As a millennial Muslim, these are the preparations I've been making for Ramadan – from limiting Instagram time to reconnecting with family

For me it is the spiritual and mental preparations that are the most important

Ramadan – the month during which Muslims around the world alter their daily routines and unite in fasting from dawn till dusk – begins this week. For the next 30 days, Muslims will refrain from eating or drinking for 18 to 19 hours each day (depending on where in the world they are) and will aim to pray abundantly and give more money than usual to charity.

I have been partaking in Ramadan for almost a decade, so I’ve persevered through the many hungry hours and have become accustomed to the “Ramadan routine”. As the years go by, and the fasting day becomes longer and the weeks in the run-up to Ramadan are spent (attempting to) physically prepare for the long days and short nights ahead.

There are multiple ways in which people like me prepare. We might, for instance, cut out one meal or snack in the day, get a sufficient amount of sleep, drink more water than usual, stock up the cupboards to avoid having to walk through the Lidl bakery section, or warn work colleagues about the possibility of “hangry” (hungry + angry) episodes we could be prone to experiencing for the next month.

As the month comes by each year (always quicker than we think it will), I’ve learnt to work around and adjust my daily routine. Some years I’ll be lucky enough to get time off work, or cut down working hours during the month, but most times I will have to go about my normal routine and sit through a two-hour lunch meeting with a growling stomach. Fasting is compulsory for all Muslims – except children and the elderly, those who are ill and pregnant women, who are all excused.

This year, Ramadan brings new challenges for students. As the month will be commencing from 15 May, it coincides with the final term of the academic year, when many will be sitting exams while having to fast for 19 hours. The struggle is definitely real, and naturally, in a state of hunger we are all vulnerable and sometimes unexplainably emotional.

Nevertheless, I’ve found that during Ramadan I’m blessed with a profound power and patience. The true test of this month is perseverance. So, as well as being patient during a commute on Northern Rail without my morning caffeine fix, I’ve learnt the importance of bearing with and being patient towards the struggles of others.

Personally, I find the true definition and practice of fasting extends beyond functioning without food or drink for 19 hours. This month includes a great amount of self-restraint, and a major challenge during Ramadan is maintaining a high level of self-discipline. When fasting, we don’t consume anything except at the appropriate time; we don’t swear and we try to refrain from speaking bad words; we spend our time doing acts of goodness, being more kind and generous with others; and we try to attain a renewed closeness with God through prayer.

Amid the craziness of everyday life, Ramadan can often seem like the only month where I take time to remind myself how much I have to be grateful for. Not eating and drinking for 19 hours really does make you realise not only how lavish our daily eating habits are, but also the number of resources we are provided with to eat, cook and purchase food. So even though there is an array of food to choose from to break the fast every day, I try not to be wasteful or consume excessive amounts because I always remember there is someone out there in the world having to fast every day with the bare minimum and not out of choice.

All the physical preparations aside, for me it is the spiritual and mental preparations that are the most important. Whether that’s spending less time scrolling through my Instagram feed and not judging who wore what, avoiding meaningless conversations and gossip sessions or scrapping out all things negative, I try to make an effort to practice mental hygiene ahead of the days of Ramadan. I have been working towards focusing on the better and more positive things in life, maintaining an attitude of gratitude and routinely praying a lot more.

This time also becomes the perfect opportunity to connect and bond with family and friends. (It’s shocking where your priorities lie when you cut out food!) Before Ramadan begins, I will catch up with friends and get in touch with those I haven’t seen for a while. We’ll forget the bad times and wish each other the best for the coming month. During Ramadan I definitely feel a spirit of togetherness, because not only does everyone in the Muslim community empathise with each other’s struggle, but we also share the blissful moment of opening up our fasts, and spend the nights praying together at the local mosque.

Ramadan often seems like the only extended period of time in the year where I’m able to sit and share every meal together with my whole family. For me it’s a time to appreciate all those around me and value the sacrifices we make for each other.

This special time only comes around once a year, and so I try my best to make the most of every testing moment and hungry hour. No doubt tempers do rise as stomachs growl, and distractions present themselves in all their shapes and sizes. But over the years, I’ve felt Ramadan comes at a period in the year where I most need to break free from the stress and mundaneness of everyday life. I have learnt the importance of regularly “emptying your stomach to feed your soul”. Sometimes it’s necessary to truly realise that there is more to life than food.

Ramadan Mubarak to all those observing! I wish you a happy and blessed month.