Looking at 15 years of search data, it turns out Ramadan significantly boosts the mental health of entire countries.
March 19, 2026
Original Paper
A cross-cultural analysis of religious fasting and well-being using 15 years of internet search data
PsyArXiv · bqtvc_v1
The Takeaway
While many expect fasting to cause irritability or 'hangry' moods, search data from Muslim-majority countries showed a robust decline in queries related to poor mental health during Ramadan. This suggests that the collective, ritualistic nature of the fast may have a widespread antidepressant effect on society.
From the abstract
Voluntarily abstaining from food—fasting—is historically and cross-culturally widespread and prescribed by many world religions. Yet, its effects on psychological health and well-being remain poorly understood. We analyzed 15 years of internet search data to examine how religious fasts affect society-level well-being across three traditions: Islam (countries with ≥75% Muslim population), Judaism (Israel), and LDS (Utah, USA). We operationalized well-being using composite indices of Google search