Are there any methods that help one fall asleep faster?

Usually a banana before bed is meant to calm the stomach, and it helps with the process of sleeping faster. As told by jRev, warm milk is apparently meant to help as well, but I haven't tried so I wouldn't know.

I've been having trouble sleeping recently; my pattern is all messed up right now. Shift work is just asking for something like this to happen. Usually I find myself staying up all night and lasting all day just to change my sleeping pattern around, but that doesn't always work.

I also have a certain position which I need to lay in otherwise I can't sleep. This happens with my friend, so I don't think it's uncommon. If you can't find a conformtable position to sleep in you're definitely going to have problems.

Jam it back in, in the dark.