A method for operating a sheet-forming unit of a papermaking machine. At least one fibrous material suspension is fed to a headbox and is conducted in a plurality of turbulence-generating channels to form sub-flows, and fed to a nozzle. From the nozzle, the at least one fibrous material suspension is in the form of a free jet into the forming unit to define an impingement line. In a final fluidization region of an individual turbulence-generating channel a pressure loss (Δp) of ≧50 mbar is generated within the fibrous material suspension before inlet thereof into the nozzle, and the fibrous material suspension is guided from the final fluidization region as far as the impingement line in such a way that the dwell time of the suspension in the region defined by the final fluidization region as far as the impingement line ranges from >30 ms to ≦300 ms.