Sleeping in the same bed as your partner can make you feel more secure and connected, but couples who sleep together do not always sleep better. Sharing the bed with a cover hog or a nighttime kickboxer can derail an otherwise good night of sleep, which affects overall health.

One strategy couples can try before opting for a “sleep divorce” is the Scandinavian sleep method, where the couple shares a bed but each person sleeps under a separate blanket.

But does the Scandinavian sleep method have any benefits? And what do we know about the science behind couples sleeping together?

The Scandinavian sleep method

The Scandinavian sleep method is common in Scandinavia (which includes Denmark, Norway and Sweden), Wendy Troxel, Ph.D., behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation and author of “Sharing the Covers: Every Couple’s Guide to Better Sleep,” told TODAY. It involves sharing a bed with a partner but using separate covers.

How it works: When making the bed, start with a fitted sheet and skip the top sheet (or use two twin top sheets), then add two twin duvets on top and as many pillows as you prefer.

There are several benefits to this method, said Troxel, because it allows for more individual sleep preferences.

No more fighting over covers. Most obviously, it prevents partners from playing tug-of-war at night, which can cause a lot of movement. You can wrap yourself in a duvet burrito or kick off the covers without leaving your partner in the cold.

Temperature. This method is great for partners with different temperature preferences, said Troxel. Instead of compromising and feeling too hot or too cold with one set of bedding, each partner can choose the weight or material of their duvet.

Personal space: This method is great for couples who want to share a bed but don’t want to literally sleep on top of one another. “It can satisfy the need for closeness, but also the need to have one’s own sleep space for the actual sleeping part of the night.”

Of course, it’s not a cure-all. “If your partner is snoring like a truck, the Scandinavian method is not going to do much good,” Troxel said. Likewise, it probably won’t help if there’s a sleep disorder at play, which would require treatment. “The solution really is going to depend on the the nature of the problem,” said Troxel.

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The science of sleeping together vs. apart

Scientists typically observe people sleeping alone in a laboratory under controlled conditions, Troxel said. Obviously, this is not how sleep works in the real world, especially if you add another person into the mix (read: bed). “The majority of adults, about two-thirds, sleep with a partner,” she added.

However, this was not always the case. And there are a lot of misconceptions about couples sleeping apart that can harm relationships. Most beliefs about how couples should sleep are “entirely socially-prescribed,” Troxel said, and have changed throughout Western history.

Less than 200 years ago, it was customary for couples to sleep apart, said Troxel. Sleeping in separate beds or bedrooms was seen as healthier and a symbol of wealth or status. “In the Victorian era, those who could afford it would sleep apart but in earlier times, sleep was more of a communal behavior … for entire families.” The practice of bed-sharing is also hugely cultural.

“Then we see this real shift, post-1960s sexual revolution (in the U.S.),” Troxel said, where people begin equating the literal meaning of “sleeping together” with the figurative meaning — sex. Couples, especially married couples, sleeping apart became stigmatized because it was associated with a lack of intimacy or sexual activity. “This is simply not the case,” she said.

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