Sleep together, yes, but not under the same sheets. As unlikely as it may seem, it is a deep-rooted tradition in some of the northernmost countries of our continent. This is the popular Nordic method, which consists of couples resting on the same mattress, but covering themselves with individual duvets. Although it has already been established for a long time in the coldest countries in Europe, this phenomenon is gaining more and more followers in the rest of the world. It may seem silly, but many of its practitioners claim to relax when they try it for the first time. “Although it is not the only one, it is true that it is a resource that can help improve the quality of sleep,” explains Carlos Egea, president of the Spanish Federation of Sleep Medicine Societies (Fesmes).
One of the reasons why it can help us improve sleep quality is temperature. According to Egea, “each person needs a different temperature to fall asleep. If the members of the couple sleep on separate duvets, each one will generate a comfort temperature that will adapt to what their body needs.” Anna Mäkinnen was born and lives in Helsinki. According to what she tells La Vanguardia, for her it is not a “method”, but rather a common sense practice. She has never slept otherwise. “My partner, for example, needs several duvets so he doesn't get cold while he sleeps. I, on the other hand, am much warmer. “If we had to sleep under the same amount of blankets, I wouldn’t be able to rest well.”
Such has been the phenomenon that some influencers with tens of thousands of followers have publicly joined the movement. Cecilia Blomdahl, with almost a million followers on Instagram and 2.7 million on TikTok, is one of them. In one post, Blomdahl, who lives on the island of Svalbard (the northernmost permanently inhabited place on the planet), showed in a reel the use of two individual duvets on her double bed. The same thing happened with TikToker Erica Stolman, who described it as “a pleasant surprise” after discovering it with her husband on a trip to Copenhagen. The video exceeded 3.5 million views.
Many of the detractors of this method claim that much of the physical contact between the members of the couple is lost. Anna, in response to these statements, states that “it has nothing to do with being more or less romantic. When you go to bed you have to be practical.” Pia K., of Norwegian origin, thinks the same. “In fact, I think it's much cozier to sleep on your own duvet than on a double-sized duvet.”
Caro Nieminen, also Finnish, also supports him. In addition to the temperature, according to her, “thefts and duvet pulling that end up waking you up at some point” are solved. At this point, Dr. Egea also points out that another important factor is that “part of the transfer of movements” is eliminated. Of course, not all of them, since the mattress, which in this case is the same, is also the cause of shaking that can wake us up in the middle of wakefulness.
“I am a person who wakes up easily when the other person is tossing and turning during the night, a lot during the night. Therefore, sleeping with two duvets helps me a lot to fall asleep better.” Sovi Koviu, also of Finnish origin, also highlights the practicality of having separate blankets. In fact, when asked about the “Nordic method”, he responds: “Oh, in the rest of the world people usually sleep with a double duvet? I have been amazed. Honestly, it's obvious to me that everyone has their own space in the bed!”
“The most important thing is to sleep and rest well to be in top condition the next day. Life expectancy depends on sleep time. Doing it outside the magic window, between seven and nine hours a day, is associated with lower longevity.” The president of Fesmes says that everything that contributes to improving rest is well received. According to the expert, the most important tips for maintaining a good rest are: having the room at a stable temperature – around 20 degrees, if possible –, having sufficient dark conditions and not eating a large dinner.
In addition, Egea also demystifies some of the popular sayings associated with sleep. “What our grandmothers told us, that of sleeping on sleep, is prohibited. "Problems must be left outside the room where we go to sleep, otherwise it will be very difficult to conceive sleep." In short, concludes the expert, “whether through the use of the Scandinavian method or following any of the other tips mentioned, what is clear is that when a couple notices that the bed interacts with the quality of sleep, they must act. And, the sofa option, despite being the easy resource, is clearly not the solution.”
