Iftar to suhoor: are you drinking enough?
Ramadan 2027 is expected to run from about 8 February to 9 March. In the UAE that means fasting for about 13 hours a day, so everything you drink has to fit into the evening and night. How much is enough, and when should you drink it?
Small habits that help
None of these are rules. They are simple ideas from UAE and international health advice for fasting.
A glass of water and a few dates is a gentle start. A bowl of soup also gives back some of the fluid you lost during the day.
Rather than drinking a lot at once, have a glass at each break: after prayers, with dessert, before bed, and at suhoor.
Caffeine makes you pass more urine. Dubai Health Authority suggests waiting at least an hour after iftar before tea. Skip energy drinks and fizzy drinks.
Pickles, salty cheese, crisps and processed food make you thirsty during the next day's fast.
Watermelon, cucumber, soup, laban and yoghurt all count towards your fluids.
Pale yellow urine is usually a sign you're drinking enough. Dark yellow means drink a bit more tonight.
Ask your doctor first if…
Some people need a different amount, and a few are told to limit fluids. Talk to your doctor before Ramadan if you:
- have kidney disease or heart failure
- have diabetes, or take medicine every day
- are pregnant or breastfeeding
- are older, or care for an older relative who fasts
If you feel very dizzy, confused or faint while fasting, stop and drink. Islam allows breaking the fast when your health is at risk. If someone faints or can't think clearly, call 998 for an ambulance.
Sources: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for water (2010): adequate total water intake of about 2.0 L a day for women and 2.5 L for men, from all drinks and food, with food usually giving around a fifth; NHS (UK) Eatwell and dehydration advice: 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day, and pale yellow urine; Dubai Health Authority Ramadan nutrition guidance (dates and water at iftar, soup, laban, keep drinking between iftar and suhoor, limit tea and coffee, avoid salty food); Daman "How to be healthy in Ramadan" (about 2 to 3 L spread across the non-fasting hours, check medicines with your doctor); Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi "Stay hydrated for a healthier Ramadan" (caffeine, watermelon); British Nutrition Foundation "A healthy Ramadan" (salt and thirst, who should ask a doctor). Ramadan dates are expected (subject to moon sighting) and times are approximate for Dubai. One glass here means about 250 ml. This is general information, not medical advice. Your own needs depend on your body, health, the weather and how active you are.