Going to bed is something we all do every night. People often use fun or clever phrases to talk about sleep. These phrases are called idioms. They help us say something in a more interesting or friendly way. Instead of just saying “go to sleep,” someone might say “hit the hay.” Idioms like this can make speaking and writing more lively and easier to relate to.
In this article, you will learn some common idioms people use when it’s time for bed. Each one has a simple meaning and clear examples. Understanding these idioms can help you know what others mean and also help you express yourself better. Let’s look at some of the most used idioms for bedtime.
Idioms for Going to Bed
1. Hit the hay
Meaning: To go to bed and sleep.
Sample Sentences: After a long day, I was ready to hit the hay. / She said goodnight and hit the hay early.
Other Way to Say: Go to sleep / Turn in for the night
2. Hit the sack
Meaning: To go to bed.
Sample Sentences: I’m tired, so I’m going to hit the sack. / He hit the sack after finishing his homework.
Other Way to Say: Go to bed / Call it a night
3. Turn in
Meaning: To go to bed.
Sample Sentences: It’s late, I think I’ll turn in now. / She turned in early to get enough rest.
Other Way to Say: Go to sleep / Go to bed
4. Catch some Z’s
Meaning: To get some sleep.
Sample Sentences: I need to catch some Z’s before school tomorrow. / He caught some Z’s after the long trip.
Other Way to Say: Sleep / Rest
5. Call it a night
Meaning: To stop activities and go to bed.
Sample Sentences: We should call it a night and get some rest. / After the movie, they called it a night.
Other Way to Say: Go to bed / Stop for the night
6. Crash
Meaning: To fall asleep quickly, often due to tiredness.
Sample Sentences: I was so tired I just crashed as soon as I got home. / He crashed on the couch after the game.
Other Way to Say: Fall asleep / Knock out
7. Sack out
Meaning: To go to sleep, especially quickly or deeply.
Sample Sentences: After the hike, she sacked out right away. / I sacked out before the movie even ended.
Other Way to Say: Sleep / Doze off
8. Nod off
Meaning: To start falling asleep, often unintentionally.
Sample Sentences: I nodded off during the boring movie. / He nodded off while reading his book.
Other Way to Say: Doze off / Fall asleep
9. Drift off
Meaning: To slowly fall asleep.
Sample Sentences: I drifted off while listening to soft music. / She drifted off after a long day.
Other Way to Say: Fall asleep / Doze
10. Turn down the covers
Meaning: To get ready for bed by preparing the blankets.
Sample Sentences: I turned down the covers and climbed in. / She turned down the covers before reading a book.
Other Way to Say: Prepare for bed / Get cozy
11. Lights out
Meaning: Time to go to sleep, usually when lights are turned off.
Sample Sentences: It’s lights out at 9 p.m. in the camp. / After lights out, the room was quiet.
Other Way to Say: Bedtime / Sleep time
12. Get some shut-eye
Meaning: To get some sleep.
Sample Sentences: I need to get some shut-eye before the test. / He got some shut-eye during the car ride.
Other Way to Say: Sleep / Rest
13. Sleep tight
Meaning: A way to wish someone a good night’s sleep.
Sample Sentences: Good night, sleep tight! / Mom said sleep tight before I went to bed.
Other Way to Say: Have a good sleep / Rest well
14. Go to dreamland
Meaning: To fall asleep and start dreaming.
Sample Sentences: I went to dreamland as soon as I closed my eyes. / After the story, he went to dreamland quickly.
Other Way to Say: Fall asleep / Enter sleep
15. Turn off the lights
Meaning: To prepare for bed by switching the lights off.
Sample Sentences: I turned off the lights and got ready to sleep. / She turned off the lights and snuggled in.
Other Way to Say: Get ready for bed / Prepare to sleep
16. Hit the pillow
Meaning: To go to bed and rest your head on the pillow.
Sample Sentences: I can’t wait to hit the pillow after today. / He hit the pillow and fell asleep fast.
Other Way to Say: Go to bed / Lie down
17. Crash out
Meaning: To fall asleep suddenly or deeply.
Sample Sentences: After the party, everyone crashed out on the floor. / She crashed out after the long day.
Other Way to Say: Fall asleep / Knock out
18. Sleep like a log
Meaning: To sleep very deeply and peacefully.
Sample Sentences: I slept like a log last night. / He was so tired, he slept like a log.
Other Way to Say: Sleep deeply / Sleep soundly
19. Get some rest
Meaning: To go to bed or relax to regain energy.
Sample Sentences: You should get some rest before tomorrow. / I’m going to get some rest now.
Other Way to Say: Sleep / Relax
20. Sack down
Meaning: To lie down to sleep.
Sample Sentences: After school, I sacked down for a quick nap. / She sacked down as soon as she got home.
Other Way to Say: Lie down / Go to bed
21. Catch forty winks
Meaning: To take a short nap or sleep.
Sample Sentences: I caught forty winks during the car ride. / He caught forty winks before dinner.
Other Way to Say: Nap / Rest briefly
22. Turn in for the night
Meaning: To go to bed for the night.
