One of the challenges your employees will face during Ramadan is how to stay hydrated while fasting. Dehydration causes fatigue, headaches, reduced cognitive ability, and sometimes worse symptoms like dizziness and nausea. None of these are ideal symptoms when trying to do your job.
But fasting doesn’t have to come with dehydration. In fact, hydration isn’t about drinking when you’re thirsty. If you’ve waited until you’re thirsty to drink, you’ve waited too long.
Encourage Drinking Home at Water
This part goes without saying. Between sunset and sunrise, it’s important to drink plenty of water. Encourage your employees to hydrate well in between fasting times.
- Create auto-text reminders to drink water.
- Send a morning message before sunrise encouraging them to hydrate.
Encourage Hydrating Foods
During Suhoor or Iftar, it’s important to consume foods that are high in water. Throughout the month of Ramadan, educate and remind your employees about the best foods to eat that are high in water. Foods like:
- Melons such as watermelon and cantaloupe
- Strawberries, citrus fruits and tomatoes
- Greens like cabbage, lettuce and celery
- Broths and soups
- Yogurt and cottage cheese
These foods not only contain high amounts of water, they’re also highly nutritious.
Avoid Salty or Sugary Foods
During Ramadan, don’t break your fast with sugary foods like sweet juices or highly salty foods. This can be difficult if you are dehydrated, because dehydration can increase sugar cravings. If you stay properly hydrated, you won’t have these cravings. It will make it easier to continue healthy practices.
Remind your employees on the types of foods to avoid during Ramadan in order to promote health and wellness during fasting.
Break your Fast with Dates
Not only is a glass of water and dates a traditional way to break your daily fast. It’s also rooted in scientific validity. Dates contain high amounts of glucose. They encourage your cells to store fluid and fuel for energy.
As a company, you can provide care packages for your employees containing bottled water and dates to encourage healthy practices for breaking their fasts.
The bottom line is, fasting can be practiced safely and healthily in a way. Fasting doesn’t need to rob your employees of their energy and strength. If you notice team members flagging during Ramadan, consider reaching out to them. Are they staying hydrated?
Could your company benefit from a holistic and sustainable well-being programme? Yes, but you don’t have the resources to organise and maintain it? Contact us. We work with small to mid-sized companies to fill in the gaps in your forward-looking programmes while staying within your organisation’s budget.