Ramadan Fasting: Improve your Energy, Mood and Wellbeing
Healthy Plate, Healthy Mind isn’t about dieting. It’s about feeling better.
In this timely episode of ConnectForHealth, a Cigna Healthcare Middle East & Africa initiative in partnership with mentl, host Scott Armstrong (Founder of mentl) and co-host Maissa Al Khafajy (Head of Government Affairs & Strategic Communications, Cigna Healthcare) sit down with Dr Shefali Verma to explore how the food you eat, and when you eat it, can shape your mood, focus, energy, and mental clarity, especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
From brain fog and headaches to sleep disruption and cravings, the conversation focuses on the changes that make fasting feel steadier, and the habits that can carry beyond Ramadan.
Listen now to the podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2WLy…
💬 Topics include:
The mindset shift that makes Ramadan feel less like deprivation and more like a sustainable lifestyle change
Meal timing, digestion, and why eating close to bedtime can sabotage sleep quality
Hydration and electrolytes: why water alone is not always enough
Breaking the fast: dates, sugar, and small choices that make a big difference
When to train while fasting, and how to choose what fits your routine
Constipation during Ramadan, and why it can affect mood, irritability, and anxiety
🎧 Whether you’re fasting for the month, supporting someone who is, or simply curious about the link between nutrition and mental wellbeing, this episode is designed to leave you with clarity you can use immediately.
📌 ConnectForHealth is a podcast and live webinar series from Cigna Healthcare Middle East & Africa in partnership with mentl, helping you thrive through every stage of life.
Chapter List:
03:35 Ramadan eating window, digestion and sleep basics
05:07 Mindset going into Ramadan (lifestyle vs “diet” thinking)
13:50 Meal timing before bed and improving sleep quality
16:22 Audience questions begin (live Q&A thread kicks off)
22:53 Electrolytes, hydration, headaches and mental clarity
26:56 Breaking the fast: dates, sugar, and practical choices
28:31 When to train during Ramadan (before or after iftar)
33:07 Constipation in Ramadan, mood, and what to do
58:15 Closing and wrap
