Most of us live in an almost constant state of rush. As soon as we get up the race begins -- and of course it doesn't stop until bedtime. Big mistake...

See, your mind need some help in transitioning from its fully active and operational mode to the relaxed nighttime rest. You spend most of the day trying to gain or regain control over events and encounters. You decide, you reflect, you ponder, you react. The brain is aroused and produces a lot of fast beta brainwaves to process all the input and respond in an appropriate manner.

All that activity must subside when night comes, or sleep is impossible, as you already know all too well. You also probably already concluded that you're not very good at turning off your thoughts and worries. They happen and keep happening whether you want or not.

What can you do to stop the merry-go-round?

The Sleep Tracks can help you disconnect and truly let go of everything until the next day... but you should still make it a habit of unwinding from the day. That way you'll ease into the night gradually instead of running at 100 miles per hour and trying to put on the brakes when the clock shows it's eleven pm.

Here are 4 tips to unwind from the day.

1- Take it easy
Don't throw yourself into strenuous physical activity less than 3 hours before going to bed. Since exercising elevates your body temperature and arouses you, you'd have more trouble falling asleep. For the same reason, don't take a large heavy meal just before going to bed.

2- Avoid confrontations
Spending time with your family or those you love during the last part of the day is wonderful. But avoid starting or fueling confrontational discussions. Half an hour before bedtime is not really the ideal time to start talking to your spouse about that big purchase you want to make, or to complain about something that bothers you.

Hey, I know it's easier said than done :) but do try to keep this in mind the next time you want to start debating.

3- Bore yourself to sleep
Likewise, it's really not a good idea to start surfing the internet or delve into an engrossing novel just before bedtime.

Instead, tackle a boring task like doing paperwork or the dishes. You could also read a few pages of a difficult book or skim a work-related document. Choose something that'll NOT leave you saying three hours later "gee, it's two o'clock already!"

4- Take a warm bath
Taking a nice warm bath is an excellent way to dissolve tensions and leave the day behind. It has a paradoxical effect: the warm water rises your body temperature at first, but then later on makes it drop faster, easing your way into the night by making you feel sleepy. But don't take it just before going to bed for that same reason.

Months or years of sleeping badly made you associate your bedroom with being awake and with frustration. We need to change that.

The more cozy and harmonious your bedroom is, the more relaxed you'll feel. Here is the most important tip: make sure your bedroom really becomes a SLEEPING ROOM. And that means%u2026

Sleep or sex only!

Yes, that means use your sleep room only for sleep or for making love. Nothing else!

No reading, no tv watching, no arguing, no problem solving, no eating, no working, no phone calling%u2026 All these activities are telling your conscious brain to engage, to act, to be awake. That's not what you want.

You want the act of lying in your bed to be a cue to fall asleep fast, or make love. For all the rest, use the other rooms in your house.

I'm deadly serious here.

1- Silence
You might be sensitive to noises around you and outside of the bedroom.

Reduce them if you can... or try the Whole Night Track. The dull sound of it will filter out unwanted noises and you'll be more likely to just forget about them.

2- Darkness
Your sleeping room should also be as dark as possible. Light would shut off melatonin production and tell your body that it's time to wake up. If you can't create a truly dark environment for you to sleep in, purchase an eye mask, the kind people wear in airplanes.

3- Good mattress, big bed
Invest in a quality mattress, your body will thank you for it and you'll experience deeper sleep. If you sleep with someone who's moving a lot during the night in a disturbing way, get a wider bed so you won't be awakened by the other person's own sleep problem.

4- Lie down and immediately start the Fall Asleep Track
Since all daytime activities are now prohibited in your sleeping room, and since it's dark, cool, calm, and comfortable, the only thing you can do there is sleep. Press the play button and let yourself be carried away by the Fall Asleep Track.

After a while you won't need it anymore. The mere act of lying in your bed will make you irresistibly asleep. And when you reach that state, sleep problems will be a thing of the past.

5- Adopt your favorite position and relax your jaw
Once you're comfortable, relax your jaw. When you're awake your jaw is always somewhat tensed, right? And even more so if you're stressed out, right? But what happens to it when you're into stages 3 and 4 of deep sleep? It's totally relaxed. So enter the relaxation stage by consciously relaxing your jaw. Let your mouth open slightly.

6- Let go
Let go of trying, let go of what happened during the day...

Don't force anything. Don't try to extinguish the thoughts, don't try to sleep. Just let yourself drift away. Thoughts might arise, but that's ok. It's like steam finding its way out. So let the thoughts come and let them go. Some days there'll be more thoughts, some days less, it doesn't matter.

Instead of focusing on them, listen how the pulses of the Fall Asleep Track progressively go slower and slower. Your brain will settle by syncing itself with the pulses without you having to do anything.