Sleeping calorie burn by intensity
Estimates use the formula kcal = MET × weight (kg) × hours, with MET values from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Figures are gross burn — they include the calories you would have burned at rest.
| Intensity | MET | kcal / 30 min* | kcal / 60 min* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleeping | 0.95 | 33 | 66 |
| Lying awake, resting | 1.3 | 46 | 91 |
*For a 70 kg (154 lb) person. Use the calculator above for your own weight.
Burn by body weight
At a typical intensity for sleeping (1.3 METs), here's how the burn scales with body weight:
| Body weight | 15 min | 30 min | 60 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | 18 | 36 | 72 |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 23 | 46 | 91 |
| 85 kg (187 lb) | 28 | 55 | 110 |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 32 | 65 | 130 |
Getting more from sleeping
- Sleep deprivation measurably disrupts hunger hormones (ghrelin up, leptin down) — bad sleep sabotages deficits more than it burns.
- More muscle mass means more calories burned overnight, every night.
- Cold bedrooms slightly raise overnight expenditure, but the effect is small; sleep quality matters far more.
Want the bigger picture? Your workout is one slice of total daily burn — estimate the whole thing with the TDEE calculator, or compare against 25+ other activities in the calories burned calculator.
More activities
- 🚶 Walking
- 🏃 Running
- 🐢 Jogging
- 🚴 Cycling
- 🏊 Swimming
- 🏋️ Weightlifting
- 🪢 Jumping Rope
- 🥾 Hiking
- 🧘 Yoga
- 🤸 Pilates
- 🚣 Rowing
- ⚙️ Elliptical
- 🪜 Stair Climbing
- 💃 Dancing
- 🏀 Basketball
- ⚽ Soccer (Football)
- 🎾 Tennis
- ⛳ Golf
- 🔥 HIIT Workouts
- 🥊 Boxing
- 🛶 Kayaking
- 🌱 Gardening
- 🧹 Housework & Cleaning
- 🧍 Standing
- 🏸 Badminton
Sources
- Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011. [link]
Frequently asked questions
How many calories do you burn sleeping for 8 hours?
Roughly 0.95 × weight in kg × 8 — about 530 kcal for a 70 kg adult. It's your BMR doing quiet background work.
Can you burn more calories while sleeping?
Only marginally and indirectly: build muscle, which raises BMR around the clock. Gimmicks claiming big overnight burns don't hold up.