Systematic review reveals mental health benefits of Ramadan fasting with mixed effects on sleep quality and cognitive functioning

Ramadan fasting has been studied for its potential health benefits, including mental health. The present systematic review examined empirical evidence on the effects of Ramadan fasting on mental health and, to a limited extent, cognitive functioning. A search was carried out in PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science between 3 January 2024 and 18 February 2024. The initial search yielded 288 articles. After removing 74 duplicates, 214 records were selected for initial screening after exclusion, and 141 articles met the criteria for full-text review. Ultimately, 20 studies were included in the final analysis. These studies were critically evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist. The result indicated that Ramadan fasting positively affected mental health outcomes: 72.7%, 66.6%, and 85.7% of the studies reported reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively, and 71.4% improved psychological well-being. Cognitive functions improved in 50% of the studies. More than half of the studies reported a worsening (57.1%) of sleep quality during Ramadan. The risk of bias assessments indicated high methodological quality in most studies; Some minor limitations were identified, including occasional inadequate handling of confounding and issues with participant representativeness. These findings suggest that Ramadan fasting may offer mental health benefits and could serve as a culturally relevant non-pharmacological strategy to support psychological well-being in Muslim communities, with potential implications for public health policy and clinical practice.