Ramadan 2025: Best low-intensity workouts to stay fit, energised and focused while fasting
Ramadan encourages spiritual growth and self-discipline but maintaining physical activity while fasting can present difficulties. Experiencing low energy along with dehydration and irregular sleep patterns will make you feel exhausted. The good news? It is not necessary to eliminate physical activity completely during this period. The proper types of movement can enhance your well-being while also increasing your energy levels and concentration during the month.
How to stay active without overexerting yourself
You can remain active throughout your fasting period without having to sit still all day. The essential approach is to perform movements that are gentle and to prevent yourself from pushing too hard.
Personal Trainer Derryn Brown from The Hundred Wellness Centre advises against running and all cardio activities to allow your body to recover gently. Moving during fasting remains important despite the need to avoid intense exercise. Walking for short periods during breaks helps you maintain your energy. Remember to move throughout the day but avoid reaching complete exhaustion.
Which physical activities should you focus on while fasting?
Best workouts for fasting individuals
During Ramadan workouts should prioritize building strength rather than causing excessive sweating. Brown explains that although physical activity is important high-intensity cardio training raises heart rate and thirst levels which complicates rehydration efforts. Instead, opt for gentle strength-based exercises.
So, when should you work out? Brown suggests, “It depends on the individual. My preferred exercise routine occurs right before breaking my fast which allows for a 20-30 minute workout followed by immediate refueling after the fast ends.
He advises those who choose to work out after Iftar to wait between 2 to 2.5 hours after eating to ensure proper digestion.
Smart workout timing
You maintain energy levels throughout fasting hours by selecting exercise times that align with your body's natural rhythms. Nutritionist and fitness trainer Sharifa Khan from Dubai provides guidance on optimal exercise times during Ramadan.
Before Suhoor: Performing a light workout before your pre-dawn meal activates your metabolism gently while preserving your energy for the day.
After Iftar: Working out one to two hours after breaking your fast helps restore your energy levels and keeps you hydrated during exercise.
Before Iftar: You can burn fat efficiently before your evening meal through a brief low-intensity workout that won't leave you feeling depleted.
Low-intensity workouts to keep you moving
Because energy levels change during the day Khan suggests gentle exercises to maintain strength without causing burnout.
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Walking: Engaging in a 20-30 minute walk through shaded locations or indoors enables movement without putting excessive stress on your body.
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Yoga and stretching: These activities boost flexibility together with relaxation and blood flow while simultaneously maintaining low stress levels.
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Bodyweight exercises: Performing light squats and lunges combined with push-ups enables you to sustain muscle tone while preserving your energy levels.
Hydration and smart nutrition choices
A lack of proper hydration causes fatigue and headaches as well as broken concentration levels. Between Iftar and Suhoor individuals should consume at least 8 cups of water according to health experts. Consuming foods with high water content like cucumbers, watermelon, oranges and yogurt helps maintain hydration levels.
Maintaining energy levels requires avoiding excessive caffeine and sugary drinks because they can cause dehydration and energy crashes. Khan explains that consuming too much water before going to bed can result in multiple bathroom visits which disrupt your sleep. Maintain balanced hydration by drinking water throughout both Iftar and Suhoor periods.
Prioritising sleep and recovery
The combination of late-night prayers and early Suhoor meals can negatively affect sleep patterns during Ramadan. Quality sleep functions as a critical element to sustain both energy levels and mental focus.
Khan suggests:
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Power naps: Taking an afternoon nap for 20-30 minutes helps increase your alertness.
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Sleep in cycles: To maintain sufficient rest during Ramadan try to achieve 6 hours of sleep through two separate periods for instance 4 hours at night followed by 2 hours in the afternoon. You will achieve complete sleep cycles featuring deep sleep which helps in recovery when you sleep for a total of 6 hours split into segments.
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Limit screen time: Improving sleep quality requires minimizing blue light exposure before going to bed.
Don’t time your workouts close to bed-time: Exercising during Ramadan offers benefits but avoid high-intensity workouts near bedtime because they boost adrenaline levels which can disrupt your sleep. Opt for light stretching or yoga instead.
What to eat for sustained energy
Your energy levels throughout the day are directly influenced by your Suhoor and Iftar food choices. Khan breaks it down:
Suhoor: Opt for slow-digesting foods such as oats, whole grains and protein-rich meals to maintain fullness throughout the day.
Iftar: Start your Iftar with dates and water before consuming a balanced meal that includes lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and beneficial fats. Steer clear of fatty foods because they slow you down and complicate digestion.
Keeping your mind engaged
Physical activity serves both physical movement functions and mental clarity maintenance. Devika Mankani of The Hundred Wellness Centre provides strategies for maintaining focus and resilience throughout Ramadan.
She describes box breathing which involves inhaling for four seconds and holding the breath for four seconds followed by exhaling for four seconds and holding again for four seconds to increase oxygen flow to the brain and improve concentration.
Other mental engagement techniques include: Progressive muscle relaxation: By reducing tension through progressive muscle relaxation physical fatigue will not lead to mental burnout.
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