When it comes to burning calories, the body is constantly at work, whether you're awake or asleep. The question is, do you burn more calories while awake or asleep?
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Your body requires energy for all its functions, from breathing and circulating blood to digesting food and even thinking. This energy expenditure is measured in calories and comes from three main processes:
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): This is the number of calories your body burns at rest to maintain basic functions like breathing, organ function, and cell production. It accounts for about 60-75% of total daily energy expenditure.
Physical Activity: This includes any voluntary movement, from walking and exercising to fidgeting. Physical activity can vary greatly from person to person.
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): The body burns calories when digesting and absorbing food, contributing around 10% of daily energy expenditure.
The simple answer is you burn more calories while awake because your body is engaged in additional activities beyond basic survival. However, calorie burn doesn't stop when you go to sleep.
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Your body continues to work while you sleep, keeping your organs functioning, repairing tissues, and regulating hormones. The number of calories burned during sleep depends on factors like age, weight, and metabolism. On average, a person burns 40–80 calories per hour while sleeping.
When you're awake, your calorie burn increases due to additional activities like walking, working, exercising, and even small movements like stretching or talking. Even at rest, sitting up requires slightly more energy than lying down. The more active you are, the more calories you burn.
Several factors influence how many calories you burn while asleep and awake:
Body Composition: Muscle burns more calories than fat, even at rest. People with more muscle mass have a higher metabolic rate.
Age: Metabolism slows down with age, meaning fewer calories are burned over time.
Weight: A heavier person naturally burns more calories than a lighter person, both awake and asleep.
Sleep Quality: Poor sleep can slow metabolism and impact how efficiently the body burns calories.
Activity Level: Engaging in exercise and movement during the day increases total calorie burn.
You burn more calories while awake due to physical activity, even if it’s just small movements. However, your body still burns a significant amount of calories during sleep to maintain essential functions.
So, while sleep is essential for health, if you're looking to burn more calories, staying active during the day is key.
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