Islamabad:A number of people while fasting may experience headaches, drowsiness and lethargy during the fast and after ‘Iftar’ that according to health experts is mainly because they do not understand the phenomenon.
Experts say that by simple modifications in dietary habits and routine during the holy month of Ramazan, the problems can be avoided or controlled. Many people during the fast suffer from mild to moderate and in some cases severe headaches as a result of hypoglycaemia (lowering of blood sugar), change in sleep patterns, stress of fasting or reduction in blood supply to the brain.
Studies reveal that fasting may serve as a precipitating factor for headache and the onset of headache often occurs in the afternoon or evening before ‘Iftar’. It is observed that chronic patients of headache are more prone to have severe headaches during fasting, however some patients who experience headaches during fasting do not have any history of headaches or migraines.
Experts say that one can manage headaches during fasting with the help of proper diet at the time of ‘Sehr’, ‘Iftar’ and after ‘Iftar’. During long hours of fasting, protein breakdown starts and ammonia and other nitrogenous chemicals are released that enter the brain and cause headache, drowsiness and lethargy in many cases.
Another reason, according to health experts, is that when empty stomach is filled rapidly at the time of ‘Iftar’, 60 to 70 per cent of the blood supply is directed towards gastrointestinal system for digestion of the food consumed causing reduction in blood supply to the brain that may result in persistent headache.
Experts say that to manage headaches after ‘Iftar’, people should not eat too much at the time of ‘Iftar’ and avoid stomach distention. Healthy people particularly those who experience headache while fasting should take plenty of fluids between ‘Iftar’ and ‘Sehr’. They should take a diet with high fat so that massive protein breakdown can be prevented after long hours of fasting.
Experts say that people while fasting should try to take two-hour bed rest daily in the afternoon. Studies reveal that hypoglycaemia can also trigger headaches in many people. If a meal with high sugar content is taken at the time of ‘Sehr’, it causes a rapid rise in blood sugar levels followed by a fast drop that may trigger a headache. Eating a meal with low sugar content at the time of ‘Sehr’ may prevent the onset of headache during the day.
Dehydration is another common trigger and adequate intake of fluid between ‘Iftar’ and ‘Sehr’ and at the time of ‘Sehr’ can prevent headaches. Studies reveal that the human brain is more than 75 per cent water, and it is very sensitive to the amount of water available to it. When the brain detects that the water supply is too low, it begins to produce histamines. This is essentially a process of water rationing and conservation, in order to safeguard the brain in case the water shortage continues for a longer period of time. The histamines directly cause pain and fatigue, in other words a headache and the low energy that usually accompanies it.
Experts say that people suffering from headache during fasting should also avoid exposure to other triggers such as fluid retention, stress, fatigue and lack of sleep during Ramazan. Strenuous exercise is not recommended in Ramazan. The best exercise is brisk walking for 30 minutes on alternate days in Ramazan.
It is observed that headache among healthy persons is generally reported from 30 minutes to two hours after ‘Iftar’ that according to some experts is because of dilutional hyponatremia, a metabolic condition in which there is not enough sodium (salt) in the body fluids outside the cells. Low sodium levels occur when a large amount of free water is taken in a short time that dilutes sodium content causing typical circumferential headaches, dizziness and lethargy. To avoid the condition, healthy individuals should take relatively a greater quantity of sodium (salty) drinks like lassi, fresh lemonade etc and yoghurt at the time of ‘Iftar’.