Calories Burned Sleeping In Context
In some previous work here on FitFolk I looked at estimates for the calories burnt during an 8 hour shift of work. To provide some context for the energy used in an 8 hour shift of work I also included the typical calories burned sleeping. Heres how it looked:You can see that based on typical resting metabolic rates eight hours of sleep equates to burning roughly 440 calories for a woman and 570 calories for a man. But these are just averages.
The best way to consider the variation is to get a better understanding of metabolic rates vary at rest.
Average Calories Burned During 8 Hours Of Sleep
If you dont like math, not to worry. Examining some average numbers can be a good place to start. Consider these examples for calories burned during eight hours of sleep:
- 30-year-old, 110 lb female: 406 calories
- 30-year-old, 180 lb male: 601 calories
- 50-year-old, 110 lb female: 376 calories
- 50-year-old, 180 lb male: 558 calories
- 40-year-old, 130 lb female: 424 calories
- 40-year-old, 200 lb male: 619 calories
As you can see, the amount of calories burned decreases with age and increases with body weight. Metabolism slows with age, so it comes as no surprise that we see a decrease in caloric burn. A larger persons body will also burn more calories to function.
How Many Calories Do We Burn During Sleep
Because were all unique, the number of calories that we burn while sleeping varies as many things can affect calorie output.
For example, our calculator factors in age, weight, height, and the number of hours slept per night to approximate how much energy you expend while snoozing.
But its important to understand that while these are key factors, sleep quality, activity levels, temperature/environment, hormones, breathing/heart rate, and body composition play a role too. However, these elements are more difficult to measure.
But thats the point of this calculator. You punch in the necessary details and itll give you a close estimate of calories burned while getting your zzzs in.
However, weve provided a few examples of how our calculator will estimate calories burned.
Read Also: How Long Does It Take For Sleep Number To Deliver
How Do You Calculate The Number Of Calories Burned By Sleeping
It all depends on the metabolism that is a process of food conversion into energy utilized for daily activities. Even when your body functions, the systems work, breathing or circulation, it all results in burning calories. However, the basal metabolic rate, on the other hand, represents the number of calories which you burn on each day in a resting or sedentary stage, i.e., during sleeping or in a sitting posture.
For calculating the BMR, you need to consider factors which include weight, sex, age using pounds and inches for your height.
- BMR for men: 66 + +
- BMR for women: 655.1 + +
EXAMPLES:
- Consider a man aged 35-years old who is 175 pounds and has a height of 5 feet 11 inches so BMR would be:
66 + + = 1,816 calories.
- Consider a woman aged 35 years who is 135 pounds and has a height of 5 feet, 5 inches, so BMR would be:
655.1 + + = 1,383 calories.
So, it concludes that the higher the mass you have, the more it burns your calories, i.e., during sleeping, resting and performing other activities. Men have a greater tendency to burn calories when compared to females while sitting because they have higher muscle mass than women of the same weight.
Muscles result in more calorie loss than the fat in the body.
Avoid Taking Stimulants And Alcohol Before Bed
Weve all had to work late at some point, brewed that cup of coffee to help us focus. You should not, however, make it a norm to take stimulants before bed. Stimulants like coffee may take some time before wearing off, making it harder to sleep. Alcohol, on the other hand, makes you sleepy but will constantly disrupt the sleeping cycle.
Don’t Miss: Sleep Number Split King Reviews
How Does It Work
The doctor breaks down this process in his book, “The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan: Lose Weight Through Better Sleep.”
“Glucose metabolism starts to increase in the second half of the night when you enter REM sleep,” he writes. “Amazingly, the better you sleep, the more calories you burn.”
The amount of sleep you’re getting has an impact, too. “The longer you sleep, the more REM sleep you get, so you will burn more calories if you sleep longer,” he writes.
Not getting enough sleep can even affect your calorie intake the next day. Sleep deprivation makes people hungrier, especially for foods that are high in fat, plus sleeping less leaves more time to eat.
That said, you won’t burn a ton of calories by sleeping all day, as over-sleeping has the reverse effect. Breus explains that “those who sleep too long have slower metabolisms because they stay in bed instead of expending energy.”
What Is Rem Sleep
You burn more calories when you are in a deep sleep than when you are just lying reading in bed or tossing and turning.
Nighttime calorie burn is dependent on REM or rapid eye movement sleep.
When you are in REM sleep, your brain is highly active sometime more active than when you are awake.
Food is fuel and you need fuel for thoughts. Body fuel or glucose is the basic ingredient in most foods and glucose is continually being manufactured during sleeping hours.
Also Check: Sleep Number Store Toledo Ohio
Blackout With Blackout Shades
Light-blocking curtains make a huge difference when it comes to falling asleep. Outside light makes it harder for your mind to shut down, even if you think you’re immune to such instinctive signals. Melatonin, the hormone involved in putting your body to sleep, is compromised when light is present.
