Technically, most of September is still summer. But hints of fall dot the days. Cooler nights, less humidity, flocks of birds convening before they fly south, and a handful of leaves sporting yellow, red, and vermillion faces signify that summer is packing her bags.

 For young adults in school, fall means back to college and college life, for adults with children, it’s back to school for their kids, but also back to hyper-busy kid schedules. For others, fall means colder weather ahead, and colder weather ahead means potential days in bed with tissues and sipping chicken soup.

What these all have in common are stress and immune efficiency reduction.

There are good habits that are easy to develop that will help college students and parents enjoy their autumn days to the max.

Sleep Support: The days are getting darker as the sun sets earlier and rises later. For those who are sensitive to this change, sleep can be disturbed as it gives your natural circadian rhythm a kick. Melatonin, as you may be aware, is the top supplement aid for attaining restful sleep. But most melatonins spike quickly and then swiftly dissipate.

Melotime™ is a sustained-release melatonin that is released systematically during 8 hours of sleep. Its release profile (50% of the dose in the first hour then subsequent dosage released at each one hour) allows for sustained slumber.

Immune Boost: Colder weather gives microscopic evildoers carte blanche to perpetrate their in vivo mischief. There is a scientifically demonstrated reason why colder weather encourages respiratory-harmful microbial agents. The nasal cavities are lined with immune-protective particles called extracellular vesicles that carry an arsenal of proteins, DNA, and RNA that create an anti-viral response, protecting viruses from nestling in. When temps take nosedives, the temperature in the nasal passages cools down, which reduces the release of extracellular vesicles, leaving the individual more vulnerable.

Vitamin C is the go-to cold-weather vitamin that helps promote immunity for the long term when taken daily. While many people take significant dosage amounts, it’s not the amount of vitamin C, but the quality of vitamin C in the bloodstream. C-Fence is powered through modified-release technology to maintain consistent plasma concentrations for an effective 24-hour sustained support allowing for the benefits at a lower dose.

Stress-Reduction: Autumn provides colorful pageantry, but for many, it also ushers in anxiety and stress. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) tends to take hold among many in response to the extended hours of darkness, contributing to stress. SAD or low mood and increased indifference will make one feel off balance.

Adaptogens can shine for darkening days, as they work to bring the body back to balance and reduce the body’s response to stressful thoughts and encounters. The king of adaptogens is, without a doubt, ashwagandha. Many ashwagandha products necessitate large doses, which can impact compliance.

Prolanza™ is a long-acting Ashwagandha root extract-based ingredient containing a broad spectrum of 20 Withanolides, 10 of which are USP compliant. Prolanza™’s innovative release pattern enables it to exert its clinical benefits for a prolonged duration with just a single daily dose.

Fitness Support: The early weeks of fall are perfect for outdoor fitness activities, as the heat and humidity that sap energy are gone. And there’s great news for active adults of all ages: research shows that working out in cold weather burns more calories!

Cold weather makes it seem harder to charge up, and caffeine becomes a prominent tool to wind up and move. But too much too quickly can result in jitters and feeling on-edge, defeating the purpose. CaffXtend® uses modified-release technology to release caffeine consistently throughout the day, eliminating the need for multiple doses (or cups), and preventing edginess.

Working out in colder weather may cause joints to ache more than in warmer weather. There is no clear understanding as to the mechanisms behind this, but a prevailing theory is that drops in barometric pressure cause the soft tissue surrounding the joint to expand, which can cause discomfort.

An herb well-researched for its ability to manage joint comfort is turmeric (curcumin). But this ingredient is known to be notoriously difficult to work with, and often, consumers need to take quite a few tablets or capsules to obtain enough to feel the benefit.

TurmXTRA®60N is a standardized, proprietary water-dispersible turmeric extract that has been validated through multiple preclinical, human pharmacokinetic and clinical trials to establish bioequivalence of 250mg TurmXTRA®60N with 1575mg of standard turmeric extract. Consumers get what they need in one daily dose.

Tips To Enjoy a Healthy Autumn

When formulating products to market for autumn wellness, think of adding ideas to enhance the seasonal experience in your consumer marketing and promotional materials. Consumers, especially younger adults, are not looking to take a supplement in isolation, they are increasingly interested in an integrated approach to health. And they are looking to attach themselves to brands that they can turn to for support and guidance.

Here are some ideas, courtesy of Total Wellness Health:

Immune-Support Diet: Thankfully, there are many natural foods that help promote proper immune function and can easily be incorporated into meals or snacks. Citrus, garlic, ginger, and spinach, as well as almonds, are said to be food-tools for immune support.

Consider Comfort Foods: As the weather cools, the body wants to insulate itself and its appetite hones on heavier “comfort” foods. Take time to review what you deem comfort foods and, instead of complete omission, plan moderation. There are smart swaps, too, such as making sweet potatoes with coconut oil and cinnamon instead of butter or eschewing cream-based soups for bean and spinach soups.

Increase Vitamin D Supplementation: Long sleeves and pants, and less time outdoors means your body is not producing rich amounts of vitamin D. Supplementing is the easy answer to keep the D going.

Drink Water: We tend to think of drinking water in the summer when the excessive heat and humidity make us sweat. But it is as critical in cooling weather as water detoxifies and supports organs and cells — it also keeps skin hydrated and moist. Similarly, watch the alcohol intake — it is a drying element and can rob skin and the body of essential water.

Stock up on Sanitizers: The COVID-19 pandemic may be over, but easily transmissible viruses tend to romp in the cooler weather. Wipe all surfaces that receive most fingers and palms (remotes, phones, handles, microwave buttons) regularly. If you cannot wash your hands thoroughly, spritz hand sanitizer that contains alcohol which is more effective at obliterating germs than non-alcohol sanitizers.

Get Social: Go to football games and tailgate, host Halloween and Friendsgiving parties, and gather friends and family for apple and pumpkin picking, roaming through corn mazes. It is easier to isolate on darker and colder days, so being out with others and having fun helps keep your mood stabilized and good.

Getting back to school and jumping into fall — for parents, faculty, and university students — can be accomplished without any disruptions to well-being. Fall — also known as pumpkin spice season — is a refreshing time of year when we rev up our busy routines. Adding the right supplements to our autumn routines can ensure that these transitional months are truly joyful.