From optimising your day to minor adjustments in your diet, here are our best tips for boosting serotonin this Ramadan.

Ramadan is a time of self-reflection, gratitude and devotion. We’re all in this together, fasting from dawn until dusk to bring ourselves closer to God, practise self-control and strengthen our faith.

That said, no one is perfect and not eating or drinking all day may leave you crabby (in more ways than one!). As much as we’d all like to participate in Ramadan with a smile, sometimes the hunger pangs hit a little too hard and the hanger kicks in.

Fortunately, there’s a way to mitigate the irritability and general hunger-induced meanness without you having to break your fast. Ahead, find our guide to managing hanger during Ramadan.

Keep yourself busy

You may not be eating or drinking, but spending the day letting your brain rot will only make buka seem further and further away. The key to making the day pass faster is to stay as busy as possible.

Whether you’re filling your day with your hobbies, getting sunk into work or catching up on your favourite shows, staying occupied will help distract you from the hunger.

Sort your to-do list from worst to best

PSA: Trying to work hard when you’re tired and hungry is just going to make your bad mood worse. While you can’t just avoid all responsibilities for a month, you can be strategic about your work day.

Try to get your more mentally and emotionally taxing errands and tasks over and done with first thing in the morning so that you’re not struggling to push through once your inner demon is unleashed in the afternoon.

Cut back on the sweet stuff

When it comes to keeping your mood up throughout the day, avoiding a sugar crash at all costs is key. That means replacing cake and sweets with fruit and veggies as much as you can.

On top of that, you’ll want to make sure that you’re breaking your fast with intention, loading up on healthy, nourishing meals that will keep your body full and happy all day instead of overly processed snacks that will have you peckish again in a matter of hours.

Take a nap

As any grumpy toddler would agree, sometimes all you need to kick a bad mood is a little lie-down. Admittedly, this isn’t always an option, so unless your boss is cool with you taking a mid-day siesta in the office, keep the daytime snoozing for the weekends.

Make sure you’re hitting your water targets

Staying hydrated is so important for brain function, so make sure you’re drinking at least two to three litres throughout the night. Plus, you can try our tried-and-tested tips for keeping hydration levels up when fasting with our comprehensive guide.

READ: How to stay hydrated during Ramadan

For more body and wellness reads like this, click here.