Geeta Sharma Geeta Sharma Asked 6 months ago

Does sleep count as fasting?

I've been trying intermittent fasting for a while, and sometimes I sleep through a good part of my fasting window. My friend said it counts. Can the hours spent sleeping be considered part of a fasting period?

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5 answers

Anirudh Sharma Anirudh Sharma Joined Mar 2026 6 months ago
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Honestly, yes it does count. If you are doing 16:8 intermittent fasting, your 8 hours of sleep are the easiest part of the window. Just don't overcomplicate it with strict rules, just stop eating 2 hours before bed and you are sorted.

Kavitha Rajan Kavitha Rajan Joined Feb 2026 6 months ago

Technically it counts, but please be careful if you have issues like acidity or low sugar. I tried a very long fast including sleep hours and my acidity got so bad I had to see a doc. Better to ask a nutritionist before planning long gaps.

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Ishita Sen Ishita Sen Joined Jan 2026 6 months ago

Haha yes, thank god it does! Imagine doing a 14-hour fast while being awake the whole time, that would be impossible. Sleeping makes the whole fasting routine actually doable for people like us.

Gurnam Singh Gurnam Singh Joined Jan 2026 6 months ago

Yes, sleep is a natural way our body rests and fasts. It is a beautiful time when the body heals itself without any food load. Keep your mind peaceful before sleeping, and let your body do its natural cleansing.

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Meera Deshmukh Meera Deshmukh Joined Feb 2026 6 months ago

My teenager was asking this same thing for their diet plan. Yes, those sleeping hours definitely count in your fasting window. Just make sure you are not waking up starved or skipping proper meals during the day.

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