Lost 3 cms in height over last year

Jools Holland

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I'm sure I remember that I was always 182 cms without shoes on, but around a month ago I was shocked to see that I am now only 179 cm.

I've read that this is possible with a Vitamin D deficiency. I tend to avoid the sun as much as possible (because I can't wear sunscreen on my face) and have been reluctant to supplement with Vitamin D because it seems like every time I do my sleep is horrible (I might be wrong about this).

Is it possible to lose 3cms in height over the course of one year? Could a Vitamin D deficiency cause this?
 
How old are you? It's natural to lose a bit of height as we age. Plus our height fluctuates between day and night. Some sources say about 1/2 cm, but people report a difference as much as 1 inch. If you're concerned about a deficiency, ifI have your doctor test for it. It's pretty simple to do.
 
27. From what I've read in the research though, people typically start losing height at a much higher age than mine. Also, a 3 cm loss in one year seems quite extreme.

And yes, I'll go to the doctor to get it checked.
 
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Could it be because of sleep deprivation? You get taller in your sleep and then lose it over the course of the day, right? If I'm only getting around 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep (when I usually need 10), could that be causing the problem?
 
You need to sleep more than 4 hours a night for lots of reasons. Your height being the least of it.

Why aren't you sleeping? Try magnesium supplements and melatonin if it's random. If that doesn't work see a doctor.
 
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You need to sleep more than 4 hours a night for lots of reasons. Your height being the least of it.

Why aren't you sleeping? Try magnesium supplements and melatonin if it's random. If that doesn't work see a doctor.

Lol, if I knew the answer to that question I probably wouldn't have any sleeping problems anymore. I've had sleep-maintenance insomnia for almost 5 years now where I have very interrupted sleep. I just had a sleep study done to rule out if it's due to periodic limb movements or sleep apnea.
 
I'm getting a Vitamin D test and a bone density test. Apparently a Vitamin D deficiency can cause osteoporosis which can cause height loss. I'll wear more shorts and t-shirts when I go outside and just cover my face. I've always been reluctant to leave my skin exposed on other parts of my body because of mild folliculitis (little red dots I have on the hair follicles) and what looks like keratosis pilaris. I understand that sun exposure can cause these types of things to scar, so I can just put sunscreen over these parts and leave the rest of my skin unexposed.

Although I read some research (https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezp....au/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2009.09332.x) that shows that people who regularly use sunscreen don't tend to have Vitamin D deficiencies, but they said that could just be because people don't tend to use much sunscreen and I use a lot.
 
I think you should have this checked out by your doctor. Especially if you are 100% sure that you were really 182 cm
 
Could there be a margin for error of 3cm in the measurement (or at least part of it)? Could you have stood slightly straighter one day?

I would try to measure very carefully and take a lot of measurements and log them over a period of time, and have someone else check them or do a separate measurement. Good luck!