As I Lay Me Down to Sleep: The History (Part 1 of Series)

We’re excited to launch a new blog series this month called “As I Lay Me Down to Sleep” - a follow-up to our recent post unpacking the tools behind getting the best rest. While a comfortable bed pillow makes all the difference when setting yourself up for a night of sweet dreaming, there’s quite a bit more that goes into play!

To kick off the series, we’re exploring the the history behind the bedtime prayer “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” - a childhood favorite and well-known classic. While many of us have heard or seen the words before, the root of the prayer is a bit more mysterious and unknown. We decided if we’re going to be titling an entire blog series after the famed rhyme, it was imperative to explore its roots first.

While it’s fairly impossible to trace the popular poem back to its earliest version, it is thought to have originated in the 18th century from the English poet Joseph Addison. The first time it was shared was in March of 1711 where it appeared in the daily paper “The Spectator” as the following:

“When I lay me down to Sleep,
I recommend my self to His care;
when I awake,
I give my self up to His Direction, Amen.”

Throughout the years, the poem has taken on various forms and words, but the most traditionally used and recognized version is:

“Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
If I should die before I 'wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.”

While the words have shifted and changed throughout the years, the message remains the same: a plea for good rest and rejuvenation over the night... which is something we can all get behind! We're excited to dive into various topics of rest over the next several weeks and look forward to hearing the feedback of all our pillow fans along the way!