Overcome drowsiness while fasting with these 7 powerful strategies

Are you the type of person who gets sleepy easily? If so, in this month of Ramadan you will be increasingly challenged to overcome sleepiness during fasting. If all this time you have relied on drinking coffee or eating snacks so that your mind is fresher, in the fasting month of course you have to use other methods. What are some effective ways to deal with sleepiness during fasting? Check out the following tips.

Why is fasting so sleepy?

In the month of fasting, your sleep cycle changes because you wake up early to prepare for sahur. If you don't go to sleep earlier, you will sleep less by an average of 40 minutes. According to research in the Journal of Sleep Research, this will reduce the duration of the deep sleep or REM stage (rapid eye movement). So, the next day you become sleepy.

In addition, when fasting the body does not get food or drink intake for hours. Then you become more limp and sleepy.

How to deal with sleepiness during fasting

There are several natural ways you can do so that you can overcome drowsiness during fasting. Take note of the following seven tips, yes.

1. Move or walk

A survey of hundreds of people in the United States revealed that walking for 10 minutes can increase your energy for the next two hours. The reason is, the streets are able to pump oxygen to the blood vessels, brain and muscles. Meanwhile, sleepiness during the day usually arises because the brain is deprived of oxygen.

2. Take a short nap

If you feel drowsy anymore, you can steal a few moments to take a nap. However, don't take too long naps. You may become even more limp because your body's biological clock is disturbed. According to a specialist in internal medicine and an expert on sleep disorders from the United States, dr. Barry Krakow, set an alarm for just 5-25 minutes for a nap.

3. Change scene

If you face a computer screen all day long, your eyes will feel tired, so you will quickly become sleepy. For that, try to change the scene when sleepiness strikes. Take your eyes off the screen for 20 seconds. Repeat every 20 minutes. This will make the eyes more relaxed and refreshed.

4. Chat

If you are on campus or at work, invite your colleagues to chat for a moment to overcome sleepiness during fasting. Chatting will increase alertness and ability to concentrate. In order for the effect to be felt, dr. Barry Krakow advises you to talk about "tough" topics, not just lip service.

5. Turn on the lights or look for sunlight

Sleepiness can also appear following the lighting your eyes receive. When the light dims, your eyes pick up on it as a signal to rest, so you become sleepy. For that, turn on the lights in your room or look for direct sunlight, for example, outdoors.

6. Take a deep breath

Taking deep breaths will increase oxygen levels in the brain. This can help increase energy and trigger brain activity. Sit or stand straight with one hand against your stomach. Then, inhale deeply through your nose. As you inhale, make sure your stomach is expanding and "filling" with air. Exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat this several times until your mind feels fresher.

7. Get enough and quality sleep at night

Prevent drowsiness during fasting by making sure you get enough rest each day. So, try to sleep earlier than usual so you don't get less sleep. In order for quality sleep, make your room as comfortable as possible. For example, install a fan or air conditioner so that the room is cool enough and turn off the room lights.