Creating a cooler sleep environment starts with understanding the factors that contribute to overheating at night. Bedding materials, bedroom temperature, airflow, and personal sleep habits can all affect how comfortably you sleep.
Hot sleepers often benefit from sleep products and sleep environments designed to promote airflow and reduce heat retention. Finding the right combination of comfort, support, and temperature regulation can help you stay more comfortable throughout the night.
If you struggle to stay cool at night, you’re not alone. At least 57% of adults in the U.S. report feeling too hot while sleeping on occasion.
Being a hot sleeper isn’t just uncomfortable as you toss and turn and struggle to fall asleep—it can also impact your sleep quality once you finally drift off. So, finding a mattress that keeps you cool might be the missing link to having you wake up and feel refreshed in the morning.
A cooling mattress is specially constructed to help regulate body temperature while sleeping.
These mattresses are often made with spring coils to draw heat from the body and breathable materials to improve airflow and keep the heat from getting trapped in your sleeping environment.
Many of these mattresses feature patented cooling technology, creating a cool and refreshing environment to promote a restful night’s sleep.
Benefits of Cooling Mattresses for Hot Sleepers
If you’re someone who wakes up in the morning with beads of perspiration on your neck or back, you probably sleep hot and could benefit from sleeping on a mattress that has innovative cooling technology to help regulate your body temperature.
As a hot sleeper, swapping your current setup for a cooling mattress could provide you with the following advantages:
Improved sleep quality: By helping your body stay at an ideal temperature, it’s easier for you to doze off and stay asleep without waking up in the middle of the night feeling sweaty and uncomfortable.
Reduced night sweats: A specialized mattress for warm sleepers will help you achieve cooler sleep and avoid the sticky and irritating feeling of night sweats.
Enhanced comfort: The best mattress for cool sleeping will draw heat away from your body rather than absorb it, creating a comfortable and refreshing sleep environment.
Types of Cooling Technologies in Mattresses
There are a few types of cooling technologies and materials commonly found in mattresses for hot sleepers, including:
Phase Change Materials
A type of material that is meant to absorb and dissipate the heat your body gives off while sleeping, helping to keep you cool.
Gel Memory Foam
Traditional memory foam is a dense material known to absorb and retain heat. However, some mattresses may include a gel memory foam layer, infused with small gel beads to disperse heat more effectively and maintain optimal sleep temperature.
Breathable Mattress Covers
Mattress covers made from breathable, natural materials allow air to flow through the mattress rather than getting trapped in your sleep environment.
Hybrid Constructions With Enhanced Airflow
Mattresses constructed with both spring coils and a layer of foam provide the right blend of cushiony support while allowing for easy airflow through the coils for better temperature regulation.
What Type of Bed Is Best for Cooling?
Certain types of mattresses are better suited for hot sleepers than others. Hybrids or innerspring mattresses are especially effective at keeping you cool and regulating your body temperature at night.
These mattresses promote optimal airflow and excellent breathability, keeping hot air from absorbing into the mattress and creating a more comfortable sleep environment.
Mattresses with cooling layers are also ideal for hot sleepers. They are often cool to the touch and moisture-wicking, which helps keep you dry and prevent your body from overheating.
What Type of Mattress Isn't Good for Cooling?
Aside from seeking out the best mattress for hot sleepers, you should also be aware of which mattress designs to avoid.
Traditional memory foam mattresses, while incredibly supportive and offering great motion isolation, may not be as suitable for hot sleepers.
Any mattress made with dense, non-breathable materials tends to retain heat. They don’t feature ventilated designs to help circulate air, making them a poor choice for people who want a mattress that will help them stay cool and comfortable.
Luckily, cooling memory foam mattresses are now available. If you prefer the feel of a foam mattress, look for ones with an open-cell or perforated construction. These will help promote better airflow than traditional, dense memory foam.
Key Features and Materials To Look for in a Cooling Mattress
If you’re a hot sleeper who wants to leave the long nights of sweaty tossing and turning behind you, finding the best mattress for cooling is a big task.
While it can be tricky to figure out which one will actually deliver the cooling relief that you’re looking for, there are a few key features that you should look for while shopping.
Here are some materials and design features that indicate it has cooling or temperature-regulating properties:
Breathable fabrics
Moisture-wicking
Advanced cooling layers
Gel-infused foam
Perforated foam
Open-cell foam
Latex
Mattress Firm's Top Selections for Cooling Mattresses
No matter your price range or bed size, here at Mattress Firm, we’re highlighting five top-rated cooling mattresses that promote refreshing and comfortable rest year-round.
The following cooling mattresses don’t just provide relief for hot, sleepless nights, but they improve your overall comfort and quality of life by promoting more restful sleep.
