Autumn really starts to bite in October. The Halloween costumes come out, the sweets come home with the kids, and by the time the clocks go back, you’re eating dinner in the dark and sticking the heating on earlier and more often.

None of that has to derail how you feel or ruin your routine. Work through our checklist, and you’ll have your autumn covered.

Get your supplements sorted

You can take supplements to fill gaps in your diet and support your overall wellbeing, but don’t just reach for any bottle of tablets.

Check the EU Health Register first -- it lets you search for vitamins, minerals, and certain other supplements and see authorised health claims.

Top up the vitamin D you can’t make

From October until March, UK sunlight is too weak for your skin to produce vitamin D. That applies whether you’re outdoors all day or at a desk.

Vitamin D contributes to normal immune function, the maintenance of normal bones and teeth, and normal muscle function. The usual benchmark is 10μg a day over autumn and winter.

Our Vitamin D 10μg (400IU) covers that. If you’d rather have a plant-based option, our Vegan Vitamin D3 2000iu Softgels do the same job at a higher strength.

Keep vitamin C topped up daily

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that your body doesn’t store for long periods -- that means whatever you don’t use, you lose. You basically need to consume products containing vitamin C every day to keep your levels up.

Our Vitamin C 1000mg Tablets cover a day in one go and help you realise its authorised health claims: that it contributes to normal immune function and to reducing tiredness and fatigue.

Line up your B vitamins

B12 is the one to watch. It comes mainly from meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, so if you’re vegan or vegetarian, or simply eat less of those foods, a supplement is the easiest way to cover it.

Vitamin B12 Complex Tablets are a good starting point. Also, try our Vitamin B Supreme High Potency tablets to increase your vitamin B levels.

Don’t drop the omega-3s

Oily fish gets eaten less when nobody fancies cooking. EPA and DHA contribute to normal heart function at a daily intake of 250mg.

Our Fish Oil 1000mg Softgels contain a minimum of 18% EPA and 12% DHA. Super EPA Fish Oil 1000mg gives you 33% and 22% if you want a higher concentration from the same capsule count.

Look after your gut through the sweet season

Probiotics have no authorised health claims on the EU Health Register, but they’re a common addition to a gut health routine.

Probiotics are live bacteria, so check which strains you’re getting before you buy. Our Probiotic Complex Capsules use two you’ll see on plenty of labels, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum, and each pot holds 120 capsules.

Add magnesium for the evenings

Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function, normal psychological function, and reducing tiredness and fatigue. Our Magnesium 3 in 1 Complex Capsules give you the full daily amount in one capsule, which is easy to take with your evening meal.

More October wellness tips

Supplements only cover part of it. Sleep and exercise matter just as much, and they’re the first things to slip once the evenings close in.

Keep moving after the clocks go back

The NHS recommends 150 minutes of exercise a week, and not just any exercise, but ‘moderate intensity activity’ spread over four or five days. It could be a tall order depending on your current fitness but is well worth sticking to.

Get good sleep

The hour you gain in October is the easy part. The harder part is the fortnight after, when it’s dark by five, and your body clock hasn’t caught up.

Create a sleep routine and stick to it to adjust quickly. Getting outside in the morning helps, too -- the early daylight tells your body clock it’s time to be awake.

Your next steps

Check the label on your current multivitamin before adding anything else. It’s easy to double up on vitamin D or zinc without realising.

Add one new supplement at a time and give it a few weeks before trying another. If you take medication or you’re pregnant, speak to your GP or pharmacist first.

Sleep and exercise are the other big factors. Get those right, and the changes to your supplements will have more of an impact.

Browse our full range of supplements for more ideas.