Khaberni - In the blessed month of Ramadan, not only does the timing of eating change, but the entire daily rhythm of life is reshaped. The night turns into a time of social activity, work, and leisure, while the day shifts into a period of relative inactivity interspersed with occasional naps.
Although fasting itself does not physiologically burden sleep when practiced within a balanced lifestyle, contemporary reality reveals an increasing phenomenon known as the Ramadan sleep crisis, where a large number of fasters suffer from a chronic shortage in sleep hours and disturbances in its quality.
Scientific reviews indicate that the average duration of nightly sleep decreases by about one hour daily during Ramadan compared to normal periods; this decrease may seem limited initially, but it turns into an actual accumulation of what is known as sleep debt, i.e., the ongoing partial deprivation of sleep and its accompanying mental and physical exhaustion.
Habits and not fasting
Studies confirm that fasting itself does not cause sleep disturbances, but rather the accompanying habits during Ramadan. Experiments have shown that those who maintain regular sleep and wake times during fasting do not suffer noticeable changes in sleep quality or mental capacities.
But in reality, staying up late after Iftar, delaying sleep until after midnight, then waking up early for Suhoor and work, leads to a disruption in the natural sleep system. This disruption confuses the body's biological clock and makes it out of sync with the day-night rhythm, a condition similar to what shift workers experience.
Sleep physiology research shows that the disturbance involves not only the number of sleep hours but also extends to its internal structure. Studies using polysomnography have shown that Ramadan can be associated with delayed release of the melatonin hormone responsible for inducing sleepiness, in addition to a relative decrease in deep sleep stages and rapid eye movement sleep, which are the most crucial stages for restoring mental functions and regulating memory and emotions.
Also, a delay in the daily rhythm of body temperature and energy consumption was recorded, indicating a gradual shift of biological activity towards the night rather than the day. This shift makes many feel alert at night and exhausted in the morning, even if the total apparent sleep hours reach an acceptable level.
Is napping a solution?
Many believe that napping during the day compensates for the lack of sleep at night, but studies suggest that daytime sleep does not provide the same benefits as nighttime sleep.
During the night, the brain undergoes deep cycles that help repair cells and regulate hormones responsible for appetite, metabolism, and immunity. Daytime sleep, especially if it is intermittent or in a lit environment, is less effective in performing these functions.
Therefore, many fasters feel tired, suffer from poor concentration and mood swings, even if it seems they have slept a sufficient number of hours distributed between night and day.
The effects of sleep disruption not only manifest as mental fatigue, but also extend to the body's metabolism. Various studies have shown that lack of sleep leads to increased levels of ghrelin, the hormone responsible for hunger, and decreased levels of leptin, associated with satiety, which increases the inclination to consume foods rich in sugar and fats after Iftar.
This explains a seemingly contradictory phenomenon, which is the weight gain experienced by some people during the fasting month. Recent research on students and athletes also points to increased rates of daytime sleepiness and sleep disturbances in the second half of Ramadan specifically, where the deprivation of sleep gradually accumulates as the nights go on.
Social Transformation
In essence, the sleep crisis in Ramadan reveals a deeper social transformation in our relationship with time. Historical traditions of the month were based on relatively early sleep after the Isha prayer and waking up for Suhoor then returning to sleep, a pattern that maintains biological balance.
Today, however, the widespread use of digital screens, night programs, and late work has extended nighttime wakefulness for long hours, putting the body in a state of continuous biological stress throughout the month.
Sleep medicine research indicates that chronic disruption of the daily rhythm is linked in the long term to increased risks of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, which gives the topic of sleep in Ramadan a health dimension that goes beyond just feeling sleepy.
Therefore, the solution is not in radical changes as much as it is in restoring some regularity to the Ramadan day; such as setting a consistent sleep schedule as much as possible, reducing exposure to blue light before bedtime, avoiding late heavy meals, and settling for a short nap instead of long daytime sleep.
When the sleep rhythm is respected, Ramadan can regain one of its true health dimensions, not as a month of physical deprivation, but as a period of resetting the balance between food, rest, and human biological rhythm.
Ultimately, maybe the biggest health challenge during Ramadan is not what we put on the iftar table, but the number of hours we allow our brains to actually sleep.
