Not Just Physical, Mental Preparedness Is The Key To Healthy Fasting During Ramadan

Illustration of Ramadan fasting. (Freepik)

JAKARTA - Ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, preparation for worship is not only related to physical and dietary patterns, but also mental readiness. Mental readiness is considered the main foundation for fasting to be carried out calmly, healthily, and worth worship, without causing stress or health disorders.

General practitioner from the University of Indonesia, dr. Irwan Heriyanto, emphasized that mental readiness is the first aspect that needs to be considered before entering the fasting month.

"Because in fact the first thing we have to prepare is the mental first, sometimes we are not ready for the mental fasting, starting to be a lot of it, we actually have to prepare this and that, the mental is not ready. If the mental is not ready, then there will be panic, which is not worship but stress," said Irwan in a health discussion event with Halodoc in Jakarta, Wednesday.

The member of the Board of Medical Excellence of Halodoc explained that mental readiness will greatly influence the phases experienced during Ramadan, especially those related to health conditions during fasting.

Apart from the mental aspect, Irwan said there were several other things that also needed to be prepared so that fasting went smoothly. Among them is the fulfillment of vitamin intake that supports the body's resistance and attention to the history of diseases that often appear or are being suffered.

He explained that in the first week of Ramadan, the body is generally still in the adaptation phase to changes in eating patterns and rest times. During this period, it is important to pay attention to the symptoms of health that appear and immediately consult a medical professional if necessary. This condition is often triggered by an irregular diet or insufficient sleep time.

"Because we are talking about Ramadan, it must also be related to the future times in Idul Fitri, we know that the food menu in Idul Fitri is coconut milk, sambal-sambal, it can also affect our health, it must also be prepared," said Irwan.

He added that mental readiness also needs to be maintained until after Eid al-Fitr. According to him, the Eid moment is often followed by an increase in body weight and the risk of increased cholesterol levels due to an uncontrolled eating pattern.

If these things are not prepared well, Irwan reminded that fasting can feel heavy and has the potential to reduce the sincerity and value of the worship itself.

Therefore, he advised the public to be wise in managing mental and health readiness during Ramadan, including maintaining sleep patterns, paying attention to nutrient intake, and choosing food carefully so that fasting is safe, smooth, and optimal.