“Darken your room so that going to bed, even early, feels natural,” Smiley says.
Maximize Your Bodys Fat
Your body is always burning calories to keep your involuntary nervous system workingpumping blood, breathing, digesting food, and all the other life-sustaining jobs it performs. Youve probably already heard that the more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body is burning at rest, but did you know that you could also burn calories and fat while you sleep? With some minor tweaks to your daily habits, you can unleash the full potential of your bodys natural fat-burning ability while you sleep.
Follow these simple suggestions from nutrition and health experts to maximize fat burning while you snooze and improve the overall quality of your sleep.
1 of 9
Recommended Reading: Does Sleep Number Give Discounts
Read Also: Keto Lose Weight While Sleeping
Does Eating Before Sleep Affect Calories Burned At Night
Simply digesting food burns calories, so eating at any time including bedtime will cause a temporary boost in energy expenditure. But late-night meals probably wont bolster any weight-loss goals.
At this time, it appears that what matters most in humans is how much you eat, as opposed to the time you eat, Gaffen says. An apple contains the same amount of calories, whether you eat it for breakfast or a midnight snack.
However, the time of day can impact your behaviors around food. It is common to mindlessly snack in the evenings when relaxing or watching TV, Gaffen says. This habit can lead to consuming more calories, which can lead to weight gain. So if youre reaching for a snack in the evening, just try to stay mindful of snack choices and portion sizes.
How Does It Do That
Firstly, the calculator determines your metabolic rate or metabolism.
What does that mean? Keep reading for a more detailed explanation.
If you take two people, one weighs 150 lbs and the other weighs 210 lbs, the person who weighs less will burn fewer calories compared to the heavier individual doing the same activity for the same duration.
Also Check: Sleep Number Mattress Price List
How To Lose Calories While Sleeping
Getting enough sleep is a good way of preventing excess weight gain. Anyway, if you want to make sleep calorie burn more effective, you should be active during the day too. Physical activity boosts your BMR and encourages your body to lose more. Muscles burn more calories at rest than fat does.
Being overweight is often the symptom of serious disorders, like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, sleep apnea, etc. If you dont feel up to increasing your physical activity, you can opt for a healthier sleep. Calories burned when sleeping are the ones that gradually balance your weight with a little effort.
Calorie Count During Sleep
It is not surprising that it’s only a small amount that you lose calories while sleeping, as compared to doing physical activities. This is because your body is at resting stage. However, some vital metabolic and physiologic processes are still taking place while sleeping. Being in a sleeping phase still uses energy. Therefore having a good nights sleep helps in losing weight.
Comparison of calories burned based on different acitivies
|
Weight |
|
|---|---|
|
360cal |
218cal |
According to researchers, an adult person burns about 0.40 calories, times the weight of the person, and multiplied by the number of hours the person sleeps. For instance, a person weighing 150 pounds and sleeps for 8 hours a day would burn approximately 480 calories a night. This implies that the number of calories you lose sleeping depends largely on your weight and the duration of your sleep.
0.40 x weight x hours of sleep = calories burned sleeping
Recommended Reading: How Do Criminal Defense Attorneys Sleep At Night
Increase Sleeping Metabolic Rate
Muscles at rest burn three times more calories than fat, so maintaining or increasing muscle mass influences BMR. One study suggests that you may increase muscle metabolism by consuming protein before going to sleep. The researchers found that a bedtime snack of protein was properly digested and increased muscle protein synthesis during sleep, according to a study in published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise in August 2012.
A protein drink made from casein may support muscle synthesis better than other types of protein because its absorbed more slowly, but more research is needed to verify its effectiveness.
Drinking any caloric beverage before sleeping increases resting energy expenditure, according to a study in the journal Nutrients in April 2015. Eating habits throughout the day may also make a difference. Consuming a moderate amount of protein at each meal stimulates 24-hour muscle protein synthesis better than if you eat most of your protein at dinner, reported a January 2014 study in the Journal of Nutrition.
Of course, the total calories consumed from all meals and snacks have to fit within your daily calorie budget. Bedtime snacks should be limited to 200 calories or less and emphasize one macronutrient such as protein, recommended the Nutrients report.
Stages Of Sleep And Calories Burned
According to the Sleep Foundation, the REM stage of sleep uses the most energy .” rel=”nofollow”> 1). It increases heart rate and heightens brain activity which requires more glucose and amps up the metabolism.
In comparison, the third stage of sleep slows down heart rate, metabolism, breathing, and core temperature. As a result, less energy is needed for this sleep cycle.
Its important to note that the calories burned sleeping calculator does not factor in the different sleep cycles. This may have a slight effect on the accuracy along with the other factors that it also does not take into consideration.
But, in general, if you get decent quality sleep, this should help to give you a fairly good approximation.
