Some time after my first kid was born all my sleepig problems were gone. When my second came - it worked even better..I highly recommend such remedy to any sleepwalker :-P

I've sleeping problems way too often, and have come to the conclusion that if you can't sleep, you can't sleep. Hence I start doing stuff (GOG forums, video games, youtube, reading, eating, whatever that's not studying or other stressful stuff) until I either start feeling like sleeping, or it's morning and I have to go somewhere. Reach an inner peace with it, and it'll help with the falling asleep as well. Ta det lugnt. Mine seems to be genetics though, and I hear it'll only get worse.

If you just lie in bed trying to sleep (without any luck) for 9 hours, you're going to be really tired and angry, at least in my experience.

To use the old joke: "I sleep like a baby: wake up every few hours crying loudly, and pee my pants."

Nah, normally I sleep quite tight (max 6-7 hours, but that's deep sleep), but if I have something on my mind, that can keep me awake. Something stressing me out, like things I should have done at the work the day before, or something "bad" waiting at work for the next day etc.

So to offer myself good night's sleep, I try to make sure I feel comfortable leaving my work the day before. Even if there is something still to be done, at least I can tell myself "At least I tried my best". And then I fall asleep in a second. :)

Oh yeah, and try to do something relaxing before you go to sleep. Arguing on internet or playing competitively online just before you go to sleep is a bad idea. Rather, watch some boring TV series, listen to your mother on the phone, play a bit of Baldur's Gate, maybe do a bit of relaxing stretching one hour before going to sleep, etc.

when i want to sleep i read a little
after a few pages i suddenly realise how tired i feel
by the time i turn of my lamp i am most of the time half asleep already

I try very hard not to think when I'm in bed. No thoughts except myself sleeping comfortably. I'm not sure how well that's going to work out, but I've been trying it for a bit because my thinking seems to be what keeps me up the latest.

I discover that the real cure for insomnia is sleep deprivation. I then spend the next 15-18 hours trying to discover the cure for narcolepsy, before I give in.

Same, but opposite order ;)

This, but substitute ocean noises with anything by The Orb, or Iron Maiden's 7th Son of a 7th Son album :)

This.

I'm a big fan of tool-assisted speedruns; a lot of the time when I'm trying to relax enough to fall asleep, I'll put one on.

Especially those for long games that are finished in around five minutes. Here's looking at you, Super Mario 64 and TES3: Morrowind!

But why falling asleep when watching them? :-) Ah, I know, you leave the sound on so you hear some different noises and can relax that way. Clever!

I generally prop my laptop on my chest and watch some Let's Play's.

I watch a movie or TV show or hang out at this forum.

Podcasts.

Write down whatever is bothering me (no puzzling), watch tv/browse internet until dozy.
Better is prevention (get to sleep at regular hours)