A high areal recording density magnetic recording medium having improved thermal stability comprises: a non-magnetic substrate having at least one surface; and a layer stack overlying the at least one surface, comprised of at least one layer pair composed of first and second superposed ferromagnetic layers spaced-apart by a magnetic coupling structure comprising a thin non-magnetic spacer layer and at least one thin ferromagnetic interface layer at at least one interface between the non-magnetic spacer layer and the superposed ferromagnetic layers; wherein the thickness of the ferromagnetic interface layer is selected to provide enhancement of the magnetic coupling between the pair of ferromagnetic layers, thereby increasing the thermal stability of the magnetic recording medium.