End the nightly doona dispute with your partner by embracing the Scandinavian sleeping method

When couples share a bed, it’s pretty much guaranteed that one of them will wind up hogging the covers, whether they mean to or not. Even couples who look like they were made for each other can find themselves in a little bedtime tug-of-war.

However, there’s a super easy fix for this blanket battle, and it’s spreading like wildfire thanks to a viral TikTok video. Popular social media influencer Erica Stolman Dowdy recently spilled the beans to her followers about the Scandinavian Sleep Method (also known as the Copenhagen Sleep Method).

In the video, Dowdy is seen changing her bedsheets with one important difference. Instead of using just one larger doona, she places down two smaller single doonas.

The Scandinavian Sleep Method is popular in Scandinavian countries such as Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. Perhaps due to the cold climate, it is common in these countries for couples to sleep using individual doonas in the same bed.

@ericastolmandowdy the Scandinavian sleep method is an absolute game changer. 10/10 recommend ☁️ #scandinaviansleepmethod #danishdesign #danishinterior ♬ original sound – Erica Stolman Dowdy

Reception to the Scandinavian Sleep Method has been quite positive amongst adoptees. Dowdy herself said that “the Scandinavian sleep method is an absolute game changer. 10/10 recommend”.

“Once you sleep with two comforters… you will NEVER go back to only one!!!” one user claimed.

“Not me realizing I sleep with the Copenhagen method already and my husband and I LOVE it.”

“My husband is from Germany and we’ve always done this, my favorite way to make the bed is to fold each twin and turn it sideways, fits perfect,” commented another.

“Ohhh that’s such a great idea!”

“Legit started doing this last year and it is a GAME CHANGER. No more “empty space” of cold air creeping in the middle of the bed.”

According to the Sleep Foundation, the Scandinavian Sleep Method comes with a host of benefits. Firstly, it allows couples to control their own body temperatures.

Some people naturally have a warmer body temperature than others. Everyone also has a preferred temperature that they find most comfortable to sleep at. Having two doonas allows both people to maintain a comfortable temperature without impacting the other.

Someone who wants to be warmer can cover themselves in their duvet. Someone who wants to be cooler can sleep with a lighter blanket or drape their doona over only part of their body and get better airflow.

This has the flow-on effect of minimising sleep disruptions. Changes in temperature or the doona being pulled away can cause people who are more sensitive sleepers to wake up at night. The Scandinavian Sleeping Method naturally prevents either of those things from happening.

Last but not least, the Scandinavian Sleep Method allows couples to continue co-sleeping without letting their differences in sleeping habits cause conflict between them. Two duvets are cheaper than two beds and most people don’t want to have to sleep in a different bed from their partner.

The Scandinavian Sleep Method is only one technique for ensuring a better night’s sleep. People who are still experiencing sleeping difficulties may also want to consider the position that they sleep in.

When it comes to sleep it’s not only how you sleep that’s important, it’s also the quality of sleep you are getting each night.

Quality sleep helps your body repair and recover, enhances memory and mood, boosts energy levels, and promotes brain development and cardiac function.

However, as we age, our sleep patterns often change, and it becomes more common to experience difficulty falling and staying asleep.

Sleep Expert Carmel Harrington, who has a PhD in Sleep Medicine recently explained to Starts at 60 that “from around the age of 20, deep sleep decreases continuously and in old age makes up only about 10 per cent of our total sleep time.”

If you are finding it difficult to get a proper night’s sleep each night there are a number of supposed remedies to help someone fall asleep faster and deeper, but if counting sheep isn’t doing the trick then Harrington suggests some enjoyable and “mentally stimulating” activities to help you drift off come bedtime.

“A great thing to take up is dancing – it is a physical and mental challenge and is lots of fun! And having fun is important when it comes to sleep,” she said.

“It’s important as we age, to continue to exercise regularly and refrain from sleeping during the day. A 20-minute nap is ok, but definitely no longer.”

Harrington also extols the virtues of routine and establishing healthy habits to improve the quality of sleep.

Some of Harrington’s Do’s and Dont’s for ensuring healthy sleeping habits include:

DO:

• Get up at the same time every day.
• Exercise for at least 20 minutes per day (a walk at lunchtime is good)
• Make sure you deal with the issues of the day during the day and not when you get into bed. In the early evening, spend no more than 20 minutes writing events of the day that are of concern along with potential solutions. Close the book and put it away.