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I’ve always been a big believer in nighttime routines for kids…

You can’t expect a 5 year old to go from 100 miles an hour to zero in 5 minutes (although it has happened to my little Marcos on the rare occasion... this is him crashing after playing outside with the dogs and ducks all day!)

Kids need a nighttime routine that signals to their body and their mind that it’s time for bed.

And adults are no different!

All too often I hear friends, family, and members of the Beyond Diet community complaining that they have a hard time sleeping. When I ask them about their pre-bed ritual they say, “A what?”

Which usually means they don’t have one.

Now, I’m not suggesting anything complex here, just a simple routine that tells your body…

“Hey friend, good job today. Now it’s time for bed.”

I know for me personally, when I don’t follow my pre-bed routine, I have a hard time falling asleep. Even worse, I have a hard time staying asleep. It’s almost like I forgot to give my body a heads up that it was time to rest.

So I've created a routine with my kids. They go to bed at 8:30 pm and I go to bed shortly after at 9 pm.

I’ve listed my routine below, but what works for 1 person (or family) doesn’t work for everyone so make your routine work for your schedule and whatever it is that signals you that it’s time to sleep.

7 pm – We’re done with dinner and we spend some time reviewing the school work both kids did that day.

Sometimes homework gets done on a messy kitchen table, and that's okay. Listen, I said we had a bedtime routine, I didn't say it was always perfect!

7:30 pm – We go outside to put the ducks back into their pen. This is a great signal for ALL of us that the day is over.

7:40 pm – Bath time!

Ideally, I would also love to take a relaxing bath each night, but because my children are still young, that’s a bit challenging.

Instead, I use EASE Magnesium Spray.

This oil-free magnesium (the “master mineral”) spray contains the highest quality, pharmaceutical grade magnesium chloride, which will quickly absorb into your skin for restful sleep, relaxation, and natural stress relief - who doesn’t need that!?

EASE Magnesium Spray is not like any other magnesium supplement I’ve seen before. The secret is how it’s applied and the high quality of mineral being used.

Instead of being swallowed in a pill, like most magnesium supplements…

(many of which use synthetic magnesium rather than the real stuff, which is probably why 80% of the population is magnesium deficient)…

You apply this directly to your skin for fast-activating, bio-available, pure magnesium, and the results are amazing. Not only does it support a calm mind and restful sleep, but it’s also great for soothing tight muscles and sore joints.

Alright, back to that all-important nighttime routine…

8:15 pm – In bed with the kiddos reading stories.

8:30 pm – Lights out for them.

9 pm – Lights out for me after reading a few pages of my current book.

And when I say "lights out," that means all electronics are put away, too. No more texting, watching YouTube videos, or scrolling on Facebook (we all do it).

The only exception is reading from my tablet with the blue light turned off. Blue light can suppress your body's ability to release melatonin.... which you need to sleep.

This is exactly why it's not good to be in front of screens before bed (TV, iPad, phone).

So, if you spent a lot of time on your phone before bed, it could a major source of your insomnia.

So you may be thinking…

“Great Isabel, but I don’t have time for a 2 hour ritual every night!”

And I totally get it.

That’s the situation for my husband, Stewart.

He works a long day and coaches football in the afternoon, so when he gets home he doesn’t have much time to go through this routine with us.

For him, I designed a pre-bed routine that may be a little closer to what you can fit into your busy evening…

8 pm – Quick hot shower. He likes to join us for reading time so he has to be quick about this and since he only has 15 minutes, he also uses the EASE Magnesium Spray to get into the bedtime mind frame and relieve his achy muscles.

9 pm – He kisses us all good night and goes into the living room to either read or watch a few minutes of a documentary before bed on his tablet (yep, blue light is turned OFF!)

Although I’m not a proponent of watching any sort of TV before bed, this is the only time he gets during the day to watch his favorite history shows.

So whether you’re schedule matches one closer to mine or Stewart’s, I highly encourage you to start with the following tips:

• 1. Establish a bedroom routine (even if it's simple!),
• 2. Turn off electronics or switch off all blue light 1 hour before bed, and
• 3. Invest in a high-quality magnesium spray for natural relaxation.

Do these 3 things and I guarantee your body will start getting the signal, “Yup, it’s time for us to shut down now.”

Not only will you fall asleep faster and easier when you use magnesium spray, you’ll also get relief from sore muscles and joints, and improve your energy levels during the day.

» Do you NEED magnesium? See if you might be part of the 80% of us who are deficient…