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Sleeping with blinds open is pretty important for the next day. If you don't have any natural light then getting sunlight as early as possible helps.
If I do take melatonin, I don't take it past 1 AM... I feel like it messes up my circadian rhythm even worse if I do.
Melatonin[1][2] I just have to be careful about taking it too late, if I really need to be up the next morning. I find that when I take melatonin, I really need my full 8 hours (or more) of sleep, or I feel pretty groggy for quite a while after waking up. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melatonin [2]: http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/melatonin-overview
While still in bed, lay on your back and think of something you can 'see' (imagine it), anything as long as it's something that physically exists. For example: your car, a guitar, a chair. Imagine it and try to describe it to yourself in the best possible detail. 'My guitar is surf green, it's a Fender Carbonita, it has 22 frets, it has a maple neck, ...' Do this for five things.
Then move on to "things you can feel". Physically feel. For example, describe how your couch feels, how your blanket feels. Again, every little detail. Five times.
Then think of five things you can hear: not at that exact moment in your bed, but things you might have heard throughout the day. Something I think of often is the sound of a train arriving or leaving. Again, try to describe it to yourself in the best possible detail. Do this, again, five times.
Then start over at describing something you can 'see'. Do it four times, move on to feeling, 4 times, move on to hearing, 4 times. Then all over again, except this time 3 times. Then 2, then 1.
I have never made it past the first 5 descriptions of 'see'. I usually fall asleep after describing two objects to myself.
It might help you fall asleep.. Might not. Worth a try, perhaps?
First, I'll write down all my ideas, thoughts, etc. Even if just a few words, I think that action helps me brain turn off.
If I'm still awake, the big guns, I'll read a fiction book in another language. A few minutes of that and I'm exhausted. The kindle is great for that, because it's got an easy dictionary for looking up unknown words. Just make sure you're wearing orange tinted glasses or you're on a non-lit screen, otherwise the blue in the phone screen will wake you up further.
As someone who has always had issues sleeping I hope I can be of some help. I take 6mg of melatonin. Every night. I have found it allows me to fall asleep within a half hour instead of it taking two hours. Maintaining good sleep hygiene is often very helpful. Avoid blue light before going to bed. Physical activity and exercise are important. Try not to eat right before going to bed. When I am really stressed out and…
Another thing I experienced was when I cut out sugar and caffeine, I'd be able to fall asleep in almost any place. Again, that may only be my experiences.
If I'm really awake and don't want to go back to work I put on a movie onto the TV I've already watched a few times, ideally something a bit boring. Usually that makes me drift off.
There's also the more personal option I'm surprised no-one has mentioned yet. That tends to help the boys sleep at least.