Supporting Your Immune System Through Seasonal Change

As we move into more autumnal days.

AUTUMN

As Summer ends and the days begin to shorten, darkness draws in with a drop in temperature and different weather patterns. We experience a mass return to work and education after the Summer, which tends to be when we see the biggest uplift in viral infections.

Why does this time of year so often bring a wave of bugs and sniffles? One reason may be the shorter days and longer nights, which reduce our exposure to sunlight, lower vitamin D levels, and subtly shift our circadian rhythms. All of which can influence our immunity. What many don’t realise is that our bodies follow their own seasonal immune ‘rhythms’, continually adjusting to changes in the environment. This natural ebb and flow can affect our resilience, but by working with the seasons and supporting ourselves through healthy lifestyle choices autumn doesn’t have to be a season of constant illness.

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A few things to consider during this time of year

are:

REST - Prioritising rest, especially quality sleep is essential at this time of year. Our REM sleep is closely tied to the circadian clock, which is influenced by changing light levels. The increased tiredness many of us feel during the colder months is our body’s way of signalling a greater need for rest. In fact, according to Dr Elizabeth Thompson, homeopath we may need around 30 minutes more sleep in winter.

IN SYNC I encourage anyone to really listen to their body. So often we are out of sync with nature, and many of us have been conditioned to override our own internal rhythms and signals. Taking the time to reconnect, both with our bodies and with the season, could be one of the most positive steps you take this autumn.

VITAMIN D - It’s also important to make the most of daylight hours, particularly in autumn and winter. While UV levels in the Northern Hemisphere drop too low by October to provide sufficient vitamin D, natural light still helps regulate circadian rhythms, which play a role in immunity. Vitamin D can be supported through supplementation (the NHS recommends 10 mcg daily) and by including dietary sources such as oily fish, eggs, liver, and certain mushrooms.

SEASONAL FOOD - Fortunately, the season offers a natural abundance of foods rich in these nutrients — elderberries, oranges, rosehips, blackberries, as well as vegetables like spinach, carrots, and squash. Nature reminds us to follow its rhythm: by eating seasonally, we nourish both body and immunity.

HEDGEROW - natures medicine

Ireland has long held a deep reverence for plants, folklore, and the wisdom of natural healing. Our ancestors once gathered their medicine from the fields and hedgerows. I remember hearing stories of my grandmother, carefully collecting berries and plants from the hedgerows — a simple act that carried both wisdom and connection to the land.

In homeopathy, we glimpse the old magic of the hedgerows, where healing plants once whispered their secrets to those who gathered them.

NETTLE

The nettle, became a tonic in folk remedies. In homeopathy we use Urtica urens to ease skin complaints, hives, and burns.

HAWTHORN

Hawthorn, sacred in Irish tradition and seen as a guardian hedge, is now honoured in homeopathy as Crataegus, a trusted tonic of the heart.

ROWAN

Rowan, the mountain ash, planted by doorways for protection and good fortune, now finds expression as Sorbus, supporting circulation and strengthening blood vessels.

YARROW

Yarrow, the meadow’s wound herb of folklore, lives on as Achillea, valued in homeopathy for its role in bleeding, bruising, and circulation.

These plants carry stories that stretch back through centuries. Through homeopathy, their healing presence continues — gently, naturally, and in harmony with tradition.

And my final thought - Autumn invites us to let go, shedding what no longer serves us, just as the trees release their leaves to the wind.

Christelle