Sample Sentences: I’m tired, so I’m turning in for the night. / She turned in early to sleep well.
Other Way to Say: Go to bed / Sleep
23. Sleep it off
Meaning: To recover from tiredness or sickness by sleeping.
Sample Sentences: He needed to sleep it off after being sick. / I slept it off and felt better in the morning.
Other Way to Say: Recover with sleep / Rest
24. Go night-night
Meaning: A child-friendly way to say go to sleep.
Sample Sentences: It’s time to go night-night now. / The baby said “go night-night.”
Other Way to Say: Go to sleep / Bedtime
25. Hit the bed
Meaning: To go to bed to sleep.
Sample Sentences: After dinner, I hit the bed right away. / He hit the bed after the game.
Other Way to Say: Go to bed / Lie down
26. Snooze
Meaning: To sleep lightly or take a short rest.
Sample Sentences: I snoozed on the couch after lunch. / She took a quick snooze before school.
Other Way to Say: Nap / Rest
27. Catch some sleep
Meaning: To get some sleep.
Sample Sentences: I need to catch some sleep before the test. / He caught some sleep on the bus.
Other Way to Say: Sleep / Rest
28. Nod off to sleep
Meaning: To start falling asleep.
Sample Sentences: I nodded off to sleep while watching TV. / She nodded off during the story.
Other Way to Say: Doze off / Fall asleep
29. Go to the land of nod
Meaning: To fall asleep.
Sample Sentences: After the long day, I went to the land of nod quickly. / He went to the land of nod after reading.
Other Way to Say: Fall asleep / Sleep
30. Drop off to sleep
Meaning: To fall asleep slowly.
Sample Sentences: I dropped off to sleep listening to music. / She dropped off after reading a book.
Other Way to Say: Fall asleep / Drift off
31. Sleep like a baby
Meaning: To sleep very peacefully and without disturbance.
Sample Sentences: I slept like a baby last night. / He sleeps like a baby after playing outside.
Other Way to Say: Sleep soundly / Sleep deeply
32. Shut your eyes
Meaning: To close your eyes and go to sleep.
Sample Sentences: Shut your eyes and try to sleep now. / I shut my eyes and fell asleep quickly.
Other Way to Say: Close eyes / Go to sleep
33. Rest your head
Meaning: To lie down and prepare to sleep.
Sample Sentences: I rested my head on the pillow and fell asleep. / She rested her head and closed her eyes.
Other Way to Say: Lie down / Go to bed
34. Catch some rest
Meaning: To get some sleep or relax.
Sample Sentences: I’m going to catch some rest before the trip. / He caught some rest in the afternoon.
Other Way to Say: Sleep / Relax
35. Turn out the lights
Meaning: To switch off lights to prepare for bed.
Sample Sentences: Please turn out the lights before going to bed. / She turned out the lights and said goodnight.
Other Way to Say: Switch off lights / Get ready for bed
36. Take a nap
Meaning: To sleep for a short time during the day.
Sample Sentences: I took a nap after lunch. / She likes to take a nap in the afternoon.
Other Way to Say: Rest / Sleep briefly
37. Drop into bed
Meaning: To lie down in bed quickly.
Sample Sentences: I dropped into bed and fell asleep fast. / He dropped into bed after a long day.
Other Way to Say: Lie down / Go to bed
38. Doze off
Meaning: To fall asleep lightly.
Sample Sentences: I dozed off during the movie. / She dozed off while waiting.
Other Way to Say: Nod off / Sleep lightly
39. Get under the covers
Meaning: To go into bed and cover yourself with blankets.
Sample Sentences: I got under the covers to stay warm. / She got under the covers and read a book.
Other Way to Say: Get into bed / Snuggle up
40. Tuck in
Meaning: To get comfortable in bed, often with blankets tucked around you.
Sample Sentences: Mom tucked me in and kissed me goodnight. / He was tucked in and ready to sleep.
Other Way to Say: Get cozy / Get settled
41. Sleep off
Meaning: To recover by sleeping, often from tiredness or sickness.
Sample Sentences: I slept off my cold after a good night’s rest. / She slept off the tiredness after the game.
Other Way to Say: Recover with sleep / Rest
42. Hit the blankets
Meaning: To go to bed.
Sample Sentences: I’m exhausted and ready to hit the blankets. / He hit the blankets after the long day.
Other Way to Say: Go to bed / Sleep
43. Go to bed early
Meaning: To go to sleep earlier than usual.
Sample Sentences: I have a big day tomorrow, so I’m going to bed early. / She goes to bed early to feel rested.
Other Way to Say: Sleep early / Turn in early
44. Get your beauty sleep
Meaning: To sleep enough to feel good and look rested.
Sample Sentences: Make sure you get your beauty sleep before the party. / I need to get my beauty sleep tonight.
Other Way to Say: Sleep well / Rest enough
45. Drift into slumber
Meaning: To fall into a deep and peaceful sleep.
Sample Sentences: I drifted into slumber quickly after the story. / She drifted into slumber after a long day.
