Ramadan is when Muslims all over the world fast during daylight hours for an entire month - starting tomorrow (Wednesday).
But one of the holiest times of the year doesn't just affect diet. The 30 days of fasting, prayer and reflection not only delays the average wake-up and bedtime but also impacts the total time spent asleep, according to a study.
Yet contrary to popular belief, this shortfall thankfully isn't thought to increase any sleepiness while fasting from pre-dawn until sunset. When it comes to night-time, sleep habits and stages described in the Quran sacred book place a real importance on light and darkness. It is also discouraged to sleep on your front (the prone position) and encouraged to sleep on your right side.
REM sleep is affected during Ramadan
While all sleep stages are important, stage 4 or REM sleep is particularly important for healthy brain development. It plays a key role in processing emotions and memories, as well as dreaming, say Mattress Next Day.
On average, as adults, we need two hours of REM sleep during the night. A study discovered that while non-REM sleep increased (the first three stages of sleep), REM sleep decreased.
This could be due to eating a larger meal later which increases your metabolic rate and, therefore, raises your core body temperature. Any changes in your core body temperature can reduce how well you sleep.
But that’s not to say you can’t improve your shut-eye while observing Ramadan, and ensure you attempt to get close to the recommended hours of sleep for an adult (7-9 hours). With this in mind Mattress Next Day have shared some tips for sleeping better during Ramadan.
Seven tips for sleeping better during Ramadan
1. Plan a new night-time routine during Ramadan to reduce your ‘sleep debt’
Your sleep routine will change while you observe Ramadan. As a result you should create a new bedtime schedule and attempt to stick to it while observing the sacred month. In this new routine, make sure you include:
- A reasonable bedtime. While you likely won’t get the 7-9 hours in one block that is recommended for adults, try to sleep for as long as possible after Iftar.
- An achievable time to wake up. Set a time to wake up and eat and, if possible, go back to sleep before you need to wake up for work or family, for instance.
- Any opportunities for a nap during the day.
- Activities that help you sleep, such as reading a book.
If you have not had a bedtime routine before, now is the perfect time to start. A routine can help your brain recognise when it is time to go to sleep. So if you stick to the same patterns before bed, your brain will eventually realise it is time to go to sleep.
2. Keep your room dark and stay away from your electronics
Sleeping in a dark room has proven benefits for your sleep. In response to the dark, the body begins to produce melatonin; which is what makes you want to go to sleep. But the light will stop this process, so you need to avoid light when winding down for the night.
In addition, electronic devices have been linked with shorter and poor-quality sleep. So, you need to move your electronic devices to the other side of your room to avoid scrolling through your phone at night.
This also helps you wake during the morning as you are less likely to snooze your alarm by getting out of bed and, thus, falling back to sleep in short 10-minute periods, which can make you feel more groggy than before.
If you have already covered your windows and light still gets in your room, place draught excluders at the bottom of your door to stop light coming through the hallway. You can also buy black material to stick to your windows, which are a more affordable option than blackout blinds. Alternatively, invest in an eye mask to get some decent shut-eye.
3. Go outside for natural light during the day
If you do feel tired because of the later bedtime and the earlier waking hour, get outdoors! Natural light has a powerful effect on your circadian rhythm (the signal for when to sleep and when to be alert) and going outdoors - even if it is for a short period of time - can help you feel more alert during the day. On the flipside, you need to make sure your room is dark when going to sleep.
4. Watch what you eat
The meal eaten after sunset - Iftar - is a celebration, so some people do eat foods that have high calories and sugar. Eating this type of food can overwhelm your digestive system at night as your body attempts to digest the meal. This can lead to discomfort when attempting to sleep.
In addition, sugary foods can cause highs and lows in your blood sugar levels. These spikes release hormones which can cause you to wake up during the night.
5. Make sure you stay hydrated
While there isn’t a huge amount of research to link more water to better sleep, hydration is key to your health. A previous study has found that actually drinking less water could result in less time spent asleep.
During Ramadan, you should include when to drink water in your new bedtime routine. Keep water close by when you break your fast and before sunrise. You could also set an alarm for drinking water (so make sure you drink a cup each hour) or even try to associate water with checking your phone. So if you check your phone, make sure to drink water at the same time.
6. Find the right ‘noise’ for you to fall asleep more quickly
Noise doesn’t have to impact your sleep. In fact, coloured ‘noises’ such as white noise, brown noise, grey noise, pink noise, green noise and even blue noise can help you sleep by drowning out external sounds and your internal thoughts.
7. If you need to nap, make sure it’s for no longer than 20 mins
If you are able to during the day, it's recommended to schedule time for a nap. You shouldn’t nap for any longer than 20 minutes as you could begin to fall into a deeper sleep. Falling into deep sleep could actually leave you feeling more tired than before as you will break the sleep cycle before it naturally comes to an end.
However, 20 minutes is enough time to feel refreshed without disrupting your sleep at night. Just make sure to schedule an alarm after 20 minutes and nap for at least eight hours before your new bedtime.
