How to Prepare for Yom Kippur Without the Headache and the Crash

Real prep for Yom Kippur begins three to five days before the fast, not on Erev Yom Kippur itself.

The same way we have the Aseret Yemei Teshuva between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, when we're meant to return, to come back to who we really are, there's something powerful about paying closer attention during these days.

The Rambam writes in Hilchos Teshuva 2:1 that complete teshuva is when you find yourself back in the same situation, with the same pull toward the same pattern, and this time you choose differently.

Food isn't on the same level as teshuva, of course. But we can bring some of that same awareness into how we care for our bodies.

The same cravings for sugar. The same pull toward another cup of coffee instead of water. And this year, you make a different choice.

Preparing earlier can make the fast much easier on your body and help you avoid spending the day with a headache, feeling weak and watching the clock.

Here I break down the questions I get asked most, to help you prepare for your fast mindfully:

Why does coffee withdrawal cause headaches on Yom Kippur?

In my experience working with women, the ones who are already living balanced when Yom Kippur comes around, meaning they aren't relying on caffeine or sugar to get through the day, have the smoothest fasts. No headaches, no withdrawal symptoms, no crash.

The women who are more dependent on coffee, chocolate or sugar day to day are the ones who feel it. Withdrawal happens because your body is used to relying on something, and Yom Kippur pulls it away all at once.

I see the same thing during my Resets. Women who come in dependent on caffeine and sugar go through a real withdrawal period. Women who are already more balanced move through it so much more smoothly.

That's exactly why starting five days before Yom Kippur matters. Tapering slowly takes away the dependency gradually, so your body isn't hit with the shock of doing it all at once on the fast.

Start cutting back about five days before. Go down half a cup a day, or switch one cup to half-caf.

(If you want to go deeper on what's actually happening in your body during a fast, I broke it down here.)

How much water should you drink before Yom Kippur?

You should be drinking around two liters of water a day anyway, no matter what. The real focus in the three to four days before Yom Kippur is hitting that number consistently, every day, without skipping.

Drink more if it's hot out, or if you're pregnant or nursing.

This counts as total fluid. Herbal tea counts. So do fruits and vegetables with high water content, like cucumber, watermelon and oranges.

How much you need also depends on you and how well your body retains water. That's where electrolytes come in, especially if you tend toward headaches or lightheadedness during a fast. They help your body hold onto the fluid and minerals you're taking in.

Coconut water is an easy option since it gives you fluid and potassium together.

What should you eat before Yom Kippur?

Build your meals around protein, healthy fats, whole grains and vegetables, and eat small amounts every two hours leading up to the fast instead of saving everything for one big seuda hamafseket.

On Erev Yom Kippur, you're really having two seudos, not one. Make sure both include vegetables, protein, healthy fats and whole grains. I like starting with the veggies and protein.

Want carbs? Sweet potato or regular potato works fine. No need to turn it into a kugel. The more natural the food, the better.

I also like putting together a fruit and vegetable platter and having it out all day. It's an easy way to keep eating real food in a way that nourishes your body.

What foods should you avoid before Yom Kippur?

Go easy on salty and heavy foods. A salty meal leaves you thirstier going into the fast, and a huge amount of food at once doesn't make the fast easier, it just makes you sluggish beforehand.

Skip the sugar-heavy seuda hamafseket too. A big dose of sugar right before a 25 hour fast gives you a spike and then a crash, so you're starting the fast already on the way down.

What's the best way to break the Yom Kippur fast?

Water or coconut water first, before anything else. After 25 hours, rehydrating comes before eating. Electrolytes are also a good way to start.

That craving for cake when the fast ends is real. 😅 But a lot of sugar on an empty stomach spikes your blood sugar and then drops it again fast, so you end up tired and hungry soon after you just ate.

If you want something sweet, start with fruit, like watermelon or grapes, or go for a healthier version of a cake that satisfies the craving. Either way, make sure your next real meal has protein, healthy fats and real food.

How should pregnant and nursing women prepare for Yom Kippur?

If you're pregnant or nursing, preparation for Yom Kippur is especially important.

If you have any medical concerns about fasting, speak with your doctor and your rav beforehand. Your doctor can advise on your individual medical situation, and your rav can guide you on how to fast, including whether shiurim are necessary.

Start paying attention to hydration earlier in the week, and make sure your meals include enough protein, healthy fats and nourishing carbohydrates. Your body is already doing a lot, whether you're growing a baby or producing milk.

If you're nursing, keep eating foods that nourish you well in the days leading up to the fast. Oats, flaxseed, leafy greens, almonds, sesame and other nutrient-dense foods can all fit beautifully into those meals.

You may hear about certain foods, like oats or fennel, for milk supply. They can absolutely be part of a nourishing diet, but I wouldn't rely on one specific food to protect your supply. Milk production depends on many things, especially regular and effective milk removal.

If you're nursing and your baby already takes expressed milk, it can also be helpful to pump some milk beforehand and have it available. That gives you another option if you feel weak later in the day or need more rest.

And if something doesn't feel right during the fast, follow the medical and halachic guidance you were given for your own situation rather than comparing yourself to what someone else managed last year.

Why this feels different once your body is used to balance

Women who've worked with me for even a season often tell me after Yom Kippur that fasting feels different.

"After a few months of working with Dalia, I felt like my fasts got so much better."

Another client told me after Yom Kippur:

"I had no headaches. I felt great after breaking the fast, no sluggishness. I felt really balanced."

When protein and blood sugar balance are already part of the way you eat during the year, you don't suddenly have to figure everything out a few days before Yom Kippur.

You already have some of those habits in place.

This is also about showing up

Taking care of your body before and after the fast belongs here too.

The Rambam writes in Hilchos Deos 4:1 that maintaining a healthy body is part of serving Hashem, because when a person is unwell, it's harder to focus and serve Him.

If you're dehydrated, dealing with caffeine withdrawal or feeling weak because you didn't prepare well, it can affect your ability to focus.

You want to be able to daven, think and be present.

Taking care of yourself in the days before Yom Kippur helps with that.

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