As an inclusive, South Asian-owned practice, Boundless aims to uplift clients and colleagues of all religious and cultural backgrounds. This month, our celebratory focus turns to the sacred festival of Ramadan. Ramadan is a month marked by spiritual reflection, fasting, and strengthening community. While it is by and large a time of immense spiritual nourishment and connection with faith, it is not without its physical and emotional challenges. This blog seeks to explore the importance of balancing wellness during Ramadan so that spiritual, mental, and physical well-being are more optimally aligned. Here are some key ways to maintain holistic wellness throughout the month from a therapist’s point of view!
Tip 1: Prioritize Rest and Sleep
Late-night prayer (i.e. Taraweeh) is a hallmark of Ramadan. If not properly planned for, Taraweeh can disrupt sleep patterns, making it easy to feel fatigued and weaken psychological and spiritual endurance throughout the day. However, a change in your sleep schedule doesn’t necessarily mean you have to lose out on sleep. Try adjusting your routine in a way that prioritizes and supplements rest—whether that be by adjusting your bedtime by going to sleep earlier, taking short naps throughout the day, or ensuring that you wake up at a consistent time each day for Suhoor. Maintaining a regular sleep cycle is essential for mental clarity, mood regulation, and immune function (Hirshkowitz et al., 2015). Therefore, modulating your sleep schedule rather than cutting it short or interrupting it without compensatory adjustments is a sure way to regulate mood, energy, and focus throughout the day.
Tip 2: Nourish Your Body With Intentional Eating
Changes to your eating schedule is another major shift that your body and mind endures during Ramadan. It is during this time that the importance of choosing more balanced meals for Suhoor and Iftar can make a significant difference in how you feel throughout the day. Some suggestions for optimizing nourishment during Ramadan include:
Opt for slow-releasing energy foods like whole grains, oats, nuts, and fruits to maintain steady energy levels (Leigh Gibson, 2007).
Hydrate properly by drinking enough water between Iftar and Suhoor while avoiding caffeine, which can lead to dehydration (Grandjean, 2003).
Limit processed sugars, fried foods, and excessive salt to prevent energy crashes and mood swings (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 2020).
Follow Sunnah by breaking your fast with dates and water, which provide natural sugars and hydration (El-Kassas & Ziade, 2016).
Tip 3: Practice Mindfulness and Spiritual Reflection
Ramadan represents a unique opportunity to practice mindfulness, as fasting is not just about abstaining from food but also from ridding yourself of maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that may usually trouble you. Engaging in ritualized prayer or practicing dhikr (i.e. remembrance of Allah), reading and reciting Quran, or simply taking mindful breaths before Iftar can help with emotional regulation (Gu et al., 2015.) If you tend to struggle with difficult emotions like shame, guilt. or overwhelm during Ramadan, remind yourself that it is a paced journey of reflection and intentionality, not a test of perfection.
Tip 4: Balance Social Support and Social Respite
Ramadan is a time for deep connection with self, faith, and community. Spending time with loved ones during Ramadan can provide an increased level of emotional support for some people, which significantly boosts overall wellbeing (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010.) On the other hand, while community Iftars and gatherings can be enriching, increased social obligation may also take away from personal quiet time. Setting boundaries with friends and family if you need private moments can be vital sources of respite during Ramadan.
On the contrary, while this month is meant to be a time of connection, some people find themselves feeling increasingly alone. For example, people living abroad or geographically distant from their family and community may particularly struggle with homesickness or social isolation throughout Ramadan. It’s important to consider ways to intentionally combat this. Whether that entails joining a virtual Iftar or attending prayers at your local mosque to build a new community, it is important to prioritize connectedness with yourself and others throughout the month of Ramadan.
Tip 5: Make Special Accommodations
If you take antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or other essential medications, consult with your doctor to adjust your regimen while fasting. If fasting significantly impacts your mental health, remember that Islam allows exemptions for those with health conditions—including mental health concerns.
Summarizing 5 Tips for Prioritizing Wellness During Ramadan.
Part 1
Address Your Biology: Ramadan’s spiritual practices, such as late-night Taraweeh prayers and fasting, can disrupt sleep and eating patterns. To maintain energy and mental clarity, adjust your sleep schedule by taking short naps or sleeping earlier. When eating, choose slow-releasing energy foods like whole grains and fruits, stay hydrated between Iftar and Suhoor, and limit processed foods to avoid energy crashes. Following the Sunnah by breaking your fast with dates and water also supports nourishment and hydration.
Part 2
Part 3
References
El-Kassas, G., & Ziade, F. (2016). The concept of healthy diet in Mediterranean countries: Application to dietary habits and nutrition research. Frontiers in Nutrition, 3, 41.
Ghaly, M. (2012). Fasting and chronic illness: An Islamic legal perspective. Journal of Religion and Health, 51(4), 1187-1199.
Gibson, L. E. (2007). Carbohydrates and mental function: Feeding or impeding the brain? Nutrition Bulletin, 32(2), 71-83.
Grandjean, A. C. (2003). Water requirements, impinging factors, and recommended intakes. Nutrition Reviews, 61(8), S29-S36.
Gu, J., Strauss, C., Bond, R., & Cavanagh, K. (2015). How do mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction improve mental health? Clinical Psychology Review, 37, 1-12.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2020). The truth about fats: The good, the bad, and the in-between.
Hirshkowitz, M., Whiton, K., Albert, S. M., Alessi, C., Bruni, O., DonCarlos, L., ... & Croft, J. B. (2015). National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: Methodology and results. Sleep Health, 1(1), 40-43.
Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: A meta-analytic review. PLOS Medicine, 7(7), e1000316.
Authors
Sam Urell
LCSW | CASAC-T
Specialties: complex trauma, addiction, relationships/attachment, LGBTQIA+ identity issues & exploration, existential crisis, men's mental health, anxiety, mood/emotional dysregulation, psychedelic integration
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