As a rough guide, we burn about 50 calories an hour when we sleep. However, each person’s basal metabolic rate (BMR) dictates how many calories they burn when they sleep (BMR).
Breathing, circulation and temperature regulation are all examples of “basal metabolic processes,” which require a certain amount of energy. The basal metabolic rate (BMR) accounts for the majority of people’s energy expenditure.
You are reading: How Your Body Uses Calories While You Sleep?
Do Sleep Stages Affect Calories?
All stages of sleep do not burn the same number of calories. The body’s energy requirements fluctuate throughout the night, even as essential functions like breathing and circulation continue.
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep consumes the greatest energy. When we are in REM sleep, our heart rate rises and our brain’s activity patterns resemble those of the day. In order to keep up with the increased brain activity, the body’s metabolism increases.
There is no heartbeat, breathing, core body temperature or brain activity in stage 3 “deep” slumber. Stage three sleep is assumed to have a significant role in the immune system because it is during this time that growth hormone is released. Stage three sleep, on the other hand, is when metabolism is at its lowest because the brain requires less glucose for energy.
Can You Increase the Number of Calories You Burn During Sleep?
You must raise your basal metabolic rate in order to burn more calories while you sleep. Eating correctly, exercising regularly, and getting adequate sleep are the most straightforward ways to achieve this goal.
Sleep deprivation leads us to temporarily burn more calories because we burn more calories when awake. A lack of sleep can lead to obesity in the long run, according to extensive study.
You seek high-calorie items when you don’t get enough sleep. Your body’s capacity to control glucose and insulin resistance may be affected by sleep deprivation, which also increases cortisol levels. It is possible to burn more calories while awake, however reducing calories while sleep-deprived causes the body to burn lean muscle rather than fat.
Sleep interruptions that reduce the amount of time spent in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which burns more calories for the brain, can reduce the amount of calories burned during this period. A cool, dark, and quiet bedroom environment, together with good sleep hygiene, can help your body naturally cycle through the stages of sleep and improve your metabolism while you sleep.
People who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disease characterized by frequent pauses in breathing during sleep, show a definite connection between good sleep and metabolism. People who are obese have a higher risk of developing Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
about 80% of the calories burned in a day’s calorie intake. About 20% of the calories we ingest at rest are used up by the brain, which burns glucose.
Body repair and regeneration takes place during sleep. Our body temperature drops, our breathing slows, and our metabolism slows down in order to achieve this more effectively. As a general rule of thumb, most people burn roughly 15% less calories while sleeping than they do during the rest of the day.
How To Calculate Your Calories Burned While Asleep
A calorimeter is needed to get an accurate reading on your resting metabolic rate. Calorimeters analyze the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide you breath and exhale to determine how much energy you are using.
It is common for patients to spend the night in a laboratory, abstain from exercise for 24 hours, fast for 12 hours and sleep at least 8 hours prior to the reading in order to receive the most accurate reading of their basal metabolic rate. Digestion and exercise both increase metabolism, which need attention to these specifics. A temperature-controlled, darkened room is then used to take the measurements in the morning.
It’s not practical for the average person to get this test done because of its high cost and complexity. A reasonable estimate of your basal metabolic rate can be obtained by utilizing one of several equations. The Harris-Benedict equation, which takes into account weight, height, age, and gender:
Male: BMR = 66.5 + (13.8 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) – (6.8 x age in years)
Female: BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) – (4.7 x age in years)
Over the course of a 24-hour period, this tells you your baseline metabolic rate. To account for the reduced metabolic rate while sleeping, multiply the hourly rate by 0.85 to get an estimate of how many calories you burn every hour of sleep.
The Harris-Benedict equation doesn’t take into account heredity, race, hormones, muscle-to-fat ratio, or medical issues, even though it differentiates between men and women. Calculating your Harris-Benedict equation (BMI) can give you a general indication of your muscle-to-fat ratio:
BMI = weight (lbs) / [height (in)]2 x 703
To be considered overweight, one must have a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25. BMI over 22.9 is considered overweight for people of Asian or Asian American descent. Fat burns less calories than muscle, so overweight persons are more likely to be fat. Bodybuilders, pregnant women, and others with abnormal body composition should not use this BMI method.
Factors that affect how many calories you burn
Do you want to burn the most calories possible while you sleep? Over the course of a week, if you don’t get any sleep at all, you may actually burn an additional 135 calories in that time. As many as 160 calories were burnt by some participants. In order to reduce weight, it’s important to recognize the dangers of skipping sleep.
Obesity and weight growth may result from long-term sleep deprivation. It raises the amounts of several hormones, such as cortisol, in the body. This hormone causes you to store more fat in your body. As if that wasn’t bad enough, it may also cause an increase in hunger and a slowdown in metabolism.
Increasing your metabolism can help you burn more calories as you sleep. Increasing your metabolic rate will allow you to burn more calories all day long.
In order to make an informed decision, consider the following:
Eating late doesn’t slow your metabolism
Thermogenesis, which occurs when you eat before going to sleep, may help you burn more calories during the night. Don’t worry about eating after 8 p.m. It’s not the food you eat after this point that causes you to gain weight—the it’s mindless nibbling. To that end, it’s possible that a heavy dinner before bed will make it more difficult to drift off.
Exercise daily, incorporating strength training
Having more muscle mass in general helps you burn more calories, even when you’re asleep. Strength training, in particular, should be done on a daily basis. Do some light exercise at least an hour before you want to go to sleep.
Losing weight may help
In addition to boosting your metabolism, losing weight may also assist. While at rest, fat burns fewer calories than muscle. Talk to your doctor or dietician if you’re overweight and want to set an achievable goal and action plan to achieve it.
Caffeine may create a short-term boost
Caffeine may have a small effect on metabolism. As for long-term weight loss, it has not been proven to be effective. Drinking caffeinated beverages before going to bed may make it difficult to sleep.
The bottom line
At any time of day or night, your body is at work. Despite the fact that you burn calories when you sleep, it isn’t a good method for losing weight. Keeping a healthy diet and exercising regularly can assist.
People should engage in at least 75 minutes of strenuous activity or 150 minutes of moderate activity per week in order to maintain good health. If you want to avoid empty calories like sugar, browse around the perimeter of the grocery store instead.
Try to get at least seven to nine hours of sleep every night, as suggested. Try these suggestions if you’re having difficulties getting to sleep:
Get into the habit of going to bed and waking each morning at the same time each night. Take a bath or practice mild yoga before you go to bed to help relax your mind and body.
Using white noise, earplugs, blackout curtains, and other noise-blocking devices can help ensure a restful night’s sleep in your home or office. You may fall asleep more quickly if you keep the temperature of your room cooler.
You should refrain from taking in stimulants like caffeine and nicotine before going to sleep. It may take a while for the effects to wear off, making it difficult to unwind. Despite the fact that drinking alcohol can make you feel drowsy, it can also interrupt your sleep.
Before going to sleep, turn off your cell phone, computer, television, and other electronic devices. Your body’s natural sleep cycle may be disrupted by the light these devices emit.
Reduce naps to 30 minutes at a time. More sleep throughout the day may make it more difficult to fall asleep at night.
Source: https://bestpillowsleepers.com
Category: Sleep Advisors