Other Way to Say: Fall asleep / Sleep peacefully
46. Nod off to dreamland
Meaning: To start falling asleep and dreaming.
Sample Sentences: I nodded off to dreamland while listening to music. / She nodded off to dreamland after saying goodnight.
Other Way to Say: Fall asleep / Dream
47. Go lights out
Meaning: To go to sleep, often with lights turned off.
Sample Sentences: It’s time to go lights out and rest. / After lights out, the room was quiet.
Other Way to Say: Sleep / Bedtime
48. Take to bed
Meaning: To lie down in bed to rest or sleep.
Sample Sentences: I took to bed after feeling sick. / She took to bed early last night.
Other Way to Say: Go to bed / Rest
49. Curl up in bed
Meaning: To get comfortable by curling your body in bed.
Sample Sentences: I curled up in bed with a blanket and fell asleep. / She curled up in bed after a cold day.
Other Way to Say: Get cozy / Lie down
50. Doze off to sleep
Meaning: To begin falling asleep lightly.
Sample Sentences: I dozed off to sleep while watching the stars. / He dozed off to sleep in the afternoon.
Other Way to Say: Nod off / Sleep lightly
51. Go to sleep tight
Meaning: To sleep well and peacefully.
Sample Sentences: Good night, go to sleep tight! / I hope you go to sleep tight tonight.
Other Way to Say: Sleep well / Rest soundly
52. Rest easy
Meaning: To sleep without worries or stress.
Sample Sentences: I rested easy after finishing my homework. / She rested easy knowing everything was done.
Other Way to Say: Sleep peacefully / Rest well
53. Lay down to sleep
Meaning: To lie down with the purpose to sleep.
Sample Sentences: I laid down to sleep after a long day. / She laid down to sleep as soon as she got home.
Other Way to Say: Go to bed / Lie down
54. Snooze off
Meaning: To fall asleep for a short time.
Sample Sentences: I snoozed off during the car ride. / She snoozed off after lunch.
Other Way to Say: Nap / Doze off
55. Hit the haystack
Meaning: To go to bed to sleep.
Sample Sentences: After the long day on the farm, he hit the haystack. / She was ready to hit the haystack and sleep.
Other Way to Say: Go to bed / Sleep
Multiple Choice Quiz: Idioms for Going to Bed
1. What does “hit the hay” mean?
A. Work hard on a farm
B. Go to bed
C. Watch a movie in bed
2. If someone says, “I need to catch some Z’s,” what do they plan to do?
A. Read a book
B. Go to sleep
C. Go for a walk
3. What does it mean when someone says, “I crashed on the couch”?
A. They spilled something
B. They fell asleep quickly
C. They broke the couch
4. If your mom says, “It’s lights out,” what does she mean?
A. The power went off
B. It’s bedtime
C. The TV is broken
5. What does “doze off” mean?
A. Take a shower
B. Fall asleep without planning
C. Look out the window
6. What does it mean to “turn in” for the night?
A. Do your homework
B. Put toys away
C. Go to bed
7. If someone “sleeps like a log,” what are they doing?
A. Sleeping very deeply
B. Sleeping outside
C. Moving a lot in bed
8. What does “tuck in” usually mean?
A. Eat dinner
B. Get wrapped in bed with a blanket
C. Play with toys
9. If someone is “out cold,” what are they doing?
A. Sleeping deeply
B. Feeling cold
C. Playing in the snow
10. What does it mean to “call it a night”?
A. Say good night to everyone
B. Stop what you’re doing and go to sleep
C. Turn off your flashlight
11. If your dad says he needs to “get some shut-eye,” what is he planning to do?
A. Wear sunglasses
B. Take a nap or sleep
C. Watch a show
12. What does “catch the sandman” mean?
A. Catch a ball
B. Start dreaming
C. Watch cartoons
Answer Key
1. B – Go to bed
2. B – Go to sleep
3. B – They fell asleep quickly
4. B – It’s bedtime
5. B – Fall asleep without planning
6. C – Go to bed
7. A – Sleeping very deeply
8. B – Get wrapped in bed with a blanket
9. A – Sleeping deeply
10. B – Stop what you’re doing and go to sleep
11. B – Take a nap or sleep
12. B – Start dreaming
Scoring Guide
- 12 Correct Answers: Love Idiom Master!
You really understand bedtime idioms well! - 8–11 Correct Answers: Well on your way to understanding love idioms.
You’re doing great just a little more practice and you’ll be a master! - 4–7 Correct Answers: Room for improvement, but you’re getting there!
You’re learning, and that’s what matters. Keep it up! - 0–3 Correct Answers: Let’s explore the world of love idioms together.
No worries learning takes time. Go back and review the idioms. You’ll improve soon!
Conclusion
Many people use idioms when talking about going to bed. These phrases help make everyday speech more fun and easier to understand. Learning them can help you understand what others mean and also help you speak in new ways.
Now that you know these bedtime idioms, try using them in your own conversations. It’s a simple way to make your language more interesting while still being clear.
