How to Stay Calm While Fasting in Ramadan?

Fasting during Ramadan offers social, physical, and mental benefits. Research has shown that fasting and a person’s mental state are closely linked.

When someone understands the true purpose of fasting, they don't just avoid feeling down or stressed; they often end up leading a more content and fulfilled life.

In Islam, fasting is prescribed as a way to live righteously, and medical science has backed up many of its health benefits over the years.

It’s a way to reset your diet and can help your body fight off certain physical and mental conditions.

When you fast, your body’s metabolism slows down to conserve energy, which gives your digestive system a much-needed break.

A Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) illustrates this perfectly:

He said, ‘Fasting is a shield’  (or a screen).

He advised those who fast not to act foolishly or use bad language.

If someone insults them or picks a fight, they should simply reply twice, ‘I am fasting.’

18 Tips to Stay Calm and Healthy While Fasting

Here are some practical, Halal tips to help you feel peaceful and stay healthy while you fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

1. Make Your Sehri Count

Eating the pre-dawn meal (Sehri) is essential for maintaining your energy levels throughout the day. Some people skip it thinking they’ll lose weight, but this usually backfires, leaving you tired and more likely to overeat at Iftar.

• What to eat: Focus on complex carbohydrates like oats, whole-grain bread, or barley. They digest slowly and release energy steadily.
• What to avoid: Stay away from greasy, oily, or heavily salted foods. These will make you feel thirsty and sluggish hours before sunset.

2. Plan a Smarter Iftar

How you break your fast matters just as much as how you start it.

• Start with Dates: This follows the Sunnah and is scientifically smart. Dates provide a quick energy boost because your body needs sugar after a long day, and they are packed with nutrients.
• Go for Fruits: Include a variety of fruits in your meal. They are natural, hydrating, and full of vitamins.
• Hydrate the Right Way: Don’t chug liters of water all at once at sunset. Instead, drink water at regular intervals from Iftar until you go to bed. This keeps your body hydrated without shocking your system.
• Skip the Fried Food: Deep-fried samosas and pakoras are a tradition in many cultures, but they are heavy and can make you feel lethargic. Try baking them instead or replacing them with lighter, grilled options.

3. Create a Realistic Ramadan Schedule

The nights in Ramadan are often busy with prayers and gatherings, so managing your sleep is key to staying calm.

• Perform Wudu Before Sleep: Taking a shower or performing ablution (wudu) before bed cools the body and calms the mind. Pair this with some light Zikr (remembrance of God) until you fall asleep. This practice is a proven way to wind down.
• Prioritize Rest: Try to sleep earlier so you can wake up for Sehri feeling fresh and not groggy. A tired body is an irritable body.

4. Finish Hard Tasks in the Morning

Your energy and blood sugar are at their peak in the morning after Sehri. This is the best time to tackle your most difficult work, whether it’s physical labor, intense study, or creative tasks like writing.

• Work Smart: As the day goes on and energy dips, switch to lighter, routine tasks. This pacing prevents burnout and helps you stay productive without feeling overwhelmed.

5. Remember: Fasting is More Than Just Food

Fasting isn't only about staying away from food and water. It requires staying away from bad habits and sins, which directly contributes to inner peace.

• Guard Your Senses: Try to avoid listening to music, watching movies, or getting into arguments. These things can stir up emotions that don't fit the calm spirit of the day.
• Fill the Gaps: Use the extra free time for prayer, reading the Quran, or sitting quietly at the mosque. These actions have a soothing effect on the heart.
• Limit Late Nights: Late-night shopping or hanging out with friends often leads to missing Fajr prayer and feeling exhausted for Sehri. It’s better to keep worldly activities to a minimum during these weeks.

6. Leverage the Science of Intermittent Fasting

By 2026, intermittent fasting (IF) has become a mainstream health practice, and its principles align perfectly with Ramadan. Understanding the science behind it can help you stay calm.

