To go with the meals — “suhoor” in the early morning and “iftar” in the evening — H. Ali Mohammed, 64, offered these words for the soul: “Less materialism. More spirituality. Think and pray for the desolate. Give alms to the poor.”

Chanit Roston, who fasts on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, engages her other senses to distract from the hunger pangs. “I smell fragrant flowers or essential oils and breathe deeply,” she told us, adding how she is also “grateful for being in charge of what enters my lips.”

A month before the Ramadan fast begins, Imam Khalid Latif, the chaplain for the Islamic Center at New York University, hosts workshops with nutritionists to teach congregants about what to eat (foods high in fiber, like fruits and vegetables, and high in protein, like nuts and dates), what not to eat (foods that are processed or oily), how to hydrate (more water, less caffeine and sugar), and why healthy sleep patterns are crucial.

“Take time to rest and ensure your sleep quality, because a lot of your hydration level is going to be tied to the sleep you’re getting,” Mr. Latif said.

Ramadan, which began in late May and ends this weekend, places added emphasis on the final days of the month, when Muslims engage in longer periods of prayer.