At rest, the number of calories you burn is primarily determined by your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) or Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), which is the energy your body uses to maintain basic life-sustaining functions such as breathing, circulation, cell production, and maintaining body temperature
. How many calories do you burn at rest?
- On average, a person burns about 75 to 100 calories per hour while resting or sleeping
. For example, a person weighing around 70 kg (154 lbs) burns roughly 100 calories per hour during sleep
- BMR typically accounts for about 60-70% of your total daily calorie expenditure
- The exact number depends on factors such as your age, sex, weight, height, and body composition. For instance, men and women have different BMR formulas:
- Men: BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 × weight in kg) + (4.799 × height in cm) – (5.677 × age in years)
- Women: BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 × weight in kg) + (3.098 × height in cm) – (4.330 × age in years)
- The average BMR for males is around 1,696 calories/day, and for females around 1,410 calories/day, meaning this is the approximate number of calories burned in a full day at complete rest
Summary:
- You burn roughly 75-100 calories per hour at rest.
- Your total daily calories burned at rest (BMR) are typically between 1,400 and 1,700 calories depending on your individual characteristics.
- This energy supports vital functions like heart beating, breathing, and cell maintenance
If you want a precise estimate, you can use the BMR formula with your weight, height, age, and sex to calculate your personal resting calorie burn
