Exposure to the cold can help the body burn energy – and it doesn’t have to mean an ice bath is needed
Everyone’s familiar with trying out new diets and hitting the gym, but one health guru has revealed a surprising trick to potentially slim down if you’re struggling despite all efforts: simply turn down your thermostat before bed. Nutrition wizard Toby King has highlighted the perks of getting shuteye in chilly temperatures, explaining the fat-burning science behind it.
Speaking to BunkBeds.co.uk, Toby explained that there are two main types of fat in the body – white fat and brown fat. An excess of white fat can hike the chances of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Meanwhile, brown fat plays a positive role and the more you have, the better your body processes food.
Toby said: “With good metabolic health, supported by brown fat, your risk of developing conditions like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and others is significantly lower. Brown fat is like your body’s internal furnace and it burns calories to generate heat, especially in cold environments. While it might seem small, just a little bit of active brown fat can burn more calories each day than you currently do.”
Sleep trick to lose weight
If working out a sweat and running on the treadmill for hours at a time isn’t appealing to you then losing weight while you sleep could be another option.
Toby said: “Cold exposure such as ice baths or cold water swimming stimulate your brown fat and train it over time to become better at burning energy, but I’m sure many of us don’t want to jump into cold water to achieve this result. What you can do to achieve the same result is sleep at night in a cold room.
“Sleeping in a cool room, around 19C or less, can boost your body’s brown fat stores and improve your insulin sensitivity. This can make weight loss easier, as better insulin sensitivity helps your body handle carbs without causing a big spike in insulin levels. High insulin levels can stop fat burning, so sleeping in a cooler room may support your diet and weight loss goals.”
With winter upon us, the thought of turning the heating off may feel daunting, so if you want to try this hack but want to ease into it, you can take it slow.
Toby said: “You can start by using lighter bedding than usual, if you have a winter duvet, swap it out for a summer one. You can also leave the window slightly open or lower the thermostat by one or two degrees every night until you hit your required temperature. This will get your body used to cooler temperatures and won’t be as much of a shock to the system.”