• Ketosis and Mood: After about 12-14 hours of fasting, your body may enter a mild state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel. Some studies now show this state can lead to mental clarity and stable moods, rather than the "brain fog" people used to fear.
• Don't Break the Fast with a Feast: In line with modern IF advice, avoid spiking your insulin with a massive sugar or carb load at Iftar. Start small (dates and water), pray, and then eat a balanced meal. This prevents the dreaded post-Iftar energy crash and mood swings.

7. Manage Your Light Exposure (Circadian Rhythms)

Sleep scientists in 2026 emphasize the importance of managing light for better sleep.

• Blue Light Blockers: Since you might be awake late for Taraweeh and prayers, exposure to artificial light can suppress melatonin. Wear blue-light blocking glasses in the evenings if you must use a phone. Better yet, put the phone away an hour before you plan to sleep after Isha.
• Morning Light: To reset your internal clock, try to get a few minutes of natural sunlight as soon as possible after Fajr. This tells your brain it's daytime and helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle, making it easier to wake up for Sehri.

8. Mindful Eating in a World of Distractions

We live in a world full of notifications. Use Ramadan to practice "mindful eating," especially at Iftar and Sehri.

• No Screens at the Table: Make a rule to put phones away during meals. When you eat while watching videos or scrolling, you often overeat and don't digest properly. Focusing on the food—its taste, texture, and the blessing of having it—leads to better digestion and a sense of gratitude, which calms the mind.

9. Focus on Gut Health

New research in 2026 continues to link gut health directly to mental health (the gut-brain axis).

• Probiotics and Fermented Foods: Include natural probiotics in your Iftar or pre-dawn meal. Think yogurt, fermented pickles (not vinegar-based), or a traditional drink like Kombucha (if Halal-certified). A healthy gut microbiome can reduce anxiety and stress levels.
• Fiber is Your Friend: Increase your fiber intake significantly. It slows down digestion, keeps you full longer, and prevents blood sugar spikes, all of which contribute to a stable mood.

10. Use Tech for Good (Digital Minimalism)

You mentioned avoiding music and movies. In 2026, take this further by practicing "digital minimalism."

• Curate Your Feed: Unfollow or mute social media accounts that cause stress, arguments, or envy. Instead, follow accounts that post beneficial Quranic verses, calming nature content, or educational Islamic content.
• Airplane Mode at Night: Put your phone on airplane mode after Isha. This stops the dopamine hits from late-night notifications and allows your brain to truly rest, helping you wake up for Sehri with a clear head.

11. Electrolytes Over Plain Water

Dehydration is a major cause of irritability. While drinking enough water is vital, balance is key.

• Add Electrolytes: If you find yourself still feeling sluggish or getting headaches despite drinking water, you might need electrolytes. Consider adding a pinch of high-quality sea salt and a squeeze of lemon to your water at Sehri, or drink coconut water at Iftar. This helps your body actually absorb and retain the water, keeping you calm longer

12. Practice Emotional First Aid

Ramadan trains the body to handle physical hunger, but what about emotional hunger—the urge to react angrily when something doesn't go your way?

• The Pause Technique: When you feel irritation rising (in traffic, at work, or at home), physically pause. Take a slow breath and remember the Prophet's advice: "I am fasting." Use this phrase not just to tell others, but to remind yourself. This pause rewires your brain's response to stress over time.
• Lower Your Expectations: Accept that people will still be annoying, work will still be stressful, and things will break. Fasting doesn't make the world perfect; it makes you better at handling imperfection without losing your cool.

13. The Mid-Ramadan Slump (And How to Handle It)

Around day 15-20, energy and motivation often dip. The excitement of the first ten days is over, and the end still feels far away.

• Change Your Focus: Shift your intention from "I have to get through this" to "I get to experience this." Remind yourself that these days are a gift that won't come again for another year.
• Mix Up Your Worship: If you feel bored with your routine, add something new. Read a translation of the Quran if you usually only read Arabic. Listen to a beneficial Islamic lecture during a quiet moment. Call a relative you haven't spoken to in a while. Small changes can reignite your spirit.

