Effects of fasting during Ramadan month on depression, anxiety and stress and cognition

  • Dr Arati Amin Department of Physiology, PK Das Institute of Medical Sciences, Ottapalam, Kerala, India
  • Dr Kumar Sai Sailesh Department of physiology, Little Flower Institute of Medical sciences and Research, Angamaly, India
  • Dr Soumya Mishra Department of Physiology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India
  • Dr Udaya Kumar Reddy International Stress Management Association, India. (ISMA), India
  • Dr N. Sriram Holy Mary College of Pharmacy, Bogaram, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
  • Dr Mukkadan J K Professor & Research Director, Little Flower Medical Research Centre, Angamaly, Kerala, India
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17511/ijmrr.2016.i05.18
Keywords: Ramadan, Fasting, Cognition, Depression

Abstract

Objective: The present study was aimed to observe the effect of fasting during the Ramadan month on depression, anxiety and stress scores.

Materials and Methods: Twenty healthy male Muslim students of Little Flower Institute of Medical sciences and Research, with previous fasting experience during Ramadan were selected for the present study by convenience sampling method. Depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS 42) was used to assess depression, anxiety and stress. MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination) was used to assess cognition.

Results: Depression, anxiety scores significantly decreased on 14th and 28th day when compared with baseline values. Stress scores were decreased significantly on 28th day. Cognition levels were significantly improved followed by fasting in 14th day and 28th day.

Conclusion: In the present study, we have observed positive impact of fasting on depression, anxiety and stress scores and cognitive functions. We recommend further detailed studies including male and female participants and biochemical parameters to investigate other aspects of Ramadan fasting on human stress and cognition.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Roky R, Chapotot F, Benchekroun M, et al. Daytime sleepiness during Ramadan intermittent fasting: polysomnographic and quantitative waking EEG study. J Sleep Res. 2003;12(2): 95–101. doi/10.1046/j.1365-2869.2003.00341.x/pdf.

2. Waterhouse J, Alabed H, Edwards B, et al. Changes in sleep, mood and subjective and objective responses to physical performance during the daytime in Ramadan. Biol Rhythm Res. 2009; 40(5): 367–83.

3. Ho-Heng Tian, MSpMed,, Abdul-Rashid Aziz, BPE, Weileen Png, MHuman Nutr, Mohamed Faizul Wahid, BPE,Donald Yeo, DPsych, and Ai-Li Constance Png, MClinPsych. Effects of Fasting During Ramadan Month on Cognitive Function in Muslim Athletes. Asian J Sports Med. 2011 Sep; 2(3): 145–153.

4. Sara Shahbazi , Mohammad Heidari , Ahmad Bahrami. Effect of fasting on levels of subjective stress among nurses working in emergency departments of hospitals in chahar mahal and bakhtiari. Int. J. Rev. Life. Sci., 4(1), 2014, 22-28.

5. Ali Noruzi Koushali, Zahra Hajiamini, Abbas Ebadi, Nushin Bayat, and Feryal Khamseh. Effect of Ramadan fasting on emotional reactions in nurses. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2013; 18(3): 232–236.

6. Sadeghi M, Mazahery MA. Effect of fasting on mental health. J Psychol. 2005; 9:292–309.

7. Alves RN, Alves HN, Barboza RD, Souto WM. The influence of religiosity on health. Cien Saude Colet. 2010;15(4):2105–11.

8. Goudarzi S, Sultani Zarandi A. Mental health and fasting in Ramadan. Iran J Psychaitry Clin Psychol.2002; 8:26–32.

9. Azizi F. Research in Islamic fasting and health. Ann Saudi Med. 2002; 22 (3-4): 186–91.

10. Kadri N, Tilane A, El Batal M, Taltit Y, Tahiri SM, Moussaoui D. Irritability during the month of Ramadan. Psychosom Med. 2000; 62(2): 280–5.

11. Lovibond SH, Lovibond PF. Manual for the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, (2nd. Ed.) (Psychology Foundation, Sydney) 1995.

12. Folstein, M., Folstein, S.E., McHugh, P.R. “Mini-Mental State” a Practical Method for Grading the Cognitive State of Patients for the Clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 1975;12(3); 189-198.

13. Ali Noruzi Koushali, Zahra Hajiamini, Abbas Ebadi, Nushin Bayat, and Feryal Khamseh. Effect of Ramadan fasting on emotional reactions in nurses. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2013:18(3): 232–236.

14. Seyed Ali Mousavi, Mansour Rezaei, Sahar Amiri Baghni, Maryam Seifi. Effect of Fasting on Mental Health in the General Population of Kermanshah, Iran. J Fasting Health. 2014; 2(2):65-70.

15. Hakkou F, Wast D, Jaouen C. Does Ramadan impair vigilance and memory. Psychopharmacology.1988; 96(2): 213.

16. Hakkou F, Iraki L, Tazi A. Ramadan, chronobiology and health. Chronobiol Int. 1994;11(5): 340–2. DOI:10.3109/07420529409057250.

17. Hessel Oosterbeek, Bas van der Klaauw. Ramadan, fasting and educational outcomes. Economics of Education Review. 2013; 34: 219–226.

18. Wardah Mohd Yasin, Muhammad Muzaffar Ali Khan Khattak, Nik Mazlan Mamat, Wan Azdie Mohd Abu Bakar, "Does religious fasting affect cognitive performance?", Nutrition & Food Science. 2013; 43 (5): 483 – 489.

19. Farooq A, Herrera CP, Almudahka F, Mansour R. A Prospective Study of the Physiological and Neurobehavioral Effects of Ramadan Fasting in Preteen and Teenage Boys. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2015 ;115(6):889-97.

20. Fallah Soltanabad, Javad. The effect of fasting and fluid restriction on performance. PhD Theses (Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences). 2009. Available at https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/dspace-jspui/handle/2134/6020. Accessed on 13/7/2015 at 10:47 am.
CITATION
DOI: 10.17511/ijmrr.2016.i05.18
Published: 2016-05-31
How to Cite
1.
Amin A, Kumar Sai S, Mishra S, Kumar Reddy U, N. S, Mukkadan JK. Effects of fasting during Ramadan month on depression, anxiety and stress and cognition. Int J Med Res Rev [Internet]. 2016May31 [cited 2024Nov.23];4(5):771-4. Available from: https://ijmrr.medresearch.in/index.php/ijmrr/article/view/555
Issue
Vol 4 No 5 (2016): MAY
Section
Original Article