{"id":33010,"date":"2024-08-23T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-23T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/?p=33010"},"modified":"2025-01-06T14:56:33","modified_gmt":"2025-01-06T14:56:33","slug":"does-sleeping-burn-calories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/does-sleeping-burn-calories\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Sleep Burn Calories?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We often think of sleeping as \u201cshutting off\u201d our brains and bodies, but the truth is that a lot happens during sleep. Sleep is when you dream<\/a>, of course, but it\u2019s also when your body releases hormones and repairs cells. [1, 2] <\/sup>All that internal activity takes energy, which burns calories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll explore more about how the body burns calories during sleep, plus how you can calculate the average number of calories burned each night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does sleeping burn calories?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fun fact: Your body never<\/em> stops burning calories. Even while sleeping, you burn calories to keep your heart beating, lungs breathing, and metabolism<\/a> humming along, says nutritionist Vicki Shanta Retelny<\/a>, RDN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bottom line: Though snoozing doesn\u2019t take a lot of energy, your body still burns calories while sleeping. [3]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fun fact: Your body never<\/em> stops burning calories. Even while sleeping, you burn calories to keep your heart beating, lungs breathing, and metabolism humming along, says nutritionist Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What factors influence calories burned during sleep?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are many factors that affect how many calories you burn during sleep,\u201d says Retelny. Ultimately, it comes down to your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and how many hours you spend at rest. [3]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your BMR refers to the number of calories your body burns while at rest\u2014or asleep! Essentially, your BMR is how many calories you would burn in a day if all your body had to do was stay alive and warm. [3]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Retelny says several factors can impact your personal BMR, including [4, 5]<\/sup>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n