Hit the hay

Origin

Imagine a time before spring mattresses and memory foam, when a good night's sleep often meant collapsing onto a simple mattress filled with straw or hay. This humble bedding was a common sight, especially in rural homes and stables. When the long day's work was done, weary individuals would quite literally "hit" or fall onto their hay-stuffed beds, the impact a familiar signal that it was time to rest. This direct, physical action eventually gave birth to the idiom, transforming a literal description into a beloved, folksy shorthand for going to bed, capturing the simplicity and exhaustion of turning in for the night.