Coping with Sleep Deprivation in Ramadan

During the holy month of Ramadan, many people remain awake at night and sleep during the day. The sudden change of eating habits and timing, from day to night (fasting during daytime and eating at night) are accompanied by some physiological changes in the body.

Disrupting the sleep cycle can have some consequences on our health. Good quality sleep consists of 4 to 5 cycles of sleep where each cycle has 40 percent superficial sleep, 40 percent deep sleep, and 20 percent rapid eye movement phase or dream phase. We usually do more deep sleep in the beginning of the night and more dreaming at the end of the night. During Ramadan we are faced with a disruption of the normal sleep cycle since we need to wake up early to have Suhoor and sleep late in addition to eating heavily before sleep.

Tips to ensure you receive adequate rest during Ramadan:

Make a plan before Ramadan which fits in with your schedule, follow something that you can stick to as best as possible.

  • Schedule times of worship.
  • Find a quiet place away from the work station, such as your car, and take a 20-minute nap when needed.
  • Ensure your sleep environment is quiet and dark to get quality sleep without distracting factors.
  • Staying away from gadgets like mobile phones and laptops is also proven to improve sleep as light signals the brain to remain awake and alert.
  • Earplugs and eye masks work wonders for getting into and staying in a deep sleep.
  • Do not consume heavy, calorie-loaded and sugar-rich foods at Iftar, it can affect the quality of your sleep. Also avoid very spicy foods and fried foods.
  • Avoid coffee and caffeine-containing products, as there are stimulants and can interfere with sleep.
  • Lastly, avoid processed and salty foods, which are high in sodium as they will cause dehydration.
  • Sleep at least two hours after Iftar and don’t have a heavy Suhoor if you wish to sleep after that.

    • (Credit: Dr. Hady Jerdak, Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases and Sleep Medicine at Medcare Hospital)