Best Cooling Mattress for Hot Sleepers

Mattress buying guide for hot sleepers

While your mattress is one consideration, sleep temperature comes down to a range of different factors. Some people – those who suffer from hot flashes and night sweats, for instance – have medical needs around cooling technologies for sleep. However, climate and season also play a role – as does bedroom location, sheets, air-conditioning, and other atmospheric considerations.

If you sleep hot, here are a few things to think about:

• Your mattress material – and topper – can make a difference
• What pillow are you using? If your head is hot, the rest of your body will usually follow. Pillow materials and cases should enter your thinking in your quest for a cool night’s sleep.
• What clothes are you wearing? Loose, lightweight pajamas are the best choice to keep you cool. While some sleepers swear by organic cotton, some sleepwear in synthetic materials wicks moisture and helps your body to naturally regulate temperature.
• Choose sheets which don’t trap heat and which promote airflow.
• Cool your room to cool your bed. Keep curtains drawn or blinds closed to keep the temperature of your bedroom down during the day. Fans and air conditioners can help to keep air moving and the mercury down.

What to look for before buying a mattress

Here are a few questions to ask yourself to help in your quest to find the perfect mattress:

How much can you spend?

While price may be no object for some shoppers, most will be working towards some kind of budget. Many mattress companies offer great value for money so, more often than not, you will get a little bit more for your buck. If you can afford it, we always encourage people to spend that little bit more to invest in great sleep.

Do you want a foam mattress or springs?

There are pros and cons attached to both, but this will narrow the search if you know what you like. If you are heavy, it is worth considering a hybrid first for support and durability.

Are you after particular materials?

For some, latex and organic materials can be the big decider when searching for a mattress. Some companies also offer proprietary foams and designs which may hold extra appeal.

Do you want some special features?

Special covers, flippable mattresses, split designs, and zoned construction can make an easy checklist as you comb the online mattress world for your next bed.

Do you sleep hot?

Cooling claims are a dime a dozen in the online mattress world. While many mattresses won’t heat you up at night, rooting out true active cooling features will make shopping a little less daunting.

Are you an edge hanger?

Edge support matters if you are sharing a full-size mattress (less so in a queen size) – or if you sleep on the edge of the bed. Reinforced edge support will be a big differentiator for you as you shop.

What are the company policies?

Take the time to really understand company policies around delivery, sleep trial periods, returns, and warranties to ensure you’re dealing with the right company from the outset. This also helps to avoid unpleasant surprises if things don’t go according to plan.

What do people say?

Once you’ve narrowed down the selection, find customer reviews and read through what people like – and don’t like – about the different mattress brands you are considering.

Ultimately, these elements, as well as online reviews and finding company policies that work for you, will shape your final decision.

What is the best type of mattress for hot sleepers?

If you are on the market for a cooling mattress, many different factors are going to come into play. For many, the first thought will be price. Apart from some bespoke, luxury options, most of the mattresses covered here offer incredible value for the level of craftsmanship and performance. That said, while almost all mattress companies have something to say about cooling when it comes to their mattress features, you can expect to pay for the top performers and beds with truly specialist technologies around cooling.

The materials used in mattresses will also affect temperature. All-foam mattresses are – generally speaking – warmer than hybrid and inner spring beds. The mattress cover can also make a difference to cooling. Tencal and phase-change covers do a great job at cooling but, at the very least, it is a good idea to ensure the cover allows movement of air through the mattress.

The firmness of the mattress you choose comes down to sleep preference. Back and stomach sleepers tend towards more supportive firm models, while side sleepers go softer for pressure relief on shoulders and hips. Firmness is experienced differently according to weight. Sleeping on top of a mattress rather than sinking down into the materials also reduces the surface area of skin against the mattress materials – and so helps with cooling.

Covers and cooling

Does your cover help to keep you cool? We’ve got you covered. The cover of your mattress can make a big difference to temperature in boosting the cooling features of the mattress materials below it. Non-quilted covers tend to perform better here, with phase change materials and organic cotton and breathable covers the gold standard in aeration and cooling.

Latex is such a cool kid

In general, latex has an incredible ability to help with cooling. It outperforms most foams in terms of temperature, but is also helped along by being responsive.

Memory foam: hot or not?

Largely speaking, memory foam has got a bad reputation for sleeping hot. This is mainly a historic observation, but memory foams are often hot because of their contouring qualities and the tendency of foam to trap heat from the sleeper’s body heat. Limited airflow can be another problem with memory foam. The clever designers working with mattress brands out there have included advancements such as gel memory foam mattresses, special covers, and open-cell designs to make breathable, cooler memory foam beds.