The Scandinavian Sleep Method Might "Save Your Marriage"

Experts swear that one of the major keys to good health is good sleep. Easier said than done, right?

Take a couple middle of the night wakings thanks to our lovely children and a brain that won’t shut off from anxiety — plus a snoring spouse and comforter wars — and forget about counting sheep and a wonderful R.E.M cycle. I don’t think I’ve had a good night’s sleep since 2019 if we’re being honest here.

Instead of melatonin and white noise turned up to max volume, one TikTok user swears that her sleep quality was forever changed after using the Scandinavian sleep method for better sleep.

What is the Scandinavian sleep method?

The Scandinavian sleep method is a strategy for better sleep with your partner that incorporates bedding design ideas common in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe. It often includes the use of brightly-colored linen duvet covers, no top sheet, and double comforters — one for each person in the bed.

Erica Stolman Dowdy went viral on TikTok after implementing the Scandinavian sleep method in her own home, swearing that it’s the key to good sleep and the ender of all marriage spats involving sharing a bed.

After visiting Copenhagen, Dowdy fell in love with the bed-making style implemented in the Scandinavian country and swore to implement it when she returned to the states.

How do you make a bed using the Scandinavian sleep method?

First off, Dowdy says that Copenhagen is full of vibrant colors, so she tosses her white sheet set for pink and yellow linen sheets.

“There are no sad beige houses in Copenhagen. They love fun colors, so saying goodbye to my white sheets, and we're gonna do pink linen sheets ... because they always sleep with linen sheets, and they are the most comfortable,” she explained.

She also gets rid of the controversial top sheet, noting the extra piece of fabric is “absolutely useless.”

The pièce de résistance of the Scandinavian sleep method is all about the duvet or should I say duvets. Yup, the most important piece of the Scandinavian sleep method lies in the fact that two twin duvet covers are used to make the method work to its fullest potential.

“So in Copenhagen, not once have I slept with one duvet. It is always two twins, and we sleep so good, like, no one's fighting over blankets. Nobody's too hot or too cold. It's absolutely amazing,” he said.

“... this is just absolutely the comfiest way to sleep. I 10/10 recommend it. It could save marriages.”

How do you make a bed Scandinavian style?

To make a bed Scandinavian style, first start with a linen fitted sheet. Then add two twin-sized duvets and fold them in half length-wise, giving each sleeper their own personal comforter.

Lay the two folded duvets next to each other on the bed before adding pillows and shams with vibrant colors.

After Dowdy’s video went viral — gaining five million views in just ten days — she noticed some discourse in the comments (as most viral videos tend to have) and took some notes.

First off, Dowdy was surprised about how strongly people felt about top sheets.

“Nobody told me that top sheets would be like the most controversial topic. A lot of people out there that think the top sheet is 100% necessary, and it protects dead skin cells from getting in your duvet,” she said.

“I don't know how everyone else is sleeping, but when I had a top sheet, within the hour that thing is at the bottom of the bed, which defeats that whole purpose.”

Totally true! Also, duvet covers come off and can be easily washed like sheets.

She also addressed some people’s comments that she was wrong about Copenhagen design style being the opposite of a “sad beige” home.

“In my video, I said there are no sad beige homes in Copenhagen. Danish design is absolutely stunning. A sad beige home in America is not the same as a Danish minimalism home in Copenhagen,” she says before comparing Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s “Danish-inspired” home in California to that of an actual Danish influencer.

Some were worried about the Scandinavian sleep method affecting cuddling opportunities. Dowdy assures that cuddling is still totally possible with two duvets, you just need to not be wrapped up like a burrito. The entire method solves the issue of blanket-pulling, which personally sends me into a blind rage so this might be the perfect bed setup for me.

Now if only there was proof that the Scandinavian sleep method also suddenly cured my husband’s snoring...