Check out thisguide to learn more about the importance of sleep for good health and achieving your fitness goals.
Try out our other calories burned calculators below.
Recommended Reading: Sleep Number P5 Replacement Foam
What Happens During Sleep
According to John Hopkins Medicine , sleep accounts for one fourth to one third of a humans lifespan. Why is sleep so important? Sleep is vital for brain function. This is why you can feel foggy or off mentally when you dont get enough sleep.
During sleep, the brain processes what youve learned during the day. Sleep may also allow for the removal of waste build up in brain cells. During sleep the body also renews cells and renews the immune system.
When youre sleeping, your body uses energy to do these tasks. So, even though youre staying relatively still, your body uses energy to renew cells and for brain function.
Sleep Better To Burn More Calories
Weve done the math, and people can burn anywhere between 300 and 700 calories each night. To increase this number, try sleeping in a cool dark room around 68 degrees. This will help you burn more calories to maintain your body temperature.
Physical activity during the day can also help you sleep better at night. You burn the most calories during REM sleep, so make sure your sleep cycle is getting you into this stage.
Lack of sleep, on the other hand, can lead to weight gain and may contribute to other health issues such as cardiovascular disease and even cancer. If youre struggling to get those eight hours each night, try keeping to a regular sleep schedule and limiting electronic and television use before bed. If this still doesnt work, consult your doctor to see if you are suffering from a sleep disorder.
About the author
Read Also: Can You Overdose On Sleeping Medication
Create And Maintain A Routine
Consistency is critical if you want to develop a healthy sleeping pattern. When you keep altering the time you go to bed, you confuse your biological clock. Regular schedules go along to ensure you get the much-needed rest.
Creating and sticking to sleep schedules are, however, different things. To help you follow the plan, develop a routine that will alert you that its time to wind down. For example, listening to relaxing music or reading a book. Doing this repeatedly at the same time before sleeping alerts the body that its almost time to sleep.
How To Determine The Amount Of Calories You Burn
Take an example of an individual who weighs around 125 pounds, in this weight you lose approximately 38 calories for each sleeping hour. It is not too many calories, but if you multiply it with 7-8 hours, then you lose around 266-342 calories for sleeping 8-9 hours each day.
The calorie burn depends on the increased body weight of an individual, higher the weight higher will be the number of calories burning from the body. So take an example of a person who weighs around 150 pounds, he will consume about 46 calories in each sleeping hour, i.e., around 322-414 calories for each night. If a person weighs about 185 pounds, then he burns around 56 calories for each sleeping hour and 392-504 calories for each sleeping night.
Recommended Reading: Stomach Sleeper Memory Foam Mattress
Does Sleeping Burn Calories
Let us be honest. After enjoying a cheat day, theres a chance we run straight to the gym or go for a walk to burn those calories. Of course, you wouldnt let a cheat day ruin your diet. Would you?
However, theres something else that you need to know. To burn calories is not necessary one needs to be involved in some physical activity. The calories are burned throughout the day. Whether you are walking, working on a project, cooking dinner, or even sleeping. Yes, thats right. You burn calories while you sleep.
Now, many people are not aware that we can burn calories while we sleep. It is surprising but each activity requires some form of energy. Here is what you must know about burning calories while sleeping and how effective it can be in your life.
What Factors Affect The Basal Metabolic Rate
The basal metabolic rate varies from person to person depending on a number of factors, only some of which can be changed:
Related Reading
- How to Become a Morning Person
Read Also: Sleep Number 360 C4 Reviews
Determining How Many Calories You Burn
A person who weighs 125 pounds burns approximately 38 calories per hour sleeping. That doesnt necessarily sound like a lot. But multiply that by the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep experts say you should get each night, and thats a total potential of 266 to 342 calories for snoozing.
The amount of calories burned increases according to body weight. So, a person who weighs 150 pounds might burn 46 calories an hour or between 322 and 414 calories a night. And a person who weighs 185 pounds might burn around 56 calories or between 392 and 504 calories for a full night of sleep.
How are these numbers calculated exactly? Its all about your individual metabolism. Metabolism is a process by which the body converts food into energy for use in daily activities. Even keeping your organs running, breathing, and circulating blood costs your body calories. Your basal metabolic rate , on the other hand, represents the number of calories you individually burn a day at rest, or while youre sedentary. This includes sleeping and sitting.
To calculate your BMR, you use an equation that factors in your sex, weight, and age using inches for height and pounds for weight.
- 66 + + = BMR for men
- 655.1 + + = BMR for women
For example: A 35-year-old man who weighs 175 pounds and is 5 feet 11 inches tall would be:
- 66 + + = 1,816 calories.
A 35-year-old woman who weighs 135 pounds and is 5 feet, 5 inches tall would be:
- 655.1 + + = 1,383 calories.
What you should know: