On average, a person burns about 50 calories per hour while sleeping, which totals roughly 400 calories during an 8-hour sleep period. This calorie burn varies depending on factors such as weight, age, gender, and basal metabolic rate (BMR)

. More specifically:

• A person weighing around 125 pounds burns about 38 calories per hour during sleep

• The range can be between 40 to 80 calories per hour depending on individual differences like metabolism and sleep quality

• Using a formula based on MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task), a person weighing 180 pounds might burn about 81 calories per hour sleeping

The body burns calories during sleep because it continues to maintain vital functions such as breathing, circulation, brain activity, and cellular repair. The metabolic rate during sleep is about 15% lower than when awake, but calorie burning continues throughout different sleep stages, with REM sleep having a slightly higher metabolic rate due to increased brain activity

. In summary, expect to burn roughly 50 calories per hour of sleep, with total calories burned during a typical 7-8 hour sleep ranging from about 280 to 400 calories or more depending on personal characteristics