Does Sleeping Hours Count In Intermittent Fasting?

• First, body temperature drops and heart rate slows.
• Later, muscles relax, and breathing slows.
• In REM sleep, the brain becomes more “wakeful,” and our eyes move rapidly back and forth beneath our eyelids.
• Melatonin, cortisol, and cell-regenerating growth hormone levels peak at various times throughout the night.

Intermittent fasting works by prolonging the period when your body has burned through the calories consumed during your last meal and begins burning fat. It’s important to check with your doctor before starting intermittent fasting. Once you get his or her go-ahead, the actual practice is simple.

Yes, intermittent fasting is safe for most people but it is not for everyone. You should always check with your doctor before implementing a major dietary change, especially if you have a condition like diabetes.

With intermittent fasting, you only eat during a specific time. Fasting for a certain number of hours each day or eating just one meal a couple days a week, can help your body burn fat. And scientific evidence points to some health benefits, as well. Johns Hopkins neuroscientist Mark Mattson, Ph.D., has studied intermittent fasting for 25 years. He says that our bodies have evolved to be able to go without food for many hours, or even several days or longer.

Does Sleeping Count As Fasting?

While Intermittent Fasting, sleeping does count as fasting. While you sleep, you’re not consuming any food or drinks, so you’re actually in a completely fasted state. If you’re new to Intermittent Fasting and you’re starting off with a 12 hour fast and you finish your last meal at 8pm, you would go to sleep and start eating the next day at 8am.

One of the main perks with Intermittent Fasting is the fact that it allows the fat storing hormone insulin to naturally dip back down during the fasted state. (1) This is likely why Intermittent Fasting has been found to primarily burn fat as a fuel source. (1) Which, if you’re looking to achieve a weight loss goal, is exactly what you want.

Benefits of Intermittent Fasting have been found at many different lengths of fasting, even as short as a 12 hour fast. When determining how long you should fast, it’s important to remember that longer isn’t always better. In fact, for some people, longer fasts can actually work against weight loss and wellness goals.