Qasrawi Shaden O, Pandi-Perumal Seithikurippu R, BaHammam Ahmed S
University Sleep Disorders Center, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Box 225503, Riyadh, 11324, Saudi Arabia.
Strategic Technologies Program of the National Plan for Sciences and Technology and Innovation, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Sleep Breath. 2017 Sep;21(3):577-586. doi: 10.1007/s11325-017-1473-x. Epub 2017 Feb 11.
Studies have shown that experimental fasting can affect cognitive function, sleep, and wakefulness patterns. However, the effects of experimental fasting cannot be generalized to fasting during Ramadan due to its unique characteristics. Therefore, there has been increased interest in studying the effects of fasting during Ramadan on sleep patterns, daytime sleepiness, cognitive function, sleep architecture, and circadian rhythm.
In this review, we critically discuss the current research findings in those areas during the month of Ramadan.
Available data that controlled for sleep/wake schedule, sleep duration, light exposure, and energy expenditure do not support the notion that Ramadan intermittent fasting increases daytime sleepiness and alters cognitive function. Additionally, recent well-designed studies showed no effect of fasting on circadian rhythms. However, in non-constrained environments that do not control for lifestyle changes, studies have demonstrated sudden and significant delays in bedtime and wake time.
Studies that controlled for environmental factors and sleep/wake schedule reported no significant disturbances in sleep architecture. Nevertheless, several studies have consistently reported that the main change in sleep architecture during fasting is a reduction in the proportion of REM sleep.
研究表明，实验性禁食会影响认知功能、睡眠和清醒模式。然而，由于斋月禁食具有独特的特点，实验性禁食的影响不能推广到斋月期间的禁食情况。因此，人们对研究斋月禁食对睡眠模式、日间嗜睡、认知功能、睡眠结构和昼夜节律的影响越来越感兴趣。
在这篇综述中，我们批判性地讨论了斋月期间这些领域的当前研究结果。
控制了睡眠/清醒时间表、睡眠时间、光照暴露和能量消耗的现有数据不支持斋月间歇性禁食会增加日间嗜睡并改变认知功能这一观点。此外，最近设计良好的研究表明禁食对昼夜节律没有影响。然而，在不控制生活方式变化的非受限环境中，研究表明就寝时间和起床时间会突然出现显著延迟。
控制了环境因素和睡眠/清醒时间表的研究报告称睡眠结构没有明显紊乱。尽管如此，几项研究一致报告称，禁食期间睡眠结构的主要变化是快速眼动睡眠比例的降低。
