Back-to-School, Sugar Season, and Your Child’s Nervous System: Why Regulation Matters
- schoutenmakenzie
- Sep 23
- 3 min read
As parents, you know the fall season brings so many transitions. New teachers, new routines, earlier mornings, extracurriculars—and right around the corner, the “season of sugar” with Halloween, Thanksgiving pies, Christmas cookies, and everything in between.
These shifts are exciting but also stressful—for both kids and parents. And while we often think of stress only as mental or emotional, our bodies experience physical stress, chemical stress (like sugar overload or food dyes), and environmental stress all at the same time. How your child’s nervous system adapts to these changes determines how resilient, calm, and healthy they’ll be through the fall and winter seasons.
The Nervous System as the Foundation
The nervous system is the master control system of the body. It helps your child adapt to changes—whether that’s a pop quiz, a shift in bedtime, or a sugar rush from too much Halloween candy.
When the nervous system is regulated, kids can:
Sleep deeper and recover faster
Focus and learn more easily at school
Digest food more efficiently
Maintain stronger immune function
When it’s stuck in stress (fight-or-flight mode), the opposite happens—trouble focusing, emotional outbursts, tummy aches, sleep struggles, and even more frequent colds and flus. This is why neurologically-based chiropractic care can be such a powerful tool: it helps calm and regulate the nervous system, creating the foundation for your child to adapt to all the ups and downs of the season.
Practical Tools for Parents
Here are some simple, actionable ways you can support your child’s nervous system this fall:
1. Create Predictable Routines
Children thrive on rhythm. With back-to-school changes, stick to consistent bedtimes, mealtimes, and after-school wind-downs. Even 10–15 minutes of connection at bedtime (reading, cuddling, or chatting) helps their nervous system feel safe and grounded.
2. Balance the Sugar Season
You don’t have to eliminate treats—just balance them. Pair sweets with protein or healthy fats (like nuts, cheese, or jerky) to stabilize blood sugar. Encourage hydration with water or electrolyte-rich options to offset the dehydrating effects of sugar.
3. Watch Out for Food Dyes
Artificial food dyes (like Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 1) can be a hidden source of nervous system stress for some children, contributing to hyperactivity, mood swings, or focus challenges. Not every child reacts the same, but if you notice your child struggles more after dyed treats, it may be worth swapping for dye-free alternatives.
Our favorite dye-free substitutions:
YumEarth lollipops, gummy bears, and candy corn
Unreal brand chocolate gems and peanut butter cups
Hu Kitchen chocolate bars (dairy-free and dye-free)
Simple Mills cookie and muffin mixes for homemade treats
Fruit leathers or dried fruit for naturally sweet snacks
4. Encourage Daily Movement
Movement isn’t just for burning energy—it helps regulate the nervous system. Simple tools like a walk after dinner, a family dance party, or letting kids hang from monkey bars can help their bodies release stress and reset.
5. Teach Nervous System “Resets”
Show your kids easy resets they can use when overwhelmed:
Big belly breaths: In through the nose, out through the mouth.
Butterfly hugs: Cross arms over the chest and gently tap from side to side.
“Shake it out”: Wiggle arms, legs, and jump to discharge extra energy.
6. Chiropractic Care for Ongoing Support
Regular chiropractic adjustments keep the nervous system adaptable. For kids, this means fewer meltdowns, better sleep, stronger immunity, and more resilience during this busy, sugar-filled season. For parents, it means more peace of mind—and often better regulation for your own nervous system, too!
Final Thought
This season doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. By supporting the nervous system first, your family will be better equipped to handle the routines, the sweets, and the big emotions that come with it all.
At Vera Chiropractic, we love walking alongside families through every season. If you’d like to learn how chiropractic can support your child’s nervous system this fall, we’d be honored to serve you.
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