For the end of the day
Calming bedtime quotes for a quiet mind.
Night is when unfinished thoughts tend to get loud. These quotes are gentle permission to set the day down, let tomorrow wait, and rest.
Read one of these as you turn the lights down, or send one to someone you love as a goodnight message. They are short on purpose: the goal is to settle, not to think harder.
If you are lying awake with worries, the wind-down routine further down can help, and the quotes for anxiety page has more for racing thoughts.
For letting the day go
You do not have to solve your whole life tonight. Just be here, for this breath.
Night is not the time for big decisions. Whatever is unsolved will still be solvable in the morning, usually more easily.
You can meet tomorrow when it arrives. Tonight belongs to rest.
Tomorrow will come with its own energy. Let tonight be for recovering, not rehearsing.
Let today be small. A glass of water. A little light. One kind thought.
Not every day has to be big. Ending gently is enough.
For peace before sleep
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.— Psalm 4:8, King James Bible
An ancient evening prayer about feeling safe enough to rest, still said at bedtime by many people today.
Let this moment be ordinary. Ordinary moments are often the safest place to rest.
Nothing dramatic needs to happen tonight. A quiet, ordinary evening is a good place to land.
Make the next minute kinder than the last.
If the day was hard, you can still end it gently. One small kindness to yourself is enough direction.
Short goodnight messages to send
Some days are for growing. Some days are for gathering yourself back together.
A kind goodnight for someone who has had a draining day. Both kinds of days matter.
Rest well. You did enough today.
Simple and warm. Often the thing people most need to hear at night.
You have survived every version of the day that has already passed.
A gentle reminder that tomorrow is another day you are capable of meeting.
A gentle ten-minute wind-down
- Dim the lights and put your phone face down or in another room.
- Write tomorrow's first task on paper, so your mind doesn't have to hold onto it.
- Breathe slowly: in through your nose for four, hold for a moment, out through your mouth for six.
- Read one quote from this page, then let your eyes close. If thoughts come, let them pass like clouds.
If you are struggling right now: these quotes are not medical or crisis support. In Australia you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7) or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. In an emergency call 000. Outside Australia, please contact your local emergency number or a local crisis line.
Quotes without a name are original to Calm Down Quotes. Older quotes list their source; translations vary.