Sleep-related Calorie Expenditure: Strategies to Estimate
Learning how many calories your body burns during sleep can be an interesting exercise for those looking to maintain a balanced diet. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to calculate the calories burned during sleep using Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and the Harris-Benedict equation.
**Step 1: Calculate Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)**
BMR is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest for basic functions such as breathing, circulation, and cell repair. The Harris-Benedict equation is one of the most widely used formulas for BMR:
- For men: BMR (kcal/day) = 88.362 + (13.397 x weight in kg) + (4.799 x height in cm) - (5.677 x age in years) - For women: BMR (kcal/day) = 447.593 + (9.247 x weight in kg) + (3.098 x height in cm) - (4.330 x age in years)
**Step 2: Calculate the Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) Portion During Sleep**
Since BMR is for 24 hours, you can estimate the calories burned per hour by dividing BMR by 24. However, BMR already accounts for a state of rest—so this value closely approximates your hourly caloric burn at rest.
**Step 3: Calculate Calories Burned During a Night’s Sleep**
Multiply your hourly BMR by the number of hours you sleep.
Calories burned during sleep = (BMR / 24) x hours slept
**Example:** If your BMR is 1500 kcal/day and you sleep 8 hours: Calories/hour = 1500 / 24 = 62.5 Calories in 8 hours = 62.5 x 8 = 500
This result is consistent with reports that an average person burns about 400–560 calories during 8 hours of sleep, depending on individual metabolism and weight.
**Step 4: Clarification: Harris-Benedict Equation and Activity Factor**
The Harris-Benedict equation is also used to estimate total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) by multiplying BMR by an activity factor. However, for sleep-only calculations, only BMR is needed—as sleep is considered a basic resting state.
**Key Points**
- BMR represents the calories your body burns at rest, including during sleep. - Use the Harris-Benedict formula for BMR. - For sleep-only calories, use BMR/24 x hours slept.
This method provides an accurate, individualized estimate of the calories burned during sleep. Keep in mind that these calculations are approximations and may vary based on individual factors such as sleep quality and stage.
To estimate how many calories the body burns during sleep, a person can use the formula: Calories burned while sleeping = (BMR / 24) x number of hours asleep x 0.85
According to recommendations, people between the ages of 18 and 60 years should aim for at least 7 hours of sleep every night. If you're looking to improve the quality of your sleep, consider tips such as avoiding caffeine or other stimulants in the hours before bedtime, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, getting regular exercise, and ensuring a cool, dark, and comfortable bedroom environment. Inadequate sleep can increase a person's risk of several health conditions, including heart disease, obesity, depression, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
- For those interested in understanding their nutrition and health-and-wellness, learning about the calories burned during sleep can be an enlightening factor.
- During sleep, a person's basal metabolic rate (BMR) can be estimated using the Harris-Benedict equation for sleeping hours' caloric expenditure.
- This sleep-specific caloric burn calculation, as demonstrated, can help one comprehend their fitness-and-exercise requirements better, contributing to overall health maintenance.