, What does it Mean to ‘Hit the Sack’ and Where did this Idiom Come From?

This phrase is synonymous with ‘Hit the Hay’ which has also originated from the same scenario.

To hit the sack or to hit the hay means to go to bed, to go to sleep.

In this expression, sack and hay both refer to simple beds. In olden times, about 300 years ago, it was usual for the less privileged people to get a bed made up of a simple sack or bag filled with rough pieces of cloth and hay inside. These sacks of hay would serve as a bed for them which has given us the expressions ‘hit the sack’ and ‘hit the hay’ for going to bed.

For example —

“I am exhausted from all day’s work. I am going to hit the sack.

I am very tired so I am going to sleep.

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Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.