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On the first day of Ramadan, February 18, Dubai resident Shakeel Syed reached for his water bottle while working at his desk around 11.30am. He stopped midway. "It was pure habit. For a second, I completely forgot I was fasting,” said Syed.

Across offices, homes and gyms in the UAE, many residents admitted experiencing similar moments on the first day of fasting, and they often jokingly refer to it as 'Ramadan brain.'

Ramadan Prayer Timings

Sana Rafiq, a resident of Sharjah, walked into her office cafeteria at lunchtime before realising it was closed for Ramadan. “I even thought of what I wanted to eat before remembering it’s Ramadan. I laughed and walked back.”

The change in work routine also sank in late for some. “I kept working till 4pm like usual office hours before someone told me Ramadan office hours had started,” said Fahad Ali, an engineer based in Abu Dhabi. “I could have left earlier.”

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Some also scheduled lunch meetings by accident or misjudged travel time before iftar. “I left office at my usual time, thinking I would reach home easily,” said Aisha. “But Ramadan traffic before sunset is very different. I was stuck for almost an hour on the first day.”

Experts said the phenomenon many people casually call ‘Ramadan brain’ has a psychological explanation. “There can be a noticeable decrease in processing speed, memory and verbal learning during the initial phase of fasting,” said Dr Bino Mary Chacko, specialist psychiatrist at Medeor Hospital Abu Dhabi.

Dr Bino Mary Chacko, specialist psychiatrist.

She explained that since the brain relies heavily on glucose for energy, a temporary drop in blood sugar during fasting can impair focus, memory and problem-solving ability, especially in the first 24 to 48 hours.

Dr Chacko added that many routine actions happen automatically because the brain conserves energy. “When an action is repeated consistently in the same context, control of that behaviour shifts from conscious decision-making to the brain’s habit-forming centre,” she said.

“This is why routine behaviours such as reaching for water or walking to the cafeteria may occur instinctively, even when a person is fasting.”

For some, the slip-ups were linked to long-standing habits. “I almost ordered my regular cappuccino in the morning,” said Bilal Ahmed. “I realised just before confirming the order.”

At a gym in Mega Mall Sharjah, fitness trainer Omar said he reminded fasting members not to hydrate during workouts. “Out of habit, I told one of my clients to drink water after a set,” he said. “We both laughed.”

Doctors said that the physical changes in the body also play a role during the first days of fasting. “On the first day of Ramadan, the body suddenly shifts from a routine pattern of food, fluid, caffeine and sleep intake to prolonged abstinence,” said Dr Amna Kiran Sarwar, specialist endocrinologist at International Modern Hospital.

Dr Amna Kiran Sarwar, specialist endocrinologist

“This sudden metabolic change can lead to mild dehydration, fluctuations in blood sugar levels and temporary drops in blood pressure, which often result in headaches, lethargy and reduced concentration.”

According to Dr Sarwar, caffeine withdrawal is one of the leading causes of first-day fatigue and headaches among regular coffee or tea drinkers.

Sudden changes in sleep patterns can also affect memory and attention span. “Sleep deprivation makes it difficult for the brain to process new information and maintain focus, which may lead to lapses in attention and slower reaction times,” said Dr Chacko.

Most healthy adults begin to adapt to fasting within three to five days, doctors say, although full adjustment to new sleep and meal patterns may take longer depending on individual lifestyle and dietary habits.

By the end of the first week, many residents said that their bodies had settled into the new routine. But for now, these harmless first-day slip-ups remain a shared experience across workplaces and homes, a reminder that Ramadan is as much a mental as a physical adjustment.

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