14. Breathing Techniques for Low-Energy Moments

When the afternoon hits and your energy is at its lowest, your body is stressed. Simple breathing exercises can trick your nervous system into calming down.

• Box Breathing: Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Do this 3-5 times. It lowers cortisol (the stress hormone) and can be done anywhere without anyone noticing.
• Why it works in 2026: Wearable tech like smart watches now often have stress monitors. Many people in 2026 use these devices and notice their stress scores improve with intentional breathing. Use this biofeedback to your advantage during Ramadan.

15. Work and Remote Life in Ramadan

By 2026, remote and hybrid work are completely normal. This presents both challenges and opportunities for someone fasting.

• The Home Advantage: Use your commute time (which you save) for a short nap or extra Quran reading.
• The Home Disadvantage: Being near the kitchen all day is tough. Keep a water bottle at your desk even if you can't drink from it—it's a visual reminder of your fast. Step away from the kitchen area during lunch breaks. Go to another room or sit outside for a few minutes to get a mental break.
• Meetings and Energy: If you have control over your schedule, block out "deep work" time in the morning. Schedule routine, low-brain-power meetings for the early afternoon when energy dips. Be upfront with colleagues if needed—many people in 2026 understand that colleagues observing Ramadan have different energy patterns.

16. Charity as a Stress Reliever

Giving charity (Sadaqah) is highly encouraged in Ramadan. But in 2026, giving has become easier and more impactful.

• Digital Giving: Apps and online platforms make donating seamless. Giving a small amount every day can be a powerful mood booster. It shifts your focus from your own hunger to someone else's need, which puts your struggles into perspective.
• Non-Monetary Charity: Charity isn't just money. A smile, removing a stone from the road, or listening to a friend's problem is also charity. These small acts of kindness release oxytocin, a chemical that promotes bonding and calmness. Use this as a tool to feel connected and peaceful.

17. Prepare for the Post-Ramadan Transition

One reason people feel stressed at the end of Ramadan is the anxiety about losing the spiritual high. Planning for this in advance can keep you calm.

• Set Post-Ramadan Goals: Think about one or two good habits you want to keep after Eid. Maybe it's praying one extra prayer daily, reading Quran for 10 minutes, or fasting on Mondays and Thursdays. Having a plan reduces the "Ramadan is over, now what?" sadness.
• Eid Planning Without Stress: Don't leave all your Eid preparation (shopping, cleaning, cooking) for the last week of Ramadan. Spread it out over the month. Do a little bit each week so the last ten days (which are the most spiritually powerful) aren't consumed by worldly stress.

18. For Those with Health Conditions (2026 Update)

Medical advice around fasting and health continues to evolve. If you have a chronic condition like diabetes, high blood pressure, or even long COVID symptoms (which are now better understood in 2026):

• Consult Early: Don't wait until Ramadan starts. Talk to your doctor in Sha'ban (the month before) to adjust medication times or dosages.
• Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs): These devices, which are more affordable and common in 2026, are a game-changer for diabetics who fast. They let you see your blood sugar in real-time on your phone without finger pricks, allowing you to break your fast safely if levels drop dangerously.
• Listen to Your Body: The rules of Islam allow breaking the fast if you are sick or if fasting will harm you. This is a mercy, not a failure. Staying calm means knowing your limits and respecting your health.

Bookmark this page or take notes and screenshots so you can remember the tips.

A Final Thought for 2026 and Beyond

Ramadan, at its core, is training for the soul. The calmness you seek isn't about making the month easy; it's about becoming the kind of person who can face difficulty with patience and grace.

Use these tools, from the traditional (prayer, fasting, charity) to the modern (science, tech, planning), to build a Ramadan that leaves you healthier, calmer, and closer to your Creator.

When the month ends, the real test begins: carrying that calmness forward into the other eleven months.