Does Sleeping More Really Help You Grow Taller? Dr. Rochon Explains Everything You Need To Know About Sleep

Have you ever wondered why you feel unusually tired on Monday mornings? Or whether sleeping more really help you grow taller? We got your burning questions answered through an interview with Dr. Rochon, a biopsychologist from Engineering Sleep.

Dr. Rochon has a master’s in neuroscience and cognitive science with a doctorate specializing in sleep and different stages of consciousness. Studying both biology and psychology, he became a biopsychologist, finding sleep as the perfect link between both disciplines.

“For me, the link between biology and psychology is represented by sleep. Sleep is the most accurate way to touch biological or psychological problems,” says Dr. Rochon

What can you do before going to sleep that will improve your sleep quality?

The most important part is your access to light. The more you dim your lights during the evening, the more easily you will fall asleep and sleep deeply. This should be a part of your routine. When you form a routine in your brain by activating different kinds of behaviors, it will prepare your brain to fall asleep faster and deeper.

Another thing you should do is to cool down your body, so your bedroom should be at about 20 to 21 degrees Celsius. If you want to sleep faster, stay in your living room until you start to have biological signs of sleep like yawning, and then you can go back to your bedroom. Going to sleep is not something passive, it’s active, so you have to prepare for it.

Do you need less sleep as you get older?

Instead of sleeping less, I would say we need the same amount of sleep, but as you get older, you will separate this amount. We go back to a baby way of sleeping, where you would sleep for an hour and a half and then wake up and then go to sleep.

How much time and when should you nap during the day if you don’t get enough sleep?

The best time is usually approximately six hours after you wake up. It’s usually after lunch, but for some people who wake up earlier, it’s during lunch or before lunch. This time of the day is the best to take a nap for about 20 minutes to 30 minutes so that you don’t go into deep sleep. If you do it, don’t do it on your bed. Do it somewhere that you don’t associate with sleep. Yet, for people who have trouble falling asleep, I don’t recommend naps.

Can you really grow taller if you sleep more?

If you have a healthy sleeping schedule, like going to bed and waking up the same time every day, then you will have more growth hormones. The first three hours of your sleep are especially significant since it is considered deep sleep where the most growth hormones are secreted. This is more important for younger children, which means parents should reinforce the time they go to bed. In short, for teens, if you miss the first three hours of your usual sleep schedule, you will also miss the opportunity to excrete growth hormones that day.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, get in touch with Dr. Rochon!