Keeping on Track During Ramadhan

We’ve talked all about Ramadhan in our previous article. How’s it going so far? It’s normal to feel more tired than usual as your regular eating habits change. In addition to that, since we have to wake up early for Suhoor and go for Taraweeh prayers at night, some of us might not be getting enough sleep this month.

Here are some tips on how to get through the day without feeling too sluggish during Ramadhan:

1. Eat your pre-dawn meal
Waking up at 5am for Suhoor is HARD. Sometimes you have to be up earlier than that to prepare the food (shoutout to the supermoms who have to cook for their families so early in the morning!). A tip is to meal prep the night before so you don’t have to cook an entire meal when your body isn’t fully functioning yet. Start your day with a healthy meal that includes complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats to keep you feeling full throughout the day. It’s recommended to take food like oatmeal, eggs, avocado, whole-grain bread, and nuts so you don’t get hungry too fast.

2. Stay hydrated
Another challenge during fasting month is making sure you get your eight glasses of water per day. Since you can’t spread out your water intake throughout the day, consume hydrating food during Suhoor and Iftar. Certain foods, such as fruits and vegetables, contain high water content and can help you stay hydrated. You may also consider having soup for Iftar to rehydrate the body after a long day of fasting. Soupy meals are great for digestion and your digestive system may be more sensitive towards heavy and rich foods when you’re breaking fast.

Common food in Malaysia packed with moisture you can serve for Iftar: bubur lambuk (rice porridge cooked with assorted spices), chicken soup, kuey teow kungfu, tomyam, and a lot more you can find at the Ramadhan bazaar or are easy to make at home. You can also treat yourself to sweet desserts like cendol and fruit cocktail.

3. Keep yourself busy
To distract yourself from thinking about food while you’re fasting, stay organised and plan out your days wisely. Be more proactive at work, pick up a hobby or plan activities you can do while fasting. By doing this you can avoid feeling bored since you can’t go out to eat with friends or munch on your favourite snacks when you have nothing to do. You know what they say, time moves fast when you’re having fun!

In Islam, it is recommended for Muslims to follow the Sunnahs (practices of Prophet Muhammad SAW) during this time, one of them is reciting the Quran. Many Muslims aim to complete the entire Quran at least once during the holy month. So you can fill in your time by reciting a few pages of the Quran when you can.

4. Exercise and workout within your ability
Squeezing in time for a workout in your daily Ramadhan schedule is another tricky part. But this is a good way to make sure your body stays fit even though you’re fasting. You might not be able to do intense workouts so don’t push yourself too hard as it could lead to injury and exhaustion. If you can, get up early before you eat your Suhoor meal so you can exercise and then replenish your energy and water levels after. If you are able to work out on an empty stomach, do your workout routine before breaking your fast so you can eat and drink right after.

5. Rest when needed
Fasting during Ramadhan can be physically and mentally draining, so resting helps you conserve energy and reduce fatigue. Sleeping and resting is important for your health while fasting but overdoing it can lead to feelings of lethargy and boredom. It can also decrease your productivity since your body isn’t moving as much. Rest just enough to prevent feeling too tired while fasting and to avoid the negative health effects caused from lying down or sleeping too much. Between waking up early for Suhoor, rushing to work, classes or other daily activities, preparing for Iftar and then going for Taraweeh prayers at night, it is important to find time for you to sit and relax.

Share your tips with us @Graduan!

Photo by Rauf Alvi on Unsplash.