The Scandinavian Sleep Method - could separate duvets help you sleep better?

What is the Scandinavian Sleep Method?

If you share a bed with your partner, chances are you’re used to having one double or king-size duvet. It’s a long-standing tradition, after all.

However, many couples are ditching the big duvet for something a little different - the Scandinavian Sleep Method. Rather than sharing one large cover, each person has their own single duvet, allowing them to sleep side by side without battling over the blankets.

It might sound like the ultimate sleep hack, but is there more to it than simply staying comfortable?

Dr Penelope Sheehan, a GP from Medical Express Clinic, UK, explains that the Scandinavian Sleep Method is common in Nordic countries and is now spreading in the UK.

“Couples choose it because a shared duvet forces two bodies to agree on one temperature, one tog, and one way of moving in the night,” she says. “Unless your preferences perfectly match, it usually results in suboptimal conditions for at least one of you.

“Most couples I see are not unhappy with each other, they are tired, and the shared duvet is one fixable cause.”

Dr Penelope Sheehan

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How can sharing a bed affect your sleep?

For some people, sharing a bed is such a familiar part of their routine that sleeping alone can take some getting used to. However, whether you struggle with your partner’s absence or welcome the extra space, sharing a bed can come with its own challenges. Snoring, restless movements, late-night phone use, and differences in preferred bedroom temperatures can all disrupt a good night’s sleep.

These disturbances can affect your sleep quality - including deep sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Both play important roles in physical recovery, memory, and overall wellbeing, making uninterrupted rest essential for waking up feeling refreshed.

“Sleep moves through light, deep, and REM stages in cycles,” says Sheehan. “Anything that wakes you, even briefly, can break a cycle and cut the time you spend in the deeper stages.

“Loud snoring can wake the snorer and the partner, and restless sleep movement may cause brief arousals in the other, which also fragments your sleep.”

She notes that late-night screen light from digital devices, such as your phone, can delay your body clock and make it harder to fall asleep. Content can also keep your mind alert, and later sleep onset can result in a groggy morning.

“A room that is too hot or too cold makes sleep lighter,” adds Sheehan. “REM sleep is particularly sensitive to heat, because your body is less able to regulate its temperature during REM.”

What are the benefits of the Scandinavian Sleep Method?

Poor sleep can affect your mood, stress levels, immunity, and appetite, while long-term sleep disruption is linked to an increased chance of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. It can also worsen exhaustion during perimenopause and menopause.

With these potential health impacts in mind, it’s little wonder the Scandinavian Sleep Method is gaining attention - particularly among younger couples looking to prioritise better sleep over tradition.

Sheehan explains that having separate duvets allows co-sleepers to tailor their environment to their individual needs.

“Each person has their own cover, so there is nothing to lose in the night,” says Sheehan. “A shared duvet pulls every time one person turns. Separate duvets cut this transmitted movement. A restless sleeper can move without dragging the covers off the other person.

“Accidental awakenings from cold, tugging, or a partner getting up are also less likely. We often do not remember these, but they still break up sleep.”

However, Sheehan notes that separate duvets cannot eliminate disturbances caused by noise or a shared mattress. While they can’t guarantee perfect sleep, they can eliminate a common source of nighttime disruption.

How to try the Scandinavian Sleep Method

Better sleep can have a positive impact on a couple’s relationship and intimacy. If sharing a bed is affecting your sleep quality, the Scandinavian Sleep Method could be worth trying before considering a more drastic step, such as a ‘sleep divorce’, where partners sleep in entirely separate beds.

“Tired people are short-tempered and have less energy for each other,” says Sheehan. “Well-rested people are kinder and have more interest in sex and affection.

“The worry I hear is that separate duvets feel distant, but this need not be the case. The aim is better sleep so you have more of yourself to give each other, not less time together.”

To help couples maintain intimacy while enjoying the benefits of separate duvets, Sheehan recommends a few simple measures.

These include the following.

• Go to bed together - even if one partner gets up later.

• Make time for cuddles and conversation - enjoy some closeness before settling under your own duvets.

• Keep physical affection part of your daily routine - whether that means holding hands, hugging, or simply sitting close.

• Frame it as a shared choice - focus on improving sleep rather than making either partner feel rejected.

• Keep intimacy on the agenda - having separate duvets doesn’t mean sacrificing sex or physical closeness.