Staying Active in Heat and During Ramadan

In a Gulf summer, midday exercise outdoors can be dangerous, and during Ramadan your eating, drinking and sleep patterns change. You can stay active through both by changing when, where and how hard you train. This lesson gives general guidance only; it is not a religious ruling, and questions about fasting itself belong with a qualified scholar or faith leader.

Exercising in heat

• Schedule workouts earlier or later in the day when it is cooler, and limit outdoor activity at midday when the sun is hottest (CDC).
• Start slowly and pick up the pace gradually (CDC).
• Drink more water than usual and do not wait until you are thirsty (CDC).
• Wear loose, lightweight, light-coloured clothing and reapply sunscreen as directed (CDC).
• The NHS advises avoiding extreme exercise in hot weather, so on the hottest days move indoors: a gym, an indoor pool, a mall walk or a room workout.
• Train with someone and keep an eye on each other, as the CDC suggests for teammates.

Spotting heat illness

• The CDC says muscle cramps may be an early sign of heat-related illness; if you feel faint or weak, stop and get to a cool place.
• NHS signs of heat exhaustion include tiredness, dizziness, headache, nausea, heavy sweating with pale clammy skin, cramps, a high temperature and strong thirst.
• Move to a cool place, remove extra clothing, drink water or a sports or rehydration drink, and cool the skin; the person should feel better within 30 minutes (NHS).
• Heatstroke is an emergency: hot skin that is not sweating, a fast heartbeat, confusion, a seizure or loss of consciousness, or still feeling unwell after 30 minutes of cooling and fluids (NHS). Call 998 for an ambulance in the UAE (u.ae) or 999 in the UK (NHS).
• See the First Aid module's heat illness lesson for full steps.

Ramadan: choosing when to train

• The Aspetar clinical guidelines (2023), written for healthy people, suggest light to moderate sessions 1 to 2 hours before iftar, so you can eat and drink soon afterwards.
• They suggest harder or longer sessions about 3 hours after iftar, once you have eaten and drunk, while warning that frequent late sessions can disturb sleep.
• They do not recommend training in the morning, 2 to 3 hours after suhoor, since you then face the whole fast without a chance to refuel.
• Cornell Health advises against strenuous exercise during the day, because you can quickly become dehydrated, but encourages you not to be completely sedentary.
• A Cleveland Clinic athletic trainer quoted by Gulf News suggests exercising before sunrise or close to sunset, leaving time to eat and drink afterwards.

Ramadan: intensity, fluids and sleep

• Aspetar suggests starting with light to moderate training in the first week and building up gradually.
• Train indoors or in the shade during hot daytime conditions (Aspetar).
• Drink regularly between iftar and suhoor rather than all at once; Cornell Health warns that drinking a very large amount in one go can be harmful.
• Limit coffee and tea: Aspetar says they make you pass more fluid, and Cornell Health suggests choosing drinks without caffeine.
• Ramadan often cuts sleep, so protect it: Aspetar suggests short naps of about 30 to 40 minutes can help.
• If you feel unwell during a fast, stop exercising and rest; if you have a health condition or take regular medicine, Cornell Health advises speaking to your doctor and your religious leader before fasting.

Ramadan at university abroad

• Fasting hours depend on where you are and the time of year, so check local prayer and sunrise times when planning sessions.
• Tell your club captain or training partner early; a short explanation is usually enough.
• Swap competitive or very hard sessions for skill work, walking, mobility or light strength work during the day.
• See the faith module's Ramadan lesson for fasting with exams and finding iftar communities.