What is the relationship between fasting and sleep disturbance? How do we solve the problem?

Fasting affects our daily routine and habits, changing the timing of our eating and sleeping. One of the most challenges that a fasting person faces is sleep disturbance, which is caused by several factors in the lack of hours and quality of sleep, especially during the month of Ramadan, because we usually change our habits, we may stay up a lot than usual. Or we wake up near dawn to eat the suhoor meal.

However, the causes and factors that affect sleep quality range from bad habits that keep a person awake to medical problems that disrupt his sleep cycle, according to what was published by the WebMD website on health and medicine.

Experts warn of the dangers of lack of sleep, as it can have an impact on almost every part of our lives, especially since an adult should get 7 to 8 hours of good sleep a day. Scientific research links sleep deprivation, car accidents, relationship problems, poor job performance, job-related injuries, memory problems, and mood disorders.

Recent studies also suggest that sleep disturbances may contribute to heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

sleep disorder symptoms

Symptoms of sleep disturbances include:

• Feeling very sleepy during the day
• Suffering from falling asleep
• snoring
• Briefly stop breathing, often during sleep (apnea)
• A feeling of discomfort in the legs and an urge to move them (restless legs syndrome)

sleep cycle

There are two types of sleep: the first type includes rapid eye movement, and the second type includes non-rapid eye movement. People dream during rapid eye movement, which takes 25% of hibernation, and extends to longer periods in the morning. A person spends the rest of the sleep period in non-rapid eye movement.

It is normal for anyone to have trouble sleeping every once in a while, but when the problem persists night after night, then insomnia is present. In many cases, insomnia is linked to bad bedtime habits.

Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder also cause insomnia. Unfortunately, some of the medications used to treat these conditions can cause sleep problems.

Disturbed sleep is often associated with health problems such as:

• Arthritis
• heartburn
Chronic pain
Asthma
• obstructive lung problems
• heart failure
Thyroid problems
• Neurological disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's

Pregnancy is one of the causes of insomnia, especially in the first and third trimesters, as well as menopause. Both men and women tend to have trouble sleeping after age 65.

As a result of circadian rhythm disturbances, people who work night shifts and frequently travel can suffer from confusion in the functioning of the "internal body clock".

Relax and exercise

Treating the causes of anxiety helps reduce insomnia and sleep disturbances, by training in relaxation and biofeedback, which calms breathing, heart rate, muscles and mood.

Regular exercise should be done in the afternoon, bearing in mind that exercising within a few hours before bedtime can have the opposite effect and keep you awake.

diets

Certain foods and drinks can cause nightmares. Caffeine, including coffee, tea and soda, should be avoided 4-6 hours before bedtime and heavy or spicy foods should be avoided.

Experts advise eating a light meal in the evening, and in the Suhoor meal during the month of Ramadan, as it contains a high percentage of carbohydrates and is easy to digest.

bedtime ritual

Each person can tell their mind and body that it's time for bed, by doing rituals such as taking a warm bath, reading a book, or doing relaxation exercises such as deep breathing. It is also important to try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends.