How can I persuade my "monkey mind" to let me fall asleep?

I always have insomniac tendencies but lately I’m finding it impossible to fall asleep. Tired all day and when I hit the pillow, my brain jumps to life. It’s been 1 or 2 until I can fall asleep and sometimes I have to resort to meds. Rather than major behavioral changes (I know those drills), I am looking right now for techniques for quieting an over-active brain at bedtime. Your thoughts?

(Putting this in General and I will flag derailments or put-downs.)