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Awake for hours every night before I can fall asleep, how can I quiet my mind??

I got sleepy tonight around 9:30 PM, so I thought it would be easy for me to fall asleep. Normally if I fall asleep that early I'm back up around 3 or 4 so I chose to wait until 12, so I could wake up comfortably at 8 once my family is awake (so I won't have to tip toe around). I barely made it to 12, I was so sleepy I just about dozed the whole time. I went to the bathroom right around 12 so I wouldn't be disturbed during the night and BAM the music started up.

I am a music composer, and music consumes the majority of what I do and think about in life. This becomes a serious problem at night, because music that I've worked on or listened to throughout the day continuously repeats in my head over and over. I tried thinking to myself in an effort to quiet down my mind "be quiet, be still be quiet" but it keeps on playing. If it's not music it's repetitive thoughts and sometimes both simultaneously. I lay awake for so many hours frustrated and sometimes really sleepy but just not falling asleep. Sad to see the sun come up before I can get any rest. I can't stop writing music, my career is just beginning to take off. Is there anything I can do to stop this? Aside from medication please!
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973741 tn?1342342773
So, what about a compromise of when to go to bed such as 11?  If you end up waking an hour earlier, that is not awful (as a mom, I get a ton done quietly before my family wakes up and I need to give them attention).  Then what about making sure you are practicing good sleep hygiene.  Meaning, not over eating before bed, keeping a cool and room that is not chaotic (cleaned up), then doing some mind cooling off with something like meditation?  Reading a book that is soothing, etc.  Also, exercise during the day is really important for good sleep at night.  Don't work on or listen to music past say 6:00 at night (like me with caffeine).  And you can tell your brain to be quiet.  Music starts, you say "quiet" and think about lists of things you have to do instead.  (that always tires me out).  
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Wow that's actually fantastic advice, I'll definitely give this a try thank you!
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