>The downsides are that I have trouble sleeping unassisted, as I'll just lay in bed thinking til the sun comes up, and also have trouble staying focused on movies or even conversation, as my mind will be elsewhere.

I'm the exact same way. Podcasts are a godsend. The trick is finding one that's just interesting enough to keep your attention, while simultaneously being just boring enough to fall asleep to. I find that really dry, technical historical lectures work great.