Avoid growth-stunting factors. There might not be a lot you can do to increase your height, but you can take several steps to make sure your natural height isn't shortened by environmental influences. Drugs and alcohol are both thought to contribute to stunted growth if they're ingested while you're young, and malnutrition can keep you from reaching your full height, as well. Get plenty of sleep. Research suggests that growing teenagers and pre-teens need between 8.5 and 11 hours of sleep every night. This is because your body grows and regenerates tissue while you're at rest. Make your sleeping environment as calm as possible, and try to eliminate loud noises and unnecessary light. Eat right. Ensuring that you're getting all the vitamins and minerals your body requires will help you grow to your full height. Take a supplement targeted at your age group with breakfast each morning, and try to incorporate certain foods into your diet. Get plenty of calcium (found in dairy products and green vegetables). Calcium promotes bone growth, and can help prevent osteoporosis. Make sure to take in an abundance of carbohydrates and calories for that is where the body gains its energy to grow. Eat on a regular schedule. You should be eating 3 meals a day, with small snacks between breakfast and lunch, and lunch and dinner. Try to schedule these events at roughly the same time each day. Eat a wide variety of healthy foods. Eating one thing such as açaí or salmon for every meal, while not harmful, doesn't do all that much to keep your immune system at its strongest. Eat a variety of fruits, plenty vegetables, whole grains, protein sources such as milk, cheese, nuts and fish, and other foods rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids for a healthier immune system. Exercise your body. Sadly, if your growth plates have closed as due to your age, exercising will not affect your growth rate. But if you enjoy swimming, biking, running, or yoga, among other sports, and you haven't stopped growing, exercise combined with the right diet and proper sleep should help you grow.