Does Sleeping Burn Calories?

Do you know how many calories do you burn while sleeping? You will be surprised to know the number of calories burned while sleeping because the body uses energy even while sleeping.

How many calories do you burn while sleeping depends on many factors like metabolism, weight, and the number of hours you sleep.

How Many Calories Do You Burn?

A person who weighs around 125 pounds will burn 38 calories per her when sleeping. It may seem like a very small amount, but when multiplied by 7-9 hours of sleep every night, it makes a total of 266-342 calories.

The more you weight, the more calories are burned while sleeping. A person who weighs around 150 pounds burns 46 calories every hour, making it 322 to 414 calories each night. And a person weighing 185 pounds burns 56 calories each other, making it 392 – 504 calories at night.

How do you calculate the number of calories burned? It depends on the metabolism of every individual. Metabolism is a process of converting food into energy for daily activities. Your body burns calories even when you breathe and circulate blood to other body parts. The BMR (basal metabolic rate) represents the number of calories you burn when your body is resting. This includes both sitting and sleeping positions.

Below we have mentioned the BMR:

66+ (6.2 x weight) + (12.7 x height) – (6.76 x age) = BMR for men

6555.1 + (4.35 x weight) + (4.7 x height) – (4.7 x age) = BMR for women

For Instance, A 35-year-old man weighing 175 pounds who is 5 feet tall would burn:

66+ (6.2 x 175) + (12.7 x 71) – (6.76 x 35) = 1816

The more your body mass, the more calories you burn while at rest or sleeping. Men burn more calories than women of the same weight when the body is at rest because of higher muscle mass in the men.

Muscle burns calories when you are sedentary.

Factors Responsible For Burning Calories

Want to know how to increase the number of calories burned while sleeping? According to a study, skipping one night’s sleep burns extra 135 calories during that period of time. 

Warning: skipping sleep to burn calories is not advisable.

Sleep loss for a long period can contribute to obesity or weight gain. It can increase the hormone levels, like cortisol in the body. This hormone is responsible for holding on to extra fat and increasing your appetite to slow down your metabolism. Boosting your metabolism is a good way of burning more calories.

Things to Know:

Does sleeping burn calories? Actually, there are other factors that are responsible for burning calories when sleeping. Elevating your metabolism is one great of increasing calories burned. 

Some important things you should be aware of :

Eating late does not slow down metabolism

Eating early at night before your bedtime may elevate your metabolism temporarily. This process is called thermogenesis. Eating late doesn’t make you gain more weight; however, the plate night unhealthy snacking does. Eating large meals can make it hard for you to sleep at night.

Regular Exercise, Incorporating Strength Training

More muscle mass helps in burning more calories even while sleeping. So incorporate a regular exercise routine along with some strength training. If you face difficulty sleeping at night, then workout at least 6-7 hours before bedtime.

Lose weight

Losing weight also boosts metabolism. Fat burns fewer calories as compared to muscles when your body is at rest. If you are overweight, then make an appointment with the dietician or doctor to get a healthy meal plan.

Caffeine to boost metabolism

Caffeine increases metabolism temporarily but does not support weight loss. Drinking caffeinated beverages can disturb your sleep during at night.

Be cautious when using supplements

Supplement that claims metabolism-boosting capabilities should be consumed with caution, if possible, not at all. Some supplements are found to have unsafe ingredients. Always consult your doctor before consuming supplements. 

Health conditions can slow down metabolism.

Health conditions like hypothyroidism and Cushing syndrome can slow down your metabolism. This means fewer calories will be burned while sleeping, and your body will hold onto the gained weight for a longer time. The doctor can perform simple tests to rule out any chances for health conditions.  Together you and the doctor can work to manage your weight and health condition.

Final Words:

Your body works at all hours, both day and night. You even burn calories while sleeping, even though it’s not a proper weight loss strategy. Regular exercise and eating well can help in burning more calories even when your body is at rest. It is recommended to get at least 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Follow these tips to get a good night’s sleep:

• Create a fixed sleeping routine. Go to bed and wake up every morning at the same time. You can also practice some relaxing activities like take a bath, stretching, or do gentle yoga before sleeping.
• Use earplugs, white noise, or blackout curtains to block any disturbance when sleeping. Make sure to maintain a cool temperature in your bedroom to nod off faster.
• Avoid consuming caffeine and nicotine close to bedtime. It takes some time to wear off such things. At the same time, alcohol makes you sleepy and can disrupt sleep at night.
• Turn off the computer, televisions, phones, or any electronics before going to bed. Devices emit blue light that disrupts the sleeping rhythm of the body.
• Limit your nap time during the day for only 30 minutes. Sleeping for a longer time during the day makes it difficult to fall asleep at night.

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