Sleep pattern adjustment during Ramadan
"I don't sleep until sehri because I am either praying or working — and by the time I manage to fall asleep, it is time to wake up," says 25-year-old corporate beginner Aneela. Many of us face similar situations during Ramadan as heat and hunger sap us of our energy, and make us lose precious work time during the day. As we scramble to complete unfinished work at night, we deprive ourselves of rest. Where Ramadan is a time to get closer to our religion through abstinence and discipline, more often than not, sleep and routine disruptions cause crankiness and low productivity levels during fasting. Sleep is an important restorative period of rest and healing for the body, and a time where the brain rejuvenates itself, replenishes its energy store and releases beneficial proteins and hormones like melatonin. It has numerous other benefits like forming short- and long-term memories, strengthening immunity, preventing heart and other non-communicable diseases like diabetes a