Watch: Couple claim sleeping together left them so annoyed - and they are happier in separate beds

ExCo

Abbi-Mae Neilson says she and her boyfriend of four-and-a-half years both struggle sleeping and would often wake each other up in the night when sharing a bed.

The 25-year-old says the pair would wake-up the next morning feeling 'annoyed' with one another after sharing a bed due to the interrupted sleep.

But when Abbi-Mae and 29-year-old James moved in together in May 2024 and implemented the Scandinavian sleeping method with their own modifications, it made them both 'happier'.

The young couple share a headboard but sleep on separate single beds, mattresses, and even have separate duvet covers.

After sharing a video explaining their sleeping style on TikTok, Abbi-Mae racked up more than 400,000 views, likes, and comments from social media users who were baffled by their unique sleeping arrangement.

Abbi-Mae says that she and James are 'happier' now, and she is urging other couples experiencing sleeping issues to adopt the same sleeping style.

Abbi-Mae, from Chelsea, London, said: "I always had insomnia and my boyfriend's always been a terrible sleeper. We used to share a double bed and it would bounce when you turned over in the night.

"We started noticing that when we slept at my house, we were really not in a good mood in the morning when we woke up. It was because we wouldn't sleep because literally every time one of us would turn over the bed would bounce and wake one another up. If you're bad at sleeping anyway then stuff like that is so annoying.

"We were discussing what we would do when we moved in together, we were like 'Is this the rest of our lives? Are we just going to wake-up every morning so annoyed?'"

In the Scandinavian sleep method couples use two separate duvets to lessen sleep disruption. But Abbi-Mae and James have taken this to the next level by also sleeping on separate beds and mattresses.

Abbi-Mae said: "When we'd been to Iceland or Sweden there was always two single duvets on one bed.

"It's always a pain for making the bed but you always sleep better because you're not being pulled in the night or fighting for a duvet.

"We said if we're going to do separate beds, then we should get two separate duvets, so that's what we did when we moved into our first flat together. We got two separate beds, two separate mattresses and then separate duvets. It was insane - the difference it's made is wild."

The full-time social media influencer says the change has made their relationship 'happier'.

Abbi-Mae said: "We're happier now. Everyone when they're not sleeping properly is just a worse version of themselves.

"The biggest impact on your mental health is your sleep. [If you're not sleeping well then] you're grumpier, you're more frustrated, or kind of on edge.

"Especially when you're living with someone. We both work from home so we're together all day. So if it starts off on the wrong foot then it's not great.

"It's so different now - the whole thing about waking up on the right side of the bed, that's just about sleeping well. We're very happy with our little set-up."

After sharing a video on TikTok talking about the sleeping method, Abbi-Mae's clip went viral, racking up more than 418,000 views, likes, shares, and comments.

One user commented: "What if you cuddle and fall down the middle though."

A second said: "Just get a king size bed but Scandinavian style bedding?"

A third wrote: "The separate duvet thing is very normal in Scandinavia. It makes so much sense."

Abbi-Mae says that two beds is always better than one, and the set-up is stable enough that they can still share a cuddle before bed - without falling down the gap.

Abbi-Mae said: "Our friends ask us all the time [if we fall down the middle] but they're quite sturdy beds.

"They're not beds that are going to move apart, because they're on stands instead of wheels. We'll still cuddle before we go to sleep - two singles put together is a huge bed so it's not like you have to just lie on your side and that's it.

"In terms of sleeping, I have friends that would want to cuddle their partner while they're sleeping, which there's no way that we would ever do. You just can't if you've ever had insomnia or ever trouble sleeping. We had a super king at my boyfriend's old house and that was good - it was better than a double bed but you can still feel someone moving. When you're in a separate bed - it's like someone's not even there."

Abbi-Mae is now urging other couples to try out the Scandi-style of sleeping for themselves.

Abbi-Mae said: "We try and convince everyone we know to do it. We're like 'guys I know you think it's weird but it's really good'."