New Delhi: Weight loss, burning fat, and achieving the ideal figure appears to be a far-fetched goal to many as people believe that this one purpose can take gallons of hard work on the diet and exercise front. Come to think of it, that might not be entirely wrong as weight loss can be achieved best by boosting metabolism with the help of balanced meal plans and a proper exercise regime in place that helps one burn more calories than what one consumes. However, according to a new study published in the journal of JAMA Internal Medicine, there is another everyday activity that can help burn fat, and it needs only rest. Keep reading.

Is it possible to burn fat while resting?

According to the study’s results, sleeping for longer and better can help one lose more weight, and that too, without dieting. For this study, 80 overweight adults who normally got less than 6.5 hours of sleep every night were enrolled. The mission was to evaluate how sleeping for longer hours can affect energy levels in people. The team concluded that with personalized sleep coaching, the participants succeeded in getting more sleep.

When randomly divided into two groups – the first being sleep extension group and the second one a control group – the former group were coached generally on sleep hygiene and tips to get longer sleep, and the latter was trained on maintaining personal sleep environments. The control group was not given any coaching and asked to stick to their original sleep behaviour. Throughout the study, the participants’ dietary choices were not taken into count.

For this, the research team discovered that switching the bedtime habits of participants in the sleep extension group could improve overall sleep quality.

How much extra sleep does one need in order to lose weight?

The basic principle of losing weight while sleeping is lowering the average calorie intake for the day; however, as per scientists, people can lose up to 26 pounds over three years with the help of sleep and without making any changes to their diet. Healthy sleep habits over a long duration can support clinical weight loss over time. For this purpose, it is important to get a minimum of seven to eight hours of sleep for adults to keep the risk of belly fat accumulation at bay.

As per the results, sleeping for an additional 1.2 hours was linked to the loss of as many as 270 calories in a day. Therefore, the more you sleep, the more you shed. At the same time, it is important to know how much is too much.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.