burn fat while you sleep

You know I'm all for putting in that good, hard work to move closer to your #goals! But I'm also all for taking advantage of those easy wins. Especially when they include delicious recipes like this cocoa dream hot chocolateüëá

And burning fat while you sleep is definitely one of them. And it's something your body can totally do. Even when you're sleeping, your basal metabolic rate is still in play. That means your body is continually using calories to keep your body functioning. And while you sleep, your body takes advantage of the time to do some repair and restoration work.

So while sleep might feel restful for your body and your mind, it doesn't mean everything is powering down when you doze off. And it also means you can use your shut eye time to burn fat. The trick comes down to making choices while you're awake that will help your body burn fat while you sleep.

If that's something you're interested in (and, like, who isn't?), try these five things:

#1: Eat more protein

Protein plays a huge role in maintaining a healthy weight, partially because it speeds up your metabolism. Plus, protein can help you stay fuller longer, saving you from those late-night snacks that definitely don't do your weight loss goals any favors.

Try to work in protein throughout your day. If you've noticed that you have any meals where it's an issue for you to get enough protein, we've got our new (and delicious, if I may say so myself) Plant Protein Powder to help.

And that powder can be an easy way to get some protein into your system right before bed, helping you gear up for an overnight fat burning session. In fact, I've got a recipe below to help with just that.

#2: Get better sleep

You might think you'd burn fat if you're tossing and turning all night. Actually, though better quality, longer-lasting sleep legit helps you burn more calories.

If you only do one thing to help yourself sleep better, it should be sticking to a sleep schedule. That means going to bed and getting up at about the same time every day. When you do that, your body's circadian rhythm works with you, helping you fall asleep faster and wake up more easily.

And, look, I know that a good night's rest doesn't always come easy. If sleep is hard for you, I've got some more sleep tips for you here and here.

#3: Do some strength training

Remember that basal metabolic rate I mentioned earlier? You can do some things to bump it up. Specifically, building muscle makes a huge difference because muscle burns more calories than fat while you're just chilling or, yep, sleeping.

I'm all for cardio, but make sure you're working some strength training in there, too, so you can build muscle. Our Daily 10 workouts in the LSF App are a great way to get stronger muscles with 10 minutes a day!

#4: Make your bedroom chilly...

A recent study found that people who made their bedrooms colder burned more calories while they slept. It was a super small study, but it's just another thing that should make you consider powering on that fan or A/C overnight. A cold bedroom (think: 65 degrees F) helps you sleep better in general. And, remember, better sleep means burning more fat overnight.

#5: … and light-free

Sorry, night light and TV lovers, but the science says we should all be sleeping in the dark, especially if we want to burn fat while you sleep. When we leave any light on, it messes up the way our circadian rhythm regulates our metabolism. In fact, a study showed that women who slept with the TV or a light on were more likely to gain weight.

Lights and TVs aren't the only culprit here. Your phone can definitely get in the way of quality sleep. Try to stop looking at it at least 30 minutes before bed, and consider sleeping with it in another room to get a better night's rest.

Long story short, if you want to burn fat while you sleep, eat more protein and work some strength training into your day. At night, get on a regular sleep schedule and try to keep your bedroom cool and dark.

I want to help you out here. So I came up with a little recipe to help you get more protein and all of the sleep-supporting goodness that's in our Slumber Party boost (think: melatonin, chamomile, magnesium, and more) right before bed.

Cocoa Dreams Hot Chocolate recipe

Make yourself a mug of this hot chocolate each night at the same time, and you'll help yourself on the way to a steady sleep schedule (and a super nice nighttime routine!). You just need a few things and a few minutes.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups of unsweetened almond milk
• 1 scoop of LSF Plant Protein in Chocolate
• 1 scoop of Slumber Party

Instructions

1. Add the milk to a small saucepan. Warm it over medium-low heat.
2. Once the milk is warm, use a whisk to stir in the protein and Slumber Party. Whisk gently until they've both dissolved.
3. Pour your hot chocolate into a mug and enjoy!

With protein to pump up your metabolism and Slumber Party to give you all those good, sleep-boosting ingredients, this hot cocoa can go a long way towards fat-burning, high-quality rest. Plus, it's a way to treat yourself each night!In fact, I recommend making it part of a whole nighttime routine you do each day to unwind and help yourself relax. You work hard, girl, and you deserve it. Sweet dreams!