Sleeping Yourself Skinny! 5 Ways to Lose Weight While You Sleep

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Everyone knows that, in order to lose weight, one has to burn more calories than what he takes in via the food that he eats. While everyone knows that burning calories often means having a workout, did you know that sleeping can also help you lose some fat?

According to How Stuff Works, this is best explained by the amount of water that a person loses every time he/she sleeps through respiration and transpiration. Of course, water has its own weight and, as the body loses some of it throughout the day, a person's weight changes as well.

That might not sound like you're losing fat as you sleep. To help you lose fat (and not just water) while enjoying the beauty of nighttime rest, here are five things that you can do, according to the Reader's Digest.

Commit to a Healthy Amount of Sleep Daily

Getting enough amounts of sleep per night leads to more calories burnt throughout the day even though a person is inactive, says a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Those who are well-rested burn more calories compared to those who do not get enough rest even after eating.

Load Up on Protein Before Bed

If you're the type to sneak up to the fridge for a late-night munch, it will help to stock up on protein-loaded snacks. According to Florida State University researchers, men who had a shake loaded with 30 grams of protein burned more calories while sleeping compared to those who did not.

Cut Your Screen Time

The production of melatonin, a hormone which is related to metabolism, is disrupted by the blue light emitted by screens found in different devices, according to researchers from the Manchester University. As such, designate a time to stop using devices in the bedroom before sleep.

Television screens, according to Singaporean researchers, are also linked to higher levels of triglycerides, which are connected to metabolic problems and diabetes; and lower levels of adiponectin, which is involved in regulating glucose levels, as well as the breakdown of fatty acids.

Sleep in the Dark

Are you afraid of sleeping in the dark? Here's a reason to love it: research shows that, when a body is surrounded by complete darkness, it produces calorie-burning brown fat in addition to the sleepy hormone melatonin. Maybe this is why Batman likes it dark.

Sleep in Cooler Temperatures

According to a study published in the journal Diabetes, people sleeping inside a room with cooler temperatures tend to burn more calories overnight. This is because the body will work harder to raise its core temperature when the room is cold – and as it does, it will burn more calories compared to those who sleep in warmer rooms.

Have a good sleep!