Ramadan is here again, and all devoted Muslims are expected to use this period to fast. Fasting is more than just skipping meals – it is a period of deep reflection as you draw closer to Allah.
Although fasting has deep spiritual and health benefits, it is easy for one to get tired and quit. This becomes more serious if you have a very active life, such as if you work every day or engage in activities that are tasking.
But you can have a very healthy and proper fast by just following the right tips. These tips we would be looking at would help to maximize your fast so that you go from enduring it to enjoying it.
Below are some of the helpful health tips for Ramadan.
1. Always stay hydrated
Dehydration is one of the common things people have to deal with when fasting for obvious reasons.
Since you are not allowed to drink water during the period of fast, which is about 12 hours, it can be very easy to feel thirsty.
But you can fix that by drinking a lot of water just before the fast begins. You do not have to drink too much at once. Just make sure that you have a glass of water now and then before fasting starts. You can begin this at night into the early hours of the morning.
Keep in mind that only water can keep you hydrated. Other drinks, like tea or coffee, or fizzy drinks, could even make you dehydrated faster.
Limit your intake of these drinks and focus more on water. Do not wait till you feel thirsty before taking another glass of water. Doing this would help keep your body hydrated during the day.
2 Don’t skip Sahur
There is no benefit to skipping Sahur. Beginning your fast on an empty stomach would make it very difficult for you to concentrate on other things during the day.
You need the energy to fast properly, and that energy comes from eating very early in the morning.
Although it can be hard for some people to wake up that early, it is something you would have to do to make sure your fast goes smoothly.
3. Don’t overfeed
Not skipping Sahur is not a license for you to overfeed. Even though you may think that overfeeding would make you less hungry during the day, this is not exactly true.
The only thing overfeeding would do is make you sluggish during the fast. Although it may seem tempting to load your plate with all sorts of food, the less you eat, the better.
4. Eat Healthily
Rather than eating a lot, make sure you are eating the right things. Eat more fruits, particularly at Sahur, and try to have a balanced meal.
You can follow a timetable so that you eat different things during the week, instead of having it all in one day. This goes for both Sahur and Iftar.
Avoid eating foods that are high in processed fat or sugar. Also, avoid eating foods with too much salt as it would dehydrate you easily.
It is common for people to want to indulge at Iftar by eating anything they can lay their hands on, but that should not be the case.
5. Get enough sleep
Your normal sleep pattern may be affected during Ramadan since you have to be up very early for Sahur, but this should not deny you quality sleep.
You can try sleeping an hour or two earlier than usual since you may be up two hours earlier before your day starts.
Also, avoid drinking coffee or other beverages that could affect your sleep. If you can, you can take naps during the day to make sure your body is well-rested.
6. Don’t engage in rigorous exercise
While fasting during Ramadan, it is not ideal to exert too much force on the body by engaging in rigorous exercise.
While exercising in a fasted state, your body might start breaking down muscle to use protein for fuel, which means you’ll have less energy and not be able to work out as hard or perform as well.
7. Don’t go out under the hot sun
It is recommended that people who are fasting should not go out or spend long hours unnecessarily under the hot sun during daytime—going out under the hot sun while fasting can lead to heat exhaustion.
If you must go out, you should cover your head with a hat or cloth and try to avoid exposing yourself to sunlight as much as possible.
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