With so much focus on exercise, you might be surprised to learn that you actually burn calories in your sleep, too. But it’s true: A 150-pound person burns about 440 calories during seven hours of sleep, with that number varying based upon body size and other factors. It’s really no surprise considering that your body processes, including metabolism, continue to work even when you’re snoozing.

If you want to take advantage of this time, there are a few things you can do to burn more calories even when you’re resting.

Build more muscle tissue. Muscle requires more energy to maintain than fat, so adding muscle to your body composition can actually boost your metabolism when at rest. In addition to your weight loss plan staples such as a lower-calorie diet and fat-burning exercise, make sure to add weight training to your schedule. You don’t need to become the Hulk, either. Just getting a bit stronger will benefit you in numerous ways.

Sleep in a cool room. Your body burns fat to stay warm throughout the night, so sleeping in a cool room can boost in your metabolism a bit. Of course, you don’t want to sacrifice sleep quality, so don’t turn down the thermostat so much that you’re waking up cold all night.

Eat protein at night. Your last meal of the day should contain plenty of protein, which will be burned off more slowly and steadily throughout the night. You’re less likely to wake up starving, and tempted to fill up on simple carbs like white flour and sugar. This strategy can also aid in building lean muscle tissue, too, if you’re utilizing a weight training regimen.

These tips won’t completely change your body composition or health all by themselves, but they make great additions to the lifestyle changes involved in a comprehensive weight loss plan. To discuss your strategy in more detail, give us a call to schedule an appointment.