How to fall asleep fast everytime

Your mind is racing and you can't seem to get it to stop, but you don't want to become addicted to those sleeping pills they are always talking about, so how do you cope? Not being able to fall asleep is a problem that we all face from time to time. Here are some simple home solutions to help you fall asleep at night.
Steps
Practice good "sleep hygiene". Get yourself ready for sleep by relaxing a few hours before bedtime -- take a warm bath, drink some warm milk or herbal tea (decaf only). You should also sniff lavender. Drinking a glass of warm milk (with a teaspoon of honey if you'd like) before bed is a traditional solution for falling asleep. Just be sure to brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste before bed-- the sugar in milk and honey can cause tooth decay, especially if your mouth dries out at night. Try a two-week regimen to get your body into the habit. Make notes if you discover patterns of sleep or going to bed that work. For some people, sleep can be highly ritualistic...cultivate the rituals that produce your best sleep experiences. (If you don't like the taste of plain warm milk, try it by making hot chocolate with warm milk instead of water)
Make sure you have a comfortable bed in which you can get a good night's sleep. Buy a decent mattress. A mattress is worth more than you think, considering you use it every night, so don't hold back! If you're too hot or cold, add or remove blankets until comfortable. Adjust the temperature so it is cooler than usual, but not too cold. Make sure to stock up on blankets if you do this.
Read. Reading will help the mind focus on only one thing, instead of racing about the day's activities. Make it something calming rather than an exciting thriller novel. Fairy tales or nonfiction would be good choices. If you do read, it is recommended that you read with a low light on. This way your eyes will get used to the darkness and it makes it easier to fall asleep.
Adjust the lights to a level you are comfortable with. For optimal results, a pitch black room with no lights helps you sleep better through the night. If you have an alarm clock that is lighting up half the room as you try to sleep, turn it around or turn it off. Most cell phones have an alarm on them, so you can use that instead of a bright, bulky alarm clock. If you must have mild illumination in your bedroom (e.g. glowing face of digital clock, night light), remember that red wavelengths of light generally are not as disruptive to sleep cycles as blue or green wavelengths. If you need to sleep during the day, use eye covers.
Get into a comfortable position, loosen any tight restrictive clothing. Position yourself comfortably on your back in bed, with your arms by your side. If you are uncomfortable with any way your body feels on the bed, correct it immediately, e.g., your body's weight on your arm is too strong, or your hip feels awkward--change position quickly until you're completely comfortable.
Practice deep breathing. If you're having trouble trying to sleep, try a deep breathing exercise. For example, lie on your back in bed and breath in deeply for three counts, watching your stomach rise, and then breathe out for three counts. Do this for about ten minutes and then switch so you're lying on your right, and repeat the breathing process. Another way to go about doing it is:
Take a deep breath, hold it for as long as you can and then let it all the way out. Force all the air out as you relax. Repeat.
Start breathing normally, relax and feel the air entering your lungs.
Focus your attention on the air coming in, and pay attention when it changes direction, and as you exhale.
Close your eyes, count each breath as you inhale and then relax as you exhale all the bad toxins out of your system. Most people will fall asleep before they reach the count of 20.
