Life Hack

An Unusual Way to Sleep Well in a Shared Bed:

Unless you’re Scandinavian, you probably haven’t heard of the 2- duvet system

It’s next to impossible to be healthy, fit and productive if you haven’t had a good night’s sleep. As a long-term insomniac, I know whereof I speak.

Earlier this year, I came across an idea that changed my life by improving the quality of my sleep. One of those random-but-not-random FaceBook videos showed me various Indian women giving marriage advice, and one segment really got my attention.

The advice that stood out consisted of only two words: “separate blankets”. The woman’s eyes grew intense as she leaned into the camera and, while nodding, slowly repeated —“Se-par-ate Blan-kets!”

And just like that, a shining new synaptic path was forged in my brain.

Years of cover stealing — as both perpetrator and victim — flashed before my eyes. Between myself, my husband, and children crawling into the bed in the middle of the night, someone was always uncovered and uncomfortable.

It never occurred to me that things didn’t have to be like this!

I don’t know about India, but it seems that in Scandinavia and some parts of Europe, it’s perfectly normal to have a separate set of covers for each person on a shared bed. One set each for you and your partner while wandering offspring and pets are trained to bring their own.

This post from Ugly Ducking House describes how one woman made the separate cover system work for her. Funnily enough, I learned more from the comments than from the article itself! It looks like the trend may be slowly catching on.

How it works

Two quilts—or duvets—lie on a shared bed. During the day, they’re folded in half lengthwise, meetly neatly in the middle. There’s often a folded blanket or bed scarf laid across the end of the bed for a unifying look.

When it’s time to sleep, each person has their own cover. No matter how much one partner moves about, you stay warm and covered under a quilt that’s the right weight for you.

Let me say that again: a quilt that’s the right weight for you. Your partner can have a lighter or heavier weight quilt than yours on their side if that’s what suits them best.

Life changing!

To everything (turn, toss, roll), there is a season

To adjust for the changing seasons, a warmer or cooler quilt can be inserted into the cover. Layer quilts or blankets inside the cover, if you like, adding snaps or ties around the edges to keep them in place.

IKEA and Target have nice looking all-seasons quilts: one warm and one cooler quilt that can snap together. The cooler quilt for summer, the warmer quilt for colder weather, and both together for the depths of winter.

Because there’s no need for a top sheet (except on the hottest nights), bedmaking becomes a super simple, one-minute task.

Wash the cover every week and the duvet itself every month or so to keep it fresh.

 A two-duvet system might actually change your life!

DIY separate covers

I made our separate quilts by cutting a king-size quilt in half and neatening the edges with a zig-zag stitch. We didn’t have matching single bed quilt covers, so I made some by folding our queen bed top sheets in half widthways and sewing down two edges.

Eventually, I’ll put some buttons or snaps on the end to keep it closed and make it look tidier, but for now, it’s fine because the open end tucks under the mattress. I sewed some cotton tape to the inside corners and edges to keep the quilts from shifting inside their covers.

Well, would you do it?

We’ve been using separate covers since mid-February, and I have to say we’re complete converts! I sleep better now, and being well-rested makes a wonderful difference to my productivity each day.