Psycho-social And Health Benefits Of Ramadan Fasting

Muslims fast each year during the holy month of Ramadan, which is one of the five pillars of the Islamic religion, and the benefits of fasting aren’t limited to physical health, but there are several benefits of Ramadan fasting on psycho-social behavior as well.

Intermittent fasting and Ramadan fasting

Fasting during Ramadan is a type of intermittent fasting, which is a dietary pattern that relies on fasting and feasting in specific periods of time, and it has many forms, such as fasting for a whole day and then feasting for a whole day or fasting for 16 hours in a day and then feasting in the last eight hours.

In Ramadan, the fasting starts from dawn until sunset, and its time varies from 12 to 16 hours depending on the geographic area and the season.

Benefits of intermittent fasting and Ramadan fasting have been widely studied, and their benefits on physical health have been proven in addition to the effects of Ramadan fasting in particular on psychological and social health.

Benefits of Ramadan fasting on physical health

Fasting in Ramadan is associated with numerous metabolic health benefits, such as:

Weight loss and obesity prevention

Fasting stimulates weight loss through different mechanisms, such as the reduction of consumed energy, getting rid of retained fluids in the body, changing the levels of certain hormones like insulin, leptin (a hormone that is responsible for regulating the energy levels in the body), and cortisol (stress hormone), and delaying the absorption of food and drinks due to feasting at nighttime, in which the gastric emptying and blood flow are lower than during the daytime. However, this doesn’t mean that all fasting people are going to lose weight because losing weight is basically linked with the amount of consumed food and calories regardless of the period of fasting and feasting. Weight loss leads to a decreased BMI and waist and hip circumferences, and that contributes to the prevention of obesity.

Reduced insulin resistance

Insulin resistance is a condition that causes the cells to not respond correctly to the insulin, and that leads to high blood sugar, which stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin. Insulin resistance is associated with high leptin levels in the blood, which is observed in people who are overweight or obese, and since fasting reduces the leptin levels, then it, in turn, reduces insulin resistance.

Reduced blood sugar and diabetes prevention

Fasting plays a significant role in reducing the risk of diabetes, and that occurs due to the reduced insulin resistance and increased cell sensitivity to it, and that increases the glucose uptake from the blood.

Cardiovascular benefits

Such as reducing high blood pressure, reducing the triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels, and increasing the HDL cholesterol levels.

Protection against neurodegeneration

This occurs by stimulating the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) through increasing the neuronal network activity and cognitive function, and fasting can also stimulate the production of new neurons from neural stem cells.

Inflammation reduction

This occurs through reducing the expression of inflammatory factors, as chronic inflammation in the body leads to numerous health issues, such as atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, and diabetes.

Cancer prevention and treatment

Fasting can protect against cancer by decreasing the levels of insulin-like growth factor, insulin, and glucose, which protects cells from damage. The advantages of fasting have also been noticed in reducing the risk of breast cancer or its recurrence. In addition to that, fasting helps in decreasing the complications associated with chemotherapy.

Promotion of health span and extension of lifespan

Fasting contributes to promoting the health span by reducing the risk of chronic health issues like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and others, in addition to reducing inflammation in the body. This, in turn, improves health and, therefore, leads to the extension of lifespan.

Benefits of Ramadan fasting on psychological health

Ramadan fasting doesn’t mean fasting only from food and drinks, but also from falsehood and wrong against others in addition to strengthening self-control and self-discipline. It also motivates us to help others and feel their suffering, which contributes to purifying one’s self and soul and developing good manners.

Benefits of Ramadan fasting on social behavior

Fasting strengthens social values and principles by motivating us to aid others, promoting equality among people, and increasing the communication between individuals.