How can Ramadan impact working life?

Written by Michele Tuttle, 19/02/2025

During the month of Ramadan, many of our Primary Care colleagues will observe fasting and spiritual reflection.

We spoke with one of our colleagues for an insight into how Ramadan can impact working life, and what we can all do to recognise how it may affect co-workers, learners and patients.

You mentioned that you fast for 30 days. How does it impact your working life?

I find it difficult in the first week because it's hard for the body to adjust in terms of not having water during the day. It makes me tired, makes it harder to think and to use your brain. Essentially, you've got no energy. But it's just amazing how the body can adapt and get into a routine after a week. Even looking outside of Ramadan, fasting has been linked to a lot of health benefits in the way of detoxing the body.

What does a day during Ramadan look like?

Because we fast from sunrise to sunset, we would wake up about an hour before sunrise and have a meal before we start our fast. This is followed by an early morning prayer as well. And then we would abstain from food and water until sunset.

The Salah pillar means we have our four or five daily prayers, and during Ramadan, these prayers are worth more in terms of reward. When I talk about reward, I mean it in an Islamic sense. If you follow the five pillars of Islam and you do what is required as a Muslim, then you'll get rewards from God. When we die and the Day of Judgment comes, the rewards we have banked during our time alive help determine where we end up.

Every prayer is worth more than it would be in other times of the year. So, we really try to focus more on making sure we're praying on time, reading the Quran (our holy book) and really trying to get close to God.

How can colleagues celebrate with you during the month? How can they be respectful during this month?

Our sleep pattern will be different because we'll be waking up before sunrise to eat and drink our only meal of the day, and we’ll have less energy. So, colleagues can help by being wary that your colleagues are fasting and they might be tired. We might not have the required energy that we normally would. And we may want to alter their working patterns to facilitate prayers. Altering working patterns for the month, such as starting later and finishing later, could be useful.

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