Sleep Patterns, Alertness, Dietary Intake, Muscle Soreness, Fatigue, and Mental Stress Recorded before, during and after Ramadan Observance

Ramadan is one of the pillars of the Islamic creed. Its observance commonly causes chrono-biological changes. The present study examined sleep and alertness during Ramadan observance relative to data collected before and after Ramadan in a sample of young, physically active men. Information was also collected on dietary intake, muscle soreness, fatigue, and mental stress over the three periods. Fourteen physically active men (age: 21.6 ± 3.3 years, height: 1.77 ± 0.06 m, body-mass: 73.1 ± 9.0 kg) completed the Hooper questionnaire and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and responded to the digit cancellation test (DCT) fifteen days before Ramadan, during the last ten days of Ramadan and 20 days after Ramadan. The PSQI results indicated that sleep duration was significantly longer before Ramadan (p = 0.003) and after Ramadan (p = 0.04) compared to during Ramadan and was longer before Ramadan than after Ramadan (p = 0.04). In addition, the sleep efficiency was lower during Ramadan in comparison to before Ramadan (p = 0.02) and after Ramadan (p = 0.04). The daytime dysfunction score increased during Ramadan in comparison with before Ramadan (p = 0.01) and after Ramadan (p = 0.04), and the sleep quality score was higher during (p = 0.003) and after Ramadan (p = 0.04) as compared to before Ramadan. The sleep disturbance score increased during Ramadan relative to before Ramadan (p = 0.04). However, Ramadan observance had no significant effect on sleep latency. Mental alertness also decreased at the end of Ramadan compared to before (p = 0.003) or after Ramadan (p = 0.01). Dietary intake, muscle soreness, fatigue, and mental stress as estimated by the Hooper questionnaire remained unchanged over the three periods of the investigation (p > 0.05). In conclusion, Ramadan observance had an adverse effect on sleep quantity and on mental alertness, but not on sleep quality. However, dietary intake, muscle soreness, fatigue, and mental stress remained unaffected

Short-term maximal performance, alertness, dietary intake, sleep pattern and mood states of physically active young men before, during and after Ramadan observance.

PurposeTo assess changes in short-term maximal performance, alertness, dietary intake, sleep pattern and mood states of physically active young men before (BR), during and after Ramadan observance.MethodsTwelve physically-active men (age: 21.9±2.4yrs, height:1.77±0.09m, body-mass: 72.6±7.8kg, exercising: ≥3h/week) performed the 5-jump and the digit-cancellation (alertness) tests 15-days BR, on the first (FR) and last 10-days of Ramadan (ER) and 10-days (AR10) and 20-days (AR20) after Ramadan. During each period, sleep pattern (Pittsburgh-Sleep-Quality-Index (PSQI)), mood states (Profile-of-Mood-States (POMS)) and dietary intake were recorded.ResultsNo significant changes in the 5-jump, digit-cancellation test and POMS parameters appeared during and after Ramadan relative to BR. However, the PSQI total score was lower during FR compared to AR10 (pConclusionRamadan had no-adverse effects on the 5-jump performance, alertness, or mood states in physically active young men. However, the sleep duration was shorter and the sleep quality was improved following compared to during Ramadan. The fractional intake of fat also increased at the expense of carbohydrate during Ramadan, and the protein intake was lower at the beginning of Ramadan than before, at the end of and after Ramadan