When you first start up a new game in Animal Crossing New Horizons, Tom Nook will be busy getting you acquainted with the basics of island life, including sleep. While you wait for your house to be built, you’ll need to live in a tent. After the first day of getting used to your new surroundings, you’ll be told to go to sleep. The problem is, it’s not entirely clear how to do this.

Sleeping in Animal Crossing New Horizons

Note: Actually going to sleep in Animal Crossing New Horizons only happens on this one occasion at the very beginning of the game. After this, following the steps laid out below will result in your character laying down on the bed but nothing happening. It is not possible to fast-forward time or skip to the next day.

That’s everything you need to know on how to sleep in Animal Crossing New Horizons. For more tips, tricks and guides, head over to our wiki or see more of our coverage on the game below.

  • Go inside your tent This will be wherever you chose to place it initially. Press X to open your inventory and select the green leaf icon. This should be your bed. When you have the green leaf item selected, a small speech bubble should appear indicating what the item is. Press A on the bed in your inventory and then press A again to place it in your tent. The bed will be placed directly in front of your character. You can move it around by walking over to it, pressing and holding A and then moving the left analog stick in the direction you want to move it. Walk into your bed to make your character climb on and go to sleep. Your character will close their eyes and you’ll wake up the next day ready to take on whatever Tom Nook tasks you with.

This will be wherever you chose to place it initially.

When you have the green leaf item selected, a small speech bubble should appear indicating what the item is.

The bed will be placed directly in front of your character. You can move it around by walking over to it, pressing and holding A and then moving the left analog stick in the direction you want to move it.

Your character will close their eyes and you’ll wake up the next day ready to take on whatever Tom Nook tasks you with.

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