Is there a prayer to say before going to sleep?

yes — a prayer asking forgiveness for the day’s mistakes, or simply the name of your iṣṭa-devatā, is traditional.

A widely used night prayer is “Karacaraṇa-kṛtaṁ vāk-kāyajaṁ karmajaṁ vā…”, traditionally attributed to Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, which asks Śiva to forgive faults done by hands, feet, speech, body, ears, eyes or mind, knowingly or unknowingly. Others recite a few lines of the Hanumān Chālīsā, the Rāma-rakṣā, or simply “Rāma, Rāma” or “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while falling asleep.

The spirit is to close the day honestly: notice where you went wrong, let it go, and hand yourself to God’s care for the night. It is a gentle antidote to lying awake replaying worries.

With children, a short story from the Rāmāyaṇa or a simple “Bhagavān, please keep everyone safe” is enough. Keep it soft and short — the goal is peace, not another task.

Prayer: “Karacaraṇa-kṛtaṁ…” (kṣamā-prārthanā) · Source: traditional attribution to Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

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