Pray or meditate. Whatever is on your mind is probably there for a reason. When you pray, talk to the deity of your choice about what is racing through your mind, and give the situation over to that deity. If meditating, visualize yourself addressing your thoughts and resolving them. Or, meditate on a calming word or phrase. As you do so, it helps you to lower your heart rate and relax your muscles, making it easier for you to lay down and fall asleep. Many times this will work because you no longer have that burden on your mind and you can relax enough to fall asleep.
Consider over-the-counter drugs.
There is an over-the-counter drug called melatonin that can help. (Note: Melatonin is a hormone and has a larger role than sleep initiation. A reduction in melatonin levels causes the body to initiate puberty, if melatonin levels stay high puberty will be delayed. It is not for use by children, teenagers, or pregnant or lactating women. If you have any disorder at all or are on medication consult a physician before taking melatonin.) Melatonin may help you fall asleep if you take it at the same time each day before you go to sleep. As we age, melatonin levels decrease so melatonin may be more helpful from an age related perspective. Some people may find taking melatonin in a "staged" manner helpful: take half a melatonin tablet before going to bed, and the remaining half if you awaken in the middle of the night.
Valerian, an over the counter herbal, may also be considered. Valerian has mild sedative effects and is generally safe for most people and appears not to cause grogginess upon awakening. However, some herbal literature indicates that if used for a period longer than about a week, the herb can have the opposite effects. Other herbal sleep/ relaxant aids to consider are: Lemon Balm, Chamomile, Hops, and Kava Kava. Talk with someone who has experience with these herbs or do some research.
Unisom is highly effective (and non-addictive), just make sure you have a full eight hours to sleep. Unisom and Sominex have the same active ingredient as Benadryl, but Benadryl (an antihistamine)is cheaper (especially generic). While Benadryl isn't addictive, it can slow you down the next morning by making you feel groggy-headed. Look for natural sleep aids sold in health-food stores before trying Unisom.
Count as high as you can. This makes your mind focus on one easy thing.
Think of something you like. This makes you calm. This also gets your mind away from distractions of life. You may also have a good dream.
Start the habit of using your bed only for sleeping. Do not read, play video games, etc. because then your body will be used to doing those things while in bed and make you more awake.
Get a picture of sheep on a field. The picture must contain as many sheep as possible. Try counting all of the sheep in a dim light.
Another way to fall asleep is to sing a song in your head. Pick a song that you know very well and sing all of the lyrics in your head. If that doesn't work, act like you are typing the lyrics on an imaginary keyboard. Or, if you know sign language, you can sign all of the lyrics. The song I always use is the extended version of "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". It's easy to remember and easy to fall asleep to. Pick a song that you know every word to and you are familiar with.
Another way to fall asleep is to think about a story in your head. Make it light and happy like a fairy tale, you can make it up. (Suggested) and what really helps is to picture the story in your mind. This may or may not help but do try it if you are having trouble falling to sleep.
Wake up in the middle of the night? Every time you wake up. I suggest reading three to five pages of a good book every time you wake. You should breethe using the exercises. Think of happy thoughts or count to 30 with your eyes closed, re-think about one of your favorite T.V show scenes, eyes still closed.

Tips
Count. As high as you can. Try not to think at all while you do this. You mind will get bored and fall asleep.
Picture a water fall. It is very calming and you will fall asleep quickly.
Pretend that you are floating on a river. Look up and see the blue sky and feel the water below you.
Imagine your perfect room. What would it look like? What color is it? What's in it? Imagine yourself lying in it. Why is it so relaxing to you? Imagining yourself in this perfect room focuses your mind on relaxation.[A sleep therapist introduced this technique to me.]
As much as you can, try to stay in bed with your eyes closed, even if you are not actually sleeping. You will drift in-and-out of sleep even if you do not realize it. As a result, you will be more relaxed in the long run.
Relax by imagining a wave of comfort start from your feet and slowly work this 'wave' up your body. The process should take about 10 minutes.
Do pranayama like 'Anulom-Vilom' i.e. take a deep breath with one nostril closed and exhale with the one which was closed during the inhalation, however during this time close the other nostril.Repeat the same with other nostril. Do this 60 times (at least 15 minutes) and you will feel very relaxed.
Starting from the very tips of your toes, imagine yourself sinking into the mattress. In your mind, begin to "acknowledge" everything around you that all your senses are experiencing. For example: Say to yourself (not out loud), "I hear the clock ticking. I smell the lotion I just applied to my hands. I feel my legs' weight on the bed. I hear my spouse/partner breathing. I see different shades of black. I hear the dog barking in the distance. I hear myself in my own mind talking.", etc. This should help to clear your mind by slowly acknowledging everything and subsequently dismissing it. Stay on your back, sunk into the mattress until you feel it is time to roll into your desired position.
Other foods that will help you fall asleep are: Cheese, Mustard, Pickles, Lettuce, Turkey. They have natural chemicals that work with your brain to send a 'calm' message over your body.
Some people believe that eating protein-enriched foods as a snack will help slow the mind so it can focus on sleeping. So a small pack of nuts or trail mix would be helpful.
Many people find tryptophan (available in health food stores) to be a safe and reasonably effective sleep aid, probably due to its ability to increase brain levels of serotonin and/or melatonin
You can also pick up a dreaming CD from various websites. If you plan on listening to music while you sleep, you can also try listening to the softer songs of your favorite band. If you have trouble blocking out sounds around you (especially in an apartment building) then wear a set of earbud headphones to bed with some language tapes running. Listening to the language tapes provides you with a soothing voice that is talking in a very mellow tone and has the bonus of reinforcing your knowledge of the language while you sleep.
Do mathematical calculations in your mind, for example, think of two or three digit numbers and add them up in your mind.
A messy room will distract most people, and it can make you feel uncomfortable. If you have time, consider cleaning your room before trying to get to bed. Having a clean room can be calming when trying to fall asleep.
Lavender is well known for its sleep inducing qualities. Try a lavender neck pillow,or a few drops of essential oil on your pillow slip.
Exercise during the late afternoon. Go for a jog or to the gym. The aftereffects of the chemicals in your body released during the workout will get you through the evening. It's much easier to fall asleep if you've done something active since it's much easier to go to sleep when you're exhausted or tired than just sitting at home with all your energy from food you ate.
If you have noisy neighbors, consider buying a white noise machine, or leaving the fan on in the bathroom to drown out the irregular beats of their music, televisions, late night arguments, etc. If that doesn't work, don't underestimate the power of earplugs... Just make sure you can still hear your alarm!
Sometimes, it's easier to go to sleep with some lights on if you wear a sleeping mask.
Tense all your leg muscles. Inhale slowly. Relax and exhale slowly. Repeat about seven times.
Do not watch t.v. to help you go to sleep. The lights and the noise can make you stay awake for an hour or more.
Do not exercise before going to bed. This will get your adrenaline going, your heart pumping, and speed up your respiratory system. Those things will make it very hard to fall asleep.
The most important part of your body that should be relaxed (and the one that almost everyone overlooks) is your tongue. When you notice it, you'll find that it is invariably plastered against the roof of your mouth or up against your front teeth. Make a conscious effort to relax your tongue, jaw, and face along with the rest of your body. You'll be surprised how quickly you fall asleep!
Some people with an over-active mind when falling asleep may find it easier to think up of a story to play over in your mind. This distracts the sleeper enough to fall asleep quickly.
Sleep is just a lowered state of consciousness. Get to that state faster by not thinking. The easiest way to do this is to focus on the color black you "see" when you close your eyes. Deflect any other thought that arrives, as it will hinder your ability to focus on black. It is a difficult task initially, but if you can stick to it, you'll be asleep within 2-3 minutes.
Listen to an audio tape very quietly or just loud enough for you to catch words or hear what is going on.
Picture your ideal fantasy and try to play it out in your head.
Be sure you have closed your eyes. Research has proven that if you don't close your eyes, it would be more difficult for you to fall asleep.
Eat a banana or two before bed. The magnesium in the banana will help your muscles to relax.
Cover up the display or turn around an alarm clock, so you lose the perception of time. If you can't sleep and you see the hours going by, it can stress you out by thinking that you have to sleep ASAP.
Try a number of things until you figure out what works.

Warnings
If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.
If you are reading this, it is very likely it is late at night and you can't fall asleep. After you read this, go immediatly to sleep, or if you absolutely cannot fall asleep, (if possible) turn the brightness of your computer down. Most labtops have this setting.
Making your bed every morning will aid in not having to fight with your blanket every night.
Don't force sleep. Don't think "must sleep, or I'm going to be a wreck tomorrow". While that may be true, worrying about it is not going to make you sleep. Concentrate on something else. Also, if you can't fall asleep after about 15 minutes, get up and do something quiet and relaxing until you feel sleepy.
Don't strain your eyes by trying to read or count in light that is too dim. It has been proven that this cannot actually cause permanent damage to ones eyes, but it can make them sore for the time being, and pain will more than likely give you one more thing to think about.
Do NOT get on the internet late at night if you can't sleep - this will only make you more awake.

Things You'll Need

Comfortable mattress
A relaxed mind
A fluffy pillow
Eyes to close
Sleeping mask (optional)
A quiet environment
A blanket
Pajamas
Steady sound if other noise is present