Ramadan fasting often disrupts sleep patterns, which can affect alertness and physical performance in student-athletes. This study tested whether a brief sleep education program designed for Ramadan could help improve sleep quality and maintain performance.

Sixty-four male sport-science students who planned to fast during Ramadan were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group received a 45-minute educational session about sleep hygiene specifically adapted to Ramadan practices (timing of sleep around evening and pre-dawn meals, managing light exposure, limiting caffeine and screen time before bed). They also received weekly text message reminders and completed short weekly checklists about their sleep habits. The second group continued their usual routines without any intervention.

Participants wore activity monitors on their wrist to track sleep throughout the study. They also completed computerized tests of attention and reaction time, as well as physical performance tests (jumping, handgrip strength, agility) before Ramadan and during the final week of fasting.

The researchers found that students who received the sleep education maintained better sleep duration and quality during Ramadan compared to those who did not receive the program. They also showed better attention, faster reaction times, and better preservation of physical performance. This suggests that simple, culturally-adapted sleep education can help student-athletes maintain their health and performance during Ramadan.

This pilot randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of a culturally adapted sleep hygiene education program on objectively measured sleep, psychomotor vigilance, and physical performance during Ramadan in male sport-science students.

STUDY DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS:

Sixty-four male sport-science students (aged 18-30 years) from the Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax, Tunisia, who intended to observe Ramadan fasting, were randomly allocated to either an intervention group (n=32) or a control group (n=32). Randomization was performed using computer-generated block randomization with allocation concealment via sealed envelopes.

INTERVENTION:

Participants in the intervention group received a single 45-minute educational session during the week preceding Ramadan. The session addressed sleep hygiene strategies specifically adapted to Ramadan constraints, including: (1) maintaining consistent sleep schedules compatible with suhoor (pre-dawn meal) and iftar (evening meal) timing, (2) managing evening light exposure and screen use, (3) regulating caffeine intake, (4) optimizing the sleep environment, and (5) planning sleep consolidation strategies. Participants received written educational materials and weekly text message reminders (Monday and Thursday) throughout Ramadan. Adherence was monitored using weekly self-report checklists returned each Saturday. The control group received no intervention and maintained their usual daily habits.

OUTCOME MEASURES:

Primary outcomes were sleep parameters assessed continuously using wrist actigraphy (ActiGraph wGT3X-BT) from baseline (approximately 2 weeks before Ramadan) through week 4 of Ramadan. Derived parameters included total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and wake after sleep onset (WASO). A minimum of 5 valid nights was required for analysis.

Secondary outcomes assessed at baseline and Ramadan week 4 included:

• Psychomotor vigilance: 10-minute Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) measuring mean reaction time and number of lapses (reaction times >500 ms)
• Neuromuscular performance: countermovement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ), handgrip strength, and agility (change-of-direction test)

COVARIATES:

Baseline values of all outcome variables were included as covariates. Additional covariates assessed at baseline included chronotype (reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire), daily caffeine intake (cups/day), and evening screen exposure (minutes in the last hour before bedtime).

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:

Changes in sleep parameters were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models with group, time, and group × time interaction as fixed effects, and participant as a random effect. Baseline values were included as covariates. For cognitive and physical performance outcomes at week 4, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used with group as the fixed factor and baseline values as covariates. Effect sizes were reported as partial eta squared (η²p) for ANCOVA models and Hedges' g for adjusted between-group comparisons. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

STUDY PERIOD:

Data collection occurred from February 10, 2025 (baseline) to March 31, 2025 (end of Ramadan 1446 AH, corresponding to March 1-30, 2025 in Tunisia).

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. The protocol was reviewed by the Institutional Scientific Committee of ISSEPS Sfax and determined to be exempt from formal external ethics committee review under Tunisian regulations governing minimal-risk behavioral research.

This trial was registered retrospectively at ClinicalTrials.gov.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male sports science students aged 18 to 30 years
• Intend to fast for the full duration of Ramadan
• No history of diagnosed sleep disorders or medical conditions affecting sleep or cognition
• Free from musculoskeletal injuries that could limit physical performance tests

Exclusion Criteria:

• Chronic sleep disorders (e.g., insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea)
• Use of medications known to affect sleep or alertness
• Failure to complete the Ramadan fasting period
• Non-compliance with actigraphy monitoring procedures

De-identified participant data will be made available. This includes demographic and anthropometric data, objective sleep outcomes derived from actigraphy (total sleep time, sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset), psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) results (mean reaction time, lapses), and physical performance test results (countermovement jump, squat jump, handgrip strength, and agility).

Data will be available within 3 months following the publication of the results in a peer-reviewed journal and will remain available for 5 years.

Data can be requested by researchers with a specific, scientifically sound research proposal. Requests should be submitted via email to the corresponding author (kais.elabed@gmail.com). A data use agreement may be required prior to sharing.

Due to the behavioral nature of the sleep hygiene intervention, participants and the investigator delivering the educational session were unblinded. However, outcome assessors conducting cognitive (PVT) and physical performance tests, as well as data analysts, were blinded to group allocation to minimize measurement and analytical bias.