How To Burn Fat While You Sleep

Is it really possible to burn fat while you sleep?

Yes. If you’re questioning how to burn fat overnight, rest assured it is possible and your body burns fat while you sleep as your involuntary nervous system, heart, and metabolism never quit working.

During the night, your body doesn’t stop and is still busy breathing, digesting food, regulating your temperature, and ensuring blood still pumps around your body, which all burns fat.

However, the number of calories you burn when you sleep differs according to many factors, and some people burn more fat than others while resting.

Why?

Let’s find out.

Here’s a quick look at burning calories while you sleep and how it is possible to optimize fat burn at night by intermittent fasting and eating and drinking the right things before bedtime.

Is there a way to burn fat while sleeping?

Yes, we all burn fat in sleep – without even trying!

You may assume that physical exertion and exercise are the only way to burn fat and calories, but that’s not the case. No matter whether you are awake or asleep, your body is always burning fat and calories. 

Think of calories as energy; your body needs the fuel from these calories to function correctly throughout the day and night to keep you alive.

The amount of energy and calories your body needs to tick over is referred to as your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), and it is this volume of calories you burn while you sleep.

However, your gender, age, weight, activity level, muscle mass, and overall health affect your BMR, which means the calories you burn at night will differ.

Losing weight long-term is challenging, as every calorie counts, but before you grab a good book and tuck yourself off to bed early, let’s discover how many calories you can burn while you sleep.

How many calories do you burn while sleeping?

The calories fat burn at night will vary according to your age, weight, and metabolism, so it’s hard to give a definitive answer.

What experts do know is that certain organs and parts of your body use more energy while sleeping than others.

For example, your brain activity accounts for nearly 20% of your resting metabolism, as it uses rest as a time to create new neurons and connections, consolidate memories, suppress non-essential information, and store important things you have learned during the day.

In addition, while you sleep your body also processes nutrients and repairs damaged cells and tissue – this is on top of the energy your heart uses to keep blood pumping around your system and the amount of fluid and water you lose sweating at night.

Some believe that a person of average weight for their height burns around 38 calories an hour while sleeping.

This may not sound like much, but doctors recommend that you sleep at least seven hours a night – that means you are potentially burning 266 calories – not bad, eh?    

Your weight does affect how you burn fat while you sleep naturally, as the more you weigh, the more energy is needed to keep your system working. So, if you hit the scales at 185 pounds, you will burn around 56 calories an hour sleeping, which is a 392-calorie burn over seven hours.

What food burns fat while you sleep?

Did you know that going to bed on an empty stomach promotes fat burn at night?

Most weight loss experts advise healthy adults to forgo midnight snacks and refrain from eating 3 hours before bed if they want to lose weight and burn fat in sleep.

Many studies show that consuming calories before bed slows your metabolism, as it is harder to digest food lying down, which can lead to weight gain.

In addition, eating the wrong foods, like sugary desserts, cakes, and high-fat take-outs, not only makes it harder to lose weight but also produces more energy, making it harder to fall asleep. It’s also worth avoiding caffeinated drinks before bedtime to fall asleep quickly.

This said, if you do feel hungry before bed, it’s essential to make good choices and try to stick to fruit or low-carb snacks if you want to lose weight.

The best foods and drinks to have before bed contain nutrients that can help enhance your sleep; for example, whole milk, strawberries, cherries, nuts, mushrooms, and tomatoes all help your body produce melatonin and serotonin, which both promote sleep.

You can enjoy all these sleep-inducing foods by incorporating them into your eating window with intermittent fasting. To start to unleash your body’s full fat-loss potential and start seeing results quickly, sign up for Fasting Kompanion now!

Homemade drinks that burn fat while sleeping

While there is no magic drink that can directly burn fat while you sleep, some beverages may have certain properties that could potentially support your weight loss efforts, especially when consumed as part of a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Here’s an explanation of why these drinks are often associated with aiding fat-burning or weight loss:

1. Ginger tea:
   • Ginger can boost metabolism and increase thermogenesis (the body’s heat production), which may help burn more calories.
   • It can also aid in digestion, reducing bloating and discomfort that might hinder your sleep.
2. Soaked fenugreek water:
   • Fenugreek seeds are rich in fiber, which can help control appetite and promote a feeling of fullness.
   • This can reduce late-night snacking and excessive calorie intake before bedtime.
3. Chamomile tea:
   • Chamomile tea is caffeine-free and can have a calming effect, which may improve sleep quality.
   • Better sleep can indirectly support weight loss by regulating hormones that control appetite.
4. Cinnamon tea:
   • Cinnamon may help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce insulin resistance, potentially preventing excessive storage of calories as fat.
5. Diluted apple cider vinegar drink:
   • Some studies suggest that apple cider vinegar can help stabilize blood sugar levels and promote feelings of fullness, reducing the desire to eat late at night.
   • Be sure to dilute apple cider vinegar with water. Too much vinegar can upset your stomach.
6. Turmeric milk:
   • Turmeric contains curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
   • Reducing inflammation and oxidative stress can support overall health and potentially aid in weight management.
7. Cucumber and parsley juice:
   • Cucumber is low in calories and high in water content, helping you stay hydrated and feel full.
   • Parsley may act as a diuretic, reducing water retention and bloating.
8. Aloe vera juice:
   • Aloe vera may have a laxative effect, which can aid in digestion and prevent constipation.
   • Proper digestion can contribute to overall well-being and may indirectly support weight management.

Why do I weigh less in the morning?

If you have ever wondered why you weigh less when you wake up, only to put those pounds back on by bedtime, you need to understand that many factors affect how your body burns fat at night.

This daily fluctuation in weight can be frustrating, but it all comes down to water loss via sweating, your BMR, and how well your body burns fat naturally.

Most clinical studies believe getting a good 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night is important for your health as it helps your body function correctly. Lack of sleep can result in tiredness, weight gain, and a sluggish metabolism.

Think of the time that you sleep as a time of fasting, as you consume no calories overnight. This causes your body to start to use its natural resources to function, which is why you weigh a little less in the morning.

As soon as you start eating again, your body converts these calories into energy and uses these to function instead. Unless you manage to retain a calorie deficit, you will regain those bedtime pounds during the day (and more) unless you put a plan in place to manage your diet and lifestyle.

Eating less before bedtime and following an intermittent fasting schedule has proved to be a healthy and effective way to lose weight long-term and boost your metabolism.

To optimize your fat burn at night and start losing weight today, sign up for Fasting Kompanion.