine.

One way to relax your spine is to hang from a pull-up bar and do gentle stretches in the morning after you wake up. Some people use an inversion table to decompress their spine. But if neither option appeals to you, you can always fall back on simple, but proven, stretches like child’s pose or cat-cow pose.

While most people can benefit from these exercises, talk to your healthcare provider if you have preexisting back pain before doing them. Ensure you’re using proper form and technique too.

Stay Hydrated

Your body runs on water. How much water you drink can affect the health of your spine. To maximize your morning height boost, make sure you’re drinking enough water to hydrate your discs. Doing so will maximize their expansion during sleep. Most people don’t drink enough water and don’t realize that mild dehydration can cause headaches and negatively impact mood. They also don’t know that poor hydration can worsen back stiffness because of its effects on disc hydration and expansion. If you’re hydrating well, your urine should be no darker than light straw colored.

Watch Your Daytime Posture

Show your spine love by watching your posture during the day. Practice good workspace ergonomics:

Sit in an ergonomically friendly chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Place your computer screen at eye level, so you don’t have to look up or down.
Choose and use a supportive chair with good lumbar support.
Stand up and stretch every 30-60 minutes.
Take short walks when possible.
Do quick desk exercises or stretches.
Place a lumbar support cushion against your back when you sit.

Watch your posture when you stand too:

Stand so you’re bearing weight on both feet evenly.
Don’t lock your knees when you stand.
Engage your core muscles. It takes practice!
Do chin tucks, shoulder blade squeezes, and pelvic tilts throughout the day.
Conclusion

When you take care of your spine with smart ergonomic practices and sleep in a healthier position for your back, you’ll feel a little taller and have more confidence. Plus, when you wake up in the morning, you ARE a little taller. When you make the above changes, notice how your body feels. Do you feel more limber and flexible rather than stiff and tight? Stay consistent! The most benefits come from making these changes in a consistent manner. So why not try it? Your spine (and the rest of your body) will thank you.

References:

Kourtis D, Magnusson ML, Smith F, Hadjipavlou A, Pope MH. Spine height and disc height changes as the effect of hyperextension using stadiometry and MRI. Iowa Orthop J. 2004;24:65-71. PMID: 15296209; PMCID: PMC1888420.
“How Much Does Your Height Change Throughout the Day: Key Factors Explored.” 10 Mar. 2024, https://bodymetrictools.com/blog/how-much-does-your-height-change-throughout-the-day.
“Did you know you are taller in the morning than at night?.” 21 Jun. 2016, https://lifeforcephysio.com/2016-6-21-did-you-know-you-are-taller-in-the-morning-than-at-night/.