Can You Burn Fat While You Sleep?

Sleep In

Maybe you aren't able to sleep in, but you can, most likely, sleep more. This may take some serious adjusting to your schedule. But you can burn body fat while you sleep by simply getting more of it.

Many distractions keep us from getting some necessary shut-eye. Usually, hectic schedules and social media are top contenders for our attention. What you need to do is get in a routine that allows plenty of sleep.

Sleep is something we tend to sacrifice when our lives become too busy. A good amount of sleep, however, actually gives us more energy and helps us to de-stress.

Long story short, don't cut your sleep schedule short!

No Distractions

In our technology-saturated world, this suggestion may seem archaic, but you need to shut down your devices before you go to bed. The blue light that emanates from laptops and cell phones sends signals to your body to not produce melatonin.

Lack of melatonin production leads to increased energy. This tells your brain it's not the time for sleep. Thus, you continue to scroll for a couple of hours before you finally doze off. 

If you are still wired when trying to fall asleep, it is going to affect your sleep pattern in a detrimental way. Not only this, studies show that people exposed to light during bedtime had higher rates of depression and weight gain.

Eat the Carbs

I know it sounds surprising, but carbohydrate intake provides your body with energy. If you eat more carbs during the day, your body will metabolize fat while you're sleeping.

Eating carbs later into the evening or before you go to bed will kick your body into high gear. Remember, your body is trying to metabolize those carbs, and is sending energy signals to your brain.

If you let the carbs digest while you're awake, then your body will metabolize fat storage while you sleep. Basically, you're amping up what your body is already doing!

Exercise More

I know, you're looking for a simpler way to lose weight, but exercise has many other benefits than slimming you up. Not only are weight-training or yoga routines great for bone density and flexibility, but exercise helps you get better sleep.

How does it aid your sleep, you ask? People with more muscle mass shed more calories while they sleep. This is why men typically burn more calories than women while sleeping.

Not only this, exercise will make you tired. So though it's not encouraged to exercise right before bed, it's beneficial to get that evening workout in.

Colder Temperatures Help You Burn Fat While You Sleep

It may sound a bit out there, but studies show that colder temperatures while sleeping were linked to significant fat loss. Are you taking advantage, do you burn fat while sleeping?

Cold temperatures, ranging from about 60-67 degrees, helps your body increase in brown fat, which burns more calories. Colder temperatures encourage white fat cells to behave like brown fat cells. This means your body sends more signals to shed those extra calories.

Sleeping in colder temperatures is better for your overall health. Individuals that slept in colder temperatures showed healthier blood levels. They also displayed increased metabolic activity than those who slept in average or warmer temperatures.

Don't Drink Before Bed

The idea of a glass of wine right before you snooze sounds tempting, but in fact, hinders your sleep pattern and weight-loss goals.

If you have an alcoholic beverage a few minutes before you go to sleep, your body is attempting to metabolize the alcohol rather than fat. This is a similar process noted in the carbs section above.

What you need to do is force your body to metabolize fat while you sleep, rather than focusing on metabolizing alcohol or food! Plus, alcohol may send sleepy signals to your brain, but that drowsiness is temporary. Once your body regulates, there's a chance you'll wake up more often if you drink alcohol before bed.  

Relax Before Drifting Off

Routines can save your sleep! It's best to get away from your television, computer, or phone when winding down. Take part in some relaxation techniques instead.

These techniques will vary from person to person, but light stretches or hot showers encourage tension relief. Hot baths or showers also make your body temperature rise and fall drastically when finished. The sudden drop in temperature promotes the burning of fat cells as well! 

These tips and others will encourage proper sleep and fat burning.

Shed Calories While Sleeping

Essentially, your body is still burning calories while you sleep. This is because your organs still have to function while you sleep, and that takes energy.

To burn fat while you sleep you need to develop proper sleep patterns, and following these simple guidelines can make a difference. If you're wanting to get more serious about losing excess weight, learn more about our weight loss system and additional supplements!