The start of the school year isn’t just a square on the calendar - it’s a full-body, full-mind event. Parents juggle schedules, professionals face inbox avalanches, and kids steel themselves for tests and new teachers. Unsurprisingly, stress levels spike. Clinically, says French GP Dr Marc Dellière, this induces the usual suspects in the roll call of symptoms:

1. Sleep disturbance
2. Heightened chronic pain
3. Metabolic hiccups (think sugar cravings, creeping weight gain)
4. Resurgent anxiety or low mood

"These manifestations are not anecdotal," says Dr Dellière, "Medical literature confirms that acute stress directly affects cognitive performance and decision-making (LeBlanc, 2009) and increases the risk of professional errors in healthcare (Vlassi et al., 2023)."

But beyond the numbers, there are the stories of his patients: "The mother exhausted by her double shift, the executive returning to a frenetic pace, the teenager anxious about school demands. These stories remind us that behind every symptom lies a human experience."

The Science of Stress  - And How To Stay Calm

When stress strikes, cortisol floods the system, our hearts race, and our brains toggle into 'fight or flight' mode. A little stress can be motivating (that’s the good kind), but prolonged or intense stress wears us down both mentally and physically. That’s why we created natural supplement solutions Leapfrog SNOOZE and Leapfrog FOCUS, powered by Lactium®.

Meet Lactium®: Calm in a Chewable Tablet

Lactium® is a milk protein hydrolysate containing a bioactive peptide, α-casozepine, discovered when scientists noticed how peacefully infants drift off after feeding. It's a calming peptide that's released from milk by the baby's stomach enzymes - Mother Nature's biological lullaby. Here’s what the research says:

1. Stress reduction: Clinical studies show Lactium helps ease symptoms of stress - everything from exam jitters to workplace tension - by acting on the brain’s GABA-A receptors (similar to how certain calming medications work, but naturally, gently, and without side effects). Effects begin within 90–120 minutes, with more noticeable calm after 1–2 weeks of use.
2. Sleep support: Nine clinical trials (over 500 adults studied) confirm the benefits for sleep quality - less tossing, more restorative rest.
3. Safety: Lactium is non-addictive, non-sedating, and suitable for adults, children, and even pregnant women. For the lactose-worried: a standard dose contains only ~0.9 mg of lactose - safe for those with intolerance.
4. Satisfaction: 8 out of 10 consumers report feeling better with Lactium.

Leapfrog FOCUS: Stress Relief for Age 12 and up

• For children: Returning to classrooms often means butterflies in the stomach (and sometimes actual stomachaches). Leapfrog FOCUS helps smooth the stress response critical for focus, learning, and energy.

• For adults: Whether you’re diving back into a packed office or balancing work-from-home chaos, Leapfrog FOCUS can help regulate cortisol surges and encourage calm energy and mental clarity.

Leapfrog SNOOZE: Sleep Support for Age 7 and up

• For children: It can be hard for some children to wind down after a busy day, interrupting their sleep and wreaking havoc with their circadian rhythm. Leapfrog SNOOZE helps soothe the mind and thereby encourages them to slip into a peaceful sleep.

• For adults: Late night work, socialising or sustained stress can make it hard to get the shut eye that your body so desperately craves. Leapfrog SNOOZE promotes sleep in the evening, and can help you get back to sleep after witching hour wake-ups.

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Step into Autumn Stress Free

Of course, Lactium works best when paired with the right lifestyle choices: balanced, nutritious meals, regular activity, and calming practices like mindfulness or even bedtime rituals (we have an ASMR playlist for you). But with Leapfrog FOCUS and Leapfrog SNOOZE on your side, you’ve got science and nature working together to dial down stress and encourage calm.

Says Dr Dellière: "The start of the school year can become an opportunity to adjust practices and strengthen prevention of stress, rather than being a time of exhaustion."