Preventing Headaches During Ramadan

Many people will have a headache 🤕 during the first few days of Ramadan 🌙

1 of these 4 things is happening…or a mix

This is usually PREVENTABLE

Here’s what they are and how you fix it 👇 pic.twitter.com/cZUf2hRs5Q

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

If you’re having a new onset headache during Ramadan, you’re probably not putting your brain 🧠 in an optimal state.

Brain uses 20% of your energy requirements and receives a LOT of blood flow

Anything that disturbs this will affect you pic.twitter.com/2RRqiDqkMZ

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

Let’s consider these 4 things:

1. Dehydration/Low blood pressure 😵‍💫
2. Low blood sugar 🍩
3. Caffeine withdrawal ☕️
4. Insufficient sleep 😴

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

1. Lightheaded from low BP/dehydration 😵‍💫

Many people don’t optimally hydrate during Ramadan

By the end of the day, their blood pressure is RELATIVELY low

🧠 does not like this

Headache begins

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

A health blood pressure is needed to send all the blood with nutrients to the brain.

High blood pressure damages the brain on the long term (and short term if SUPER high)

Low blood pressure can make your brain function drastically decrease in the short term

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

Solution?

Optimal HYDRATION 💧

Enough water and solute at suhoor and iftar

Consider electrolyte supplementation if a real issue pic.twitter.com/7lqptai4yP

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

I have been taking electrolyte packets at suhoor

Everyone I know who is lightheaded in Ramadan and does this says it’s day and night different

Of course if you have high blood pressure, DONT DO THIS

My suhoor: pic.twitter.com/fgBUIeXFOo

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

See my full thread on hydration in Ramadan 👇 https://t.co/6ReYtNmqsK

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

2. Low Blood Sugar/HANGRY 🍩

Many people aren’t accustomed to fasting

As a result their body is surprised to not get food during the day

Blood sugar is low and the brain is not getting enough fuel ⛽️

….let the headache begin 🤕

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

We have about 100g of sugar in our liver to be released to the brain if needed

This is ~ 400 calories

You also have the food you are at suhoor

When that runs out, your brain is DESPERATE for fuel. The brain loves sugar.

Remember the brain uses about 20% of your daily energy

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

Other organs like the muscle and heart can tap directly into the fat stores for energy

The brain 🧠 is not good at doing this

Luckily the liver can convert fat into ketones, which the brain loves to use pic.twitter.com/SA2HeJO2TN

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

However if you’re used to eating 3 meals a day with snacks, you’re liver isn’t adapted to doing this

It will take a few days to adapt. This is why fasting is EASIER at end of the month

And why experienced fasters have no problem

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

People nowadays are less metabolically FLEXIBLE

This means they can’t go back and forth between burning sugar and fat and as a fuel

1000 years ago people were better at this and did not struggle like we do

Consequence of modern living pic.twitter.com/4BMx7bmFZQ

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

Solution

- fast BEFORE Ramadan to adapt
- eat a well balanced suhoor with carbs, fat, protien for long last fuel
- consider a supplement like L- carnitine that can increase fatty acid utilization (I take this at suhoor) pic.twitter.com/IlU4l2KCHS

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

3. Caffeine ☕️ withdrawal

Caffeine is the most used psychoactive drug on Earth

Often called the wine of the believers

Used by worshipers 1000 years ago to stay up all night

If you stop suddenly, you WILL have a headache, and this can last days

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

Caffeine withdrawal lasts 6-10 days and can include symptoms like headache, irritability and low mood

DO NOT RUIN YOUR RAMADAN BY BEING IRRESPONSIBLE WITH CAFFEINE ☕️

⛔️ ⛔️ ⛔️ ⛔️ ⛔️

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

You have 3 options:

1. Wean off of caffeine BEFORE Ramadan
2. Drink your usual caffeine at suhoor
3. Use extended release caffeine supplements that last all day long

(Genius caffeine and Dynamax pictured below) pic.twitter.com/ngANoCNnbq

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

For all the details on caffeine strategy, check out my full Ramadan caffeine thread 👇 https://t.co/vsIOLjFT9x

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

4. Insufficient sleep 💤

One of the first things that takes a hit in Ramadan is sleep

Not enough time at night to sleep between isha/taraweeh and suhoor/fajr

Brain 🧠 NEEDS sleep to function

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

Solution?

Polyphasic sleep

Sleep in different chunks in the 24 hour cycle

Humans have been doing this for years

Modern man doesn’t get enough sleep during the night, let alone any other time

But for its typical to sleep at night and have a nap during day pic.twitter.com/VyCAGGc9hx

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

Full sleep thread to come, but here are some sleep strategies to use (from my Ramadan Book) pic.twitter.com/PYt005C3nk

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

Most of these causes are preventable and are consequences of our poor health in the modern world

Take charge of your health and of your Ramadan!!!

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

Other things to consider:

- usual headache getting worse (tension, cluster, migraine)
- nicotine/other drug withdrawal

In those cases work with a doctor to treat the issue and optimize yourself before Ramadan

Your doctor may recommend a more aggressive treatment strategy

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

If you want more tips on Ramadan, consider downloading my Ramadan ebook

Available 0+ as I want it available for all Muslims to use and optimize themselves during this month

Link: https://t.co/YuIlsY2EV1 pic.twitter.com/dlQjsU7bGu

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023

If you want a video summary, here it is: pic.twitter.com/9mooHy6D14

— Abud Bakri MD 📟 (@AbudBakri) March 23, 2023