Annalise reviews: the “Scandinavian sleep method”

This is the first in a series where Annalise reviews things about Norwegian life. Today, the “Scandinavian sleep method.”

Apparently there is a viral trend on a social media platform we don’t use that was profiled in the Washington Post: the “Scandinavian sleep method.” The concept is that two people share a bed with no top sheet but two duvets — one for each person. Our apartment came outfitted this way.

This system is ideal for couples that operate at different temperatures: Gavin puts off a lot of heat, and like a reptile, I can’t regulate my body temperature on my own. I would love the warmth of a duvet at home, but Gavin would boil. Our compromise at home is that I have a 20-pound weighted blanket on my side, which I use even in the summer. He sleeps under a sheet.

Another obstacle is that Gavin categorically refuses to change a duvet cover.

In the Scandinavian system, I have the duvet I want, and Gavin has his own unique strategy to keep cool: the “pølse in a lefse” method.

A lefse is a traditional Norwegian flatbread made of potatoes, milk, and cream. In my experience, it is best served rolled up with butter and sugar. A pølse is a hot dog. Norwegians use a lefse in place of a hot dog bun. It’s widely available from Norway’s favorite American fast food chain: 7 Eleven.

Gavin folds the duvet in half and sleeps inside. As in the picture above, both his head and feet stick out the ends. (Editor’s note: Allison wrote this whole thing about the lefse and never even bothered to give my justification for why I do this. First, it’s easy for me to vent. Second, it cleanly addresses the downsides of the 2-duvet system, which are that the duvets either: (a) overlap in the middle, making an especially hot zone that I will accidentally find myself in, or (b) are unbalanced and fall off the bed to the outside. My approach solves both of these problems with logic and dignity.)

While the duvets are great, they can’t solve the daylight issue: for several months a year, it is light 24 hours a day. (We can attest that this is true because Annalise was up until 4 am several nights in a row before getting over jet lag. Lots of fun!) Luckily the apartment came outfitted with blackout shades, which are critical even if they still let some light in around the sides.

If you really want to take your sleep method to the next level, you can add an eye mask. A computer science joke is optional.

Here is Annalise’s perspective on her new bed:

Verdict: Annalise does not understand the Scandinavian sleep method. Nevertheless, the duvet is great, it’s suitable for a stuffed monkey and praying mantis, but it won’t prevent a toddler from staying up until 4 am.