Ramadan and Rest: The Effects of Sleep Deprivation Can Be Very Damaging!

As many of us are painfully aware, sleep deprivation can be deeply unpleasant. It upsets our natural rhythm, makes us feel lethargic and, in extreme cases, can cause a host of physical and mental ailments. For those fasting during Ramadan, maintaining and managing consistent sleep routines can be a tricky affair – and two-and-a-half weeks into fasting, you may well be feeling the effects of disrupted patterns.

The pre-fasting suhoor meal before 4am can play havoc, says Dr Walid Abdul-Hamid, clinical director and consultant psychiatrist at the Priory Wellbeing Centre in Dubai. “This, in turn, can have negative consequences on mental health and well-being.”

His advice is to try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, even if it’s much later or earlier than your usual routine, and try not to nap during the day. “Don’t eat excessive amounts before bed,” he says, “and avoid processed and fast foods, which can greatly affect quality of sleep. Increase exposure to sunlight in the mornings and decrease exposure to artificial light in the evenings to help with your body’s natural circadian rhythm. Try to avoid stimulants such as coffee, fizzy drinks and chocolate,” adds Abdul-Hamid.

As for our electronic devices, he says they are best left out of the bedroom because their backlit screens, vibrations and noises can interfere with sleep. He also advises we make sure to get some physical activity during the day, even if it’s nothing more than a walk around the block.

Dr Hady Jerdak specialises in internal medicine, pulmonary diseases and sleep medicine at Medcare Hospital in Dubai. He says that inadequate sleep is a serious problem in the UAE, even outside of Ramadan. “Repeated sleep problems can be the body’s way of hinting at something more,” he says. “Increased stress levels, mood swings and anxiety are all ways your body might be trying to tell you it’s suffering from a sleep disorder. The opposite is also true, with sleeping problems sometimes leading to anxiety disorders.”

He points out that lack of sleep can lead to more far-reaching issues. “It can weaken the immune system’s defences against viruses, increase the risk for high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, and lead to issues related to heart disease.”

Jerdak says that the majority of people in the UAE are simply not getting sufficient shut-eye, and reminds us that good-quality sleep consists of four-to-five cycles where each has 40 per cent superficial sleep, 40 per cent deep sleep and 20 per cent rapid eye movement (REM, or dream state).