As adults, we have our own childhood summer memories, most of them very fond and nostalgic. Ice cream, movies on the beach, county fairs, fireworks, swimming with friends, siblings and cousins. Long days resplendent with endless sunshine. And, most mothers never complained outwardly, ensuring children felt safe and healthy.
But for decades, moms have felt higher stress in the summer, holding down a job and managing the household, plus ensuring the kids are fulfilled, active, safe and healthy while enjoying their vacation from school.
Real confessions from moms on ScaryMommy.com about summer:
- “I’m dreading school being out and not getting time to myself.”
- “Summertime makes me feel so guilty as a working mom.”
- “I hate the pressure of making summer memorable, while I still have to work full time.”
- “Never get a break. Teach and mom of 3 littles. Morning to night I’m with kids. Summer is NOT a break!”
- “I can’t tell you how many times May comes and I’m so focused on my kids having a magical summer that, by the time September rolls around, I realize not once did I read a book in my hammock.”
Samantha Darby, the author of this article (“’I’m Dreading School Being Out” & 17 Other Summer Mom Confession” June 6 2025), quoted clinical health psychologist Hannah Holmes, PhD, LP, who stated, “I see how easy it is for moms to disappear into the background of summer as they manage logistics and make it a fun and memorable season for their kids.”
Tension Triggers
During summer, moms tend to ignore their own well-being, and stress and tension can increase. This is compounded by the fact that women report a higher average stress level than men, according to a 2023 survey from the American Psychological Association. Higher stress in women can impact the menstrual cycle, cause weight gain, reduce fertility and cause headaches and stomach upset.
The beginning of summer, notably the first week out of school, can often be a harsh transition, despite planning activities such as summer camp, swim club or regular playdates for children. Many younger moms today can become anxious about the increased social activity of their children during summer.
Another factor that can further stress moms in the summer is summer seasonal affective disorder – this mood disruption is often experienced during the late fall and winter when sunlight is dramatically diminished. However, extended daylight impacts the circadian rhythm by delaying and/or reducing the release of melatonin. Sleeping difficulties often result in anxiousness and irritability the next day.
Tips for Summer Serenity
Mother of six and clinical psychologist Dr. Christina Hibbert created a list of several points to help moms reduce stress. These include creating achievable goals for the summer that include learning and avoiding boredom, establishing summer rules that provide structure and that make “summer life more manageable.” She also highly recommends setting up a daily quiet hour which helps moms reset.
In addition, as maintaining mental and physical energy is paramount for busy moms during the summer, there are several healthy things they can do. In her article, “Easy Ways to Boost Your Energy Naturally,” published June 6 2025 on Family Focus Blog, Scarlet Paolicchi describes what she calls “small adjustments to daily habits” that include hydration, “micro-workouts,” mindful breathing and/or meditation, mini rejuvenating naps of 10 to 20 minutes, nutrient-dense, junk-free diets and proper supplementation.
Summer Supplements
Besides a potent women’s multivitamin and other nutraceuticals such as omega-3 EFAs, several science-supported supplements can help busy and overwhelmed moms enjoy summer with their families.
Stress Reduction – Adaptogenic support is known to promote long-term stress reduction. Prolanza™ is the only science-backed ashwagandha root-only extract delivering real results at a low 150 mg dose offering purity, potency, and adaptability for modern wellness needs.
Prolanza™ is the only ashwagandha tested and confirmed at both 150 mg and 300 mg, showing dose-dependent benefits for stress, mood, memory, sleep, and even eating behavior.
Several clinical studies have shown that Prolanza™ consistently reduces cortisol production and Perceived Stress Scores, improves sleep, boosts emotional resilience and enhances memory and focus. It’s the only ashwagandha shown to improve stress-related eating patterns, a behavior affecting more women than men.
Energy Maintenance CaffXtend™ provides moms with all-day lifeforce energy from getting the kids out of bed to making smores in the backyard under the stars. It has been shown to extend focus and alertness and reduce mental fatigue – three benefits busy moms appreciate during the long summer days.
CaffXtend™ provides moms with a calm, controlled energy plus enhanced sustained focus, instead of the fleeting boost often followed by anxiety, crashes, and the need to re-dose from common caffeine supplements or drinks. After just one dose of CaffXtend™, moms can enjoy the best that every summer day has to offer without any slumps.
Here’s how it works: CaffXtend™’s patented microbead matrix gradually releases caffeine, ensuring steady plasma levels without the sharp peaks or sudden drops. This intelligent delivery system eliminates jitters and overstimulation while promoting calmness, focus, mental clarity, and improved mood.
If summer SAD is an issue that impacts sleep, moms can improve slumber duration and quality with a sustained-release melatonin that is natural and non-habit forming. Melotime is engineered to provide sustained 8-hour sleep with the first 50% of the dose released in the first hour and the subsequent dosage released at each 1 hour.
A new study validates Melotime™’s prolonged-release benefits. Participants received Melotime™ or an immediate-release (IR) melatonin. The results showed that Melotime™ provided higher plasma concentrations of melatonin in the delayed phase from 4 to 8 hours compared to immediate-release melatonin. Melotime™ also had a half-life extension to 5.10 hours compared to just 1.01 hours for IR melatonin.
A Word about Summer Colds
Most people do not associate colds with summer, but they do happen, and they tend to be caused by enteroviruses that generate upper respiratory symptoms, but unlike winter colds, thankfully do not usually cause loss of taste or smell.
As supplements do not cure or treat colds, some supplements may help the body build up resilience, especially when experiencing stress. Vitamin C helps improve immune response when the body encounters a virus. However, the challenge is that excess vitamin C is eliminated in urine, preventing the body from reaping optimal benefits.
One vitamin C has been innovated to successfully overcome that challenge, providing stressed-out moms with the immune support they need during a very busy summer with the children. C-Fence™ is a vitamin C powered by modified-release technology that periodically releases a small but effective dose of vitamin C for 24 hours of sustained support.
This has been demonstrated by a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of C-Fence™. Participants who supplemented with the once-daily 500 mg dose of C-Fence showed significantly higher vitamin C plasma levels that remained well above baseline for up to 24 hours.
Conclusion
Summertime is precious when you have children as they learn, grow and play, as well as experience numerous firsts – first rollercoaster ride, first away-from-home camp, first swim without floaties, first sandcastle built and so many more. With the right supplements and self-care, busy moms can be fully engaged in creating summer memories to share for years.
Reviewed by Sneha Sawant Desai, PhD
