Staying active during Ramadan

Mohamed Abdullahi, a final-year student, studying Sports Business Management at the School of Sport, blogs about the importance of physical activity during Ramadan.

It is a known fact that during Ramadan eating and sleeping patterns change compared with other months throughout the year. Trying to stay active during the Ramadan period can be daunting for some, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t stay active throughout the 30 days of fasting. Some of the benefits of staying active regularly are your mood is improved, you feel less fatigued around Iftar time, it improves your sleep, can aid in digestion, and circulation. These benefits are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to staying active for the holy month of Ramadan.        

When it comes to the safety of doing exercise during fasting, it is advised that you take precautions, doing light to moderate exercises is generally safe. It is, however, important not to over-exhaust yourself as then you might become dehydrated. It is recommended that you do physical activity three hours after you break your fast as then your body has completed the digestion process. But that doesn’t mean you are limited to only after Iftar. You can also think about the evening before you break your fast or the morning after sunrise after you have had your Sahoor. So, overall, it is safe to exercise during the fasting period but do keep in mind that you always need to take precautions and not overdo it.

Our University Sports Centre is extending its opening hours throughout Ramadan which is beneficial not only for me but for the community. It’s a massive bonus during the fasting period, not only because it encourages the community to exercise but it can also help build relationships by recognising the needs of different cultures, which in turn will foster better community cohesion.

Allowing the additional time to exercise gives us the opportunity to be flexible when it comes to choosing what time is best for individuals to exercise and I believe this makes it easier for someone who fasts during Ramadan.

From personal experience, I prefer exercising a couple of hours after I break my fast. One key tip to remember is to put a plan in place that you can refer to and this doesn’t have to be done and dusted. You should be able to make changes and adapt so that you can achieve your goals. You also have to keep in mind to eat food you can easily digest such as protein like dates and fruits. It’s critical that you hydrate smartly. You can’t go wrong with fruit juices; they are tasty and most importantly easy to prepare. The choice of fruit is yours to make and it is a great drink that can help you beat the heat when exercising at your chosen time during Ramadan.

So, will you be joining WLV Gym this Ramadan? I hope to see you there.