Burn calories while you’re sleeping! Sounds like a fake claim designed to rope into the latest Quick Fix diet program. However, the concept of burning calories during sleep is not sensationalism. It’s science. you do Burn calories while you sleep. In reality, it’s quite a few. However, there are a few things you need to know before replacing your yoga mat with a bed.
Do you burn sleep?
So, do you burn sleep? Like so many questions related to weight loss and metabolism, the answer is, “It depends.”
Each of us has a unique basal metabolic rate (BMR), or a break metabolic rate. “Basic metabolic rate is the minimum amount of energy consumed, or calories, compatible with maintaining lifespan,” says Daniel Gaffen of MS MS at RDN. “One individual BMR reflects the amount of energy used in 24 hours when resting physically and mentally.”
BMR includes basic physical functions such as breathing and blood circulation. It is determined by factors such as weight, height, body composition, age, biological sex, and activity level.
Essentially, BMR is the calorie burning baseline that accounts for about 60% of your total energy expenditure, with the remaining 40% coming from food digestion, daily activities and exercise. If you want to know how many calories you sleep, take a look at BMR.
How do you calculate the number of calories burned during sleep?
Calculating the number of calories that burn sleep is a problem of multiplying the BMR by the number of hours you are asleep. Gaffen explains that the most accurate method for determining BMR is by direct or indirect calorimetry. This is a technique that measures heat production or gas exchange in a subject. However, calorimetry requires expensive equipment and is usually difficult to access.
When working with clients, Gaffen uses Mifflin-ST. According to one study, BMR is usually calculated within 10% of the measurement. Here’s the calculations for men and women:
male: 10 x Weight (kg) + 6.25 x Height (cm) – 5 x Age (y) + 5
woman: 10 x Weight (kg) + 6.25 x Height (cm) – 5 x Age (y) – 161
Want to know how many calories you burn in 24 hours?
“There is an online calculator that you can use to estimate the number of calories your body burns in a day,” says Gaffen. “These calculators take into account your current weight, gender, age, height and physical activity level.” She recommends the National Institutes of Health body weight planner and gets the MyPlate plan, a widget on USDA’s MyPlate website.
These calculators exist, but they will be your best and most accurate resource for nutritionists to determine your BMR.
Can it affect the number of calories that burn sleep?
Many of the factors that determine BMR, and therefore the number of calories that burn sleep, exceeds control. A pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat, so gaining muscle mass can help you bring out a minor boost. Although muscle is more metabolically active than fat, studies suggest that increasing muscle mass is likely not significantly affecting calorie burns.
In one study, previously sedentary women who participated in six-week resistance training experienced a significant increase in BMR. However, despite the bumps, women did not lose weight or see any significant changes in body composition.
If your goal is to burn more calories during the day, your best bet is to focus on what you do when you are waking up.
Exercise regularly and strive to be consistent and physically active throughout, even if you are not technically working out. Running errands on foot, climbing stairs, or sitting in meeting meetings to exchange phones.
Do eating before sleep burn calories at night?
Simply digesting food will burn calories, so eating at any time, including at bedtime, can temporarily increase your energy expenditure. But late-night eating probably won’t strengthen (or interfere with) your weight loss goals.
“The most important thing in humans is how much you eat, as opposed to eating time,” says Gaffen. Apples contain the same amount of calories, whether they are eaten for breakfast or midnight snacks.
However, time can affect behavior around food. “When you relax or watch TV, you have a snack in the evening unconsciously,” says Gaffen. “This habit can lead to burning more calories, which can lead to weight gain. So if you reach for a snack in the evening, be careful about your snack choices and portion sizes.”
