Courtesy of Lauren Allain I experienced having separate blankets during a trip to Finland. My partner and I have been together for 16 years and are compatible with everything but sleep. Having two blankets has solved our sleep problems, and we both sleep so much better.
I blamed my confusion about the bedding on jet lag. Why did we have so many blankets folded at the foot of the bed? Our hotel room in Finland was immaculate, so the blanket situation must be correct, I thought. I unfolded one and crawled into bed, pulling it over me.
It was a twin-size duvet, perfect for sleeping one person. The other blanket was identical. “We get our own blankets?” I said, probably overly elated thanks to the jet lag.
My sleeping issues arose when I was in college. My journalism courses kept me up late in my college’s newsroom. My part-time barista job woke me up early.
I rarely said no to social engagements. All in all, I was lucky to get five hours of sleep each night. But I’m not one of the lucky ones who can get by without sleep.
I never stayed awake for an entire movie in college. I crashed at any hour of the day if there were five minutes of silence. I got sick often and had my tonsils removed over Christmas break my senior year — the crescendo of having been sick for months.
To function like I’m expected to in modern society, I need at least eight hours of sleep, but my body is happy to get nine or even 10. As much as I like my partner of 16 years, I’d rather sleep alone. We’re compatible in life, but our sleeping preferences couldn’t be more different.
I wasn’t expecting a trip to Europe to solve one of our biggest cosleeping incompatibilities. 2 duvets for one bedOur Finnish hotel room was just the first instance of European hotels offering us two duvets for one bed. We checked into Airbnbs in Croatia, Germany, and Norway with my new ideal bedding situation.
Our Austrian friend’s house also had the same setup, which they said was normal. The two-duvet system works for us on many levels. For starters, I’m an unconscious blanket hog.
“You burrito-ed yourself in the blankets again last night” was a common phrase my partner used to say over morning coffee. Since he comes to bed later than I do, he was left with no blanket on nights I engaged in burrito-mode. But with two duvets, I can do whatever I want with mine and he’ll still have comfortable, untouched bedding when he comes to bed.
Having two blankets also solves our temperature differences. I can overheat while sleeping in the middle of January, but he gets cold. Having separate blankets allows us to choose our bedding preferences separately, both in the type of comforter and in sheet preference.
I’m a lover of crisp percale sheets, while he likes drapey fabrics like modal. Blanket divorce has kept us happily togetherOn a king or queen bed, two twin-size blankets fit perfectly and address most of our cosleeping incompatibilities. I can roll up in my blanket all on my own, untuck it to stick my feet out, or throw it off entirely with no repercussions.
Friends and family who have stayed over agree that cosleeping with two duvets is one of the simplest ways to get a better night’s sleep. I never take credit for the idea, though, since that belongs to the Europeans. A blanket divorce has led to both me and my partner getting better sleep and, in turn, being better partners since neither of us is walking around as a sleep-deprived monster these days.
Read the original article on Insider.
From: insider
URL: https://www.insider.com/couple-sleeps-with-separate-blankets-best-thing-for-relationship-2022-8
