All Muslims around the world are currently observing the fast of Ramadan. Not infrequently, diseases appear when fasting. In addition to the common digestive problems, headaches during fasting is also a complaint that is quite common.
Headache is a condition in which the head hurts with varying degrees of severity. Headaches can be treated with pain relievers, drinking enough water, and getting plenty of rest. So what should we do if headache when fasting recurs?
Of course we must know in advance what causes recurrent headaches during fasting and how to deal with them. The cause of recurrent headaches during fasting can vary from person to person. This depends on the physical condition, and the level of pain that is felt.
Causes of Headaches during Fasting
Headaches during fasting will certainly not occur if there is no cause. You are certainly curious about what causes headaches to recur during fasting? let’s see the following points.
Lack of Fluid Intake or Dehydration
If the body lacks fluid intake at dawn or breaking the fast, it will certainly lead to dehydration. Dehydration will cause the brain volume to shrink and not get enough oxygen. As a result, the lining of the brain will send pain signals to all parts of the brain.
Common symptoms of dehydration apart from headaches include: body weakness, muscle cramps, difficulty concentrating, dark urine, dry and flaky skin and so on. It would be better if you consume fluids at least 8 glasses or 2 liters per day. Namely by drinking 4 glasses of water when breaking the fast, 2 glasses at bedtime and 2 glasses at dawn.
Hypoglycemia or Blood Sugar Levels Less Than Normal
Hypoglycemia can occur because blood sugar levels in the body drop dramatically. Headaches that are felt during fasting can also be caused by this condition. Basically, glucose is needed by the brain as an energy source. If you don’t eat and drink for long enough, a body that is deficient in gluose won’t be able to pump blood to the brain.
This can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, and even confusion. People who suffer from hypoglycemia if not treated immediately may lose consciousness or faint. If you feel these symptoms you should immediately check your blood sugar level to the doctor as soon as possible.
Symptoms of Caffeine Withdrawal
If you are a coffee sufferer, headaches during fasting will be prone to occur. Symptoms of caffeine withdrawal include headache, weakness, nausea, anxiety and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms can last a full day and even up to two months. It depends on the level of caffeine consumption.
During fasting, of course you cannot drink as much coffee as usual or even cannot drink coffee at all. And if you are a coffee addict, you will be very at risk of experiencing caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms that may occur are weakness, nausea, anxiety and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms can last for a whole day or even months. Depending on the level of caffeine consumed.
Changed Sleep Patterns
In the month of Ramadan, maybe all Muslims who practice it will experience changing sleep patterns. This is because you have to get up early to carry out the meal. As a result of that, there may be changes in sleep patterns to be less or the biological clock changes.
Lack of sleep can put you at risk for headaches. The reason is, when you are lacking sleep, it will increase the production of certain types of protein in the brain. These proteins can trigger a reaction in the nerves that will cause headaches. You should not sleep too late at night and try to sleep 1-2 hours during the day.
Gastric Acid Sufferers
In patients with chronic gastritis, of course, they will experience headaches. The pain is sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting. For ulcer sufferers, you should maintain a regular diet with regular sahur, not delaying breaking the fast. As well as consuming foods that are good for ulcer sufferers.
Such as foods that contain high fiber. However, the type of food that contains gas is not recommended for ulcer sufferers. And you should avoid spicy foods that can erode the stomach wall.
How to deal with headaches during fasting
How to deal with headaches during fasting must be known for sufferers. Here are some points on how to deal with recurrent headaches during fasting that you can do.
Light Massage
Doing light massage on the face and head can relieve headaches during fasting. You can start with a circular motion using your fingers from the direction of the two cheekbones. Then slowly you slide your finger upwards, to the outside of the eye area. From the outside of the eye, work your way up to the middle forehead until your fingers meet.
Avoid Light Too Glare
The thing that can make the pain in the head worse is the light that is too bright. Lights such as television, laptop lights, computers and even windows that are too glare can trigger headaches. As long as you have a headache, you should first avoid lights that are too glare. You can close the blinds or you can lower the lighting settings on your computer and cell phone.
Cold compress
The next way you can do is to compress the head with ice cubes or cold water wrapped in a cloth. You can stick it on the part of the head that hurts. The cold compress that is done is able to relieve inflammation of the nerves or blood vessels in the brain. If there are no ice cubes in your place, you can compress with cold water only then you can do a light massage on the pain site.
Rest and Lie down
If you experience headaches while fasting on the sidelines of your work time, you should first stop work and lie down for a while. Heavy activities will cause headaches to become worse. If that happens, it is better if you rest and lie down. Rest and lying down can reduce the pain in the head that occurs.
Also Read: 10 Causes of Headaches When Waking Up
That’s the summa
ry that we present about the causes of headaches during fasting and how to deal with them. Most people who practice fasting certainly want their fasting to run smoothly without any complications, one of which is headaches. If the headache appears and cannot be tolerated, you should immediately break the fast and take pain medication to relieve the pain.
If the pain persists, you should see a doctor as soon as possible for medication. As well as consult the correct dosage for consumption during the month of Ramadan. In addition, you have to get used to a healthy lifestyle by consuming nutritious foods and regular light exercise.
Hope it is useful!
