How to Handle Hunger and Fatigue during Ramadan Fasting

In the month of Ramadan, Muslims don’t eat or drink as a means of empathy and spiritual purification. Not letting the body have nutrition and water to drink helps in empathizing with other less unfortunate people who live like this in normal routine. Thus, the wealthy ones get to feel and experience the way such people feel.

The meals of Suhoor and Iftaar are there to provide the body with nutrition and hydration for the period in which the fast is to be kept. However, as Ramadan comes once in a month and there are also people who find it hard to resist hunger and thirst. For such people the lines below discuss some ways with the help of which they can resist the feeling of hunger and fatigue and go through the fast in a more trouble free manner.

Breathe Properly:

Breathing is of grave importance when it comes to avoiding fatigue during fast. When a person does not breath properly the less oxygen goes into the diaphragm and when less oxygen goes in, the lesser carbon dioxide is expelled. When carbon dioxide is expelled in minimal amount, much of it stays in the body and starts damaging the cells, which then results in fatigue. On the other hand, when a person breaths slowly and properly through nose, it supplies greater amount of oxygen to the body which then travels to the cells and rejuvenates them, thus, lesser fatigue does the body feel. Therefore, during Ramadan, you need to work on your breathing in order to avoid all the fatigue produced by hunger that gets increased with lesser oxygen intake.

Exercise:

The common notion is that exercise causes depletion of energy and as a result of which the body feels fatigued. This notion is wrong, as exercise actually helps expel the toxins from the body that cause harm to it and boost the hormones that cause a surge in energy, hence helps fighting fatigue. Therefore, in order to avoid fatigue during fasting and keep the energy levels of the body high, it is imperative that you take on some kind of light exercise either after Suhoor or after Iftar. Hence, exercise is actually a means of increasing energy and fighting fatigue on contrary to the common notion.

Recommended Reading – Nutrition And Fitness Regime For The Month Of Ramadan 

Bring Variety In Meals:

One of the major reason why people either feel excessive hunger during the fast or cause problem with their stomach is because of their lack of hygiene in eating the Suhoor and Iftaar meals. People eat whatever they want to eat without considering the fact that they have to keep fast and not eat or drink throughout the day, thus, when they eat the wrong foods, they either ultimately start feeling hungry right after Suhoor, or they have eaten so much that the food causes stomach problems and they start feeling thirsty. Hence, in order to avoid any such agitation, it is imperative that you incorporate proper nutritional elements in the meals you have. The Suhoor meals should comprise of complex carbohydrates, which provide energy for longer, whereas, the Iftar meals must majorly consist of proteins as they provide the nutrition to muscles. Ergo, bring diversity in the kind of foods you eat in order to ensure that excessive hunger is not experienced during fast.

Recommended Reading – How to Bring Taste on the Table – Suhoor & Iftar Tips 

Proper Sleep:

In Ramadan there is prayers, Quran recitation and Taraweeh at night and then the meal of Suhoor before Fajr prayer, all are the reasons that cause sleep deprivation. When the sleep is not proper and full, all the cells and muscles of the body haven’t relaxed properly and when they have to go through the whole day without any nutrition, it causes exhaustion and fatigue. Therefore, it is more than imperative to focus on getting proper sleep that can be attained right after the Taraweeh prayer till the Suhoor meal. Ergo, try having a proper sleep in order to avoid any kind of fatigue and exhaustion during fast.

Drink Water:

During Ramadan there are all kinds of drinks in Iftaar and people prepare special kinds of drink. Moreover, there are people who go for little water and excessive caffeine during the period between the Iftaar and the Suhoor, furthermore, they also drink caffeine during the Suhoor meal as well, as a result of which the water reserves in the body drop down and there is little hydration available to the body. When the body does not have sufficient water, the cells get exhausted and as a result fatigue strikes during the fast. Hence, in order to avoid fatigue and excessive feeling of thirst during the fast, it is imperative that during the Iftaar and Suhoor period you drink plenty of water so that the cells replenish their reserves and the excessive toxins are flushed out from the body.

Besides these generic tips, one can also indulge himself/herself in praying and seeking forgiveness to Allah as it will also divert your attention of being hungry to getting closer to Allah. You can involve yourself in learning Quran, offering Salaat, reciting the verses of Holy Quran, or other religious books that will engage your in divine learning and hence, will make you spiritually powerful to drive the hunger feelings away.

Conclusion:

In order to avoid excessive feeling of hunger and fatigue during fast in the month of Ramadan, it is imperative that you know about your body and the foods that affect it the most. When you have done so then plan the foods you are going to eat and the schedule you are going to have in order to avoid such experiences and enjoy fasting throughout the month.