The Cabinet
Standing Height (The Caterpillar Effect)
Yoga mats or mattresses are often made based on your height. The length is measured based on your standing height. But did you know that when standing up you are usually slightly shorter than when lying down? For example, some people are two centimetres taller in the morning than in the evening. This is because there is fluid in the intervertebral discs in the spinal column in your back. During the day, you move a lot and that puts pressure on those vertebrae. That pressure squeezes the moisture out. This compresses the spine and reduces the height difference between those intervertebral discs. At night, your body relaxes while sleeping, so that the space between the vertebral discs opens up once more and you become a little taller again.
Astronauts who return from a long stay in a space station are also quite a bit taller than before. Due to the lack of gravity in space, the vertebrae no longer press against each other and you therefore become ‘taller’. American Scott Kelly grew as much as five centimetres during his year in space. Unfortunately, this does not last very long, as you quickly shrink back to your original height when you land back on Earth.
The Cabinet was created within the context of Through the Grapevine.
Sitting Height
People with a long upper body will have a much taller sitting height than people with long legs, although they may not differ so much in height when standing. This sitting height is seldom measured during medical examinations, but it is not unimportant. The length of your torso can have its advantages when playing sports. If you have a short torso, tennis may suit you better than table tennis. If you have a long upper body, your centre of gravity is lower and you have more balance. This can come in handy for judo, for example. Your body proportions are not only influenced by your genes and physical exercise, but also the climate and your diet can have an impact here. In areas where a lot of rice grows and is eaten, the population generally has a taller sitting height. Rice, but also raw vegetables, for instance, are difficult to digest, which makes your stomach longer and your intestines take up more space. Consequently, your upper body becomes a little longer. Divers, who work on their lung capacity, also tend to develop a longer upper body. A child’s body proportions are, incidentally, not at all comparable to an adult’s. It is therefore not surprising that adolescents often have complexes about their bodies, because they also effectively get a different body in which they do not immediately feel at home.
Images: Olympe Tits
Text: Annelies Van Assche
