MedAire blog

Ramadan is approaching, and that means more than one billion people will likely be observing the Islamic holy month and the practice of fasting from dawn until sunset. At sunset, family and friends will gather to break the fast with Iftar – a time of fellowship and celebration and food.   

The medical and travel security teams at MedAire and International SOS provide the following advice for a healthy Ramadan: 

1. Eat moderately at Iftar, and make sure to have a healthy meal at dawn before you start your fasting.
2. Get eight hours of sleep during the 24-hour period.
3. Wait two to three hours after Iftar before exercising and focus on lighter activities like brisk walking.
4. Consult your doctor on how to manage medications and chronic illnesses such as diabetes before Ramadan.
5. Try to conduct more difficult work tasks earlier in the day and drive safely. 

Focus on road safety awareness is also important at this time, particularly in the hours before sunset when concentration can be decreased due to the long fasting day. 

During Ramadan, traffic accidents tend to peak as sunset nears and people rush to Iftar. 

Road safety is one of the top hazards for business travellers and each year approximately 1.35  million people die in road accidents around the world and between 20 and 50 million people sustain non-fatal injuries. 

For more travel and health safety tips, members are encouraged to log into the MedAire Client Portal.