The relationship between sleeping metabolic rate (SMR) measured from 0300 to 0600 h in a respiration chamber and body composition was studied in 47 healthy adult subjects (23 men and 24 women). The effect of the menstrual cycle on SMR was examined in 16 of the 24 women. SMR increased in the postovulation phase of the menstrual cycle (estimated as days 18-29 after last menstruation) 7.7% on average (P less than 0.001). A stepwise regression showed that both fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM), and the phase of the menstrual cycle contributed significantly to SMR. After adjustment for FFM and FM, no sex differences in SMR (men vs preovulation women) remained. The inclusion of FM in this model is an improvement that eliminates the sex difference in SMR/FFM that is usually found. A prediction equation is given that explains 85% of the variance in SMR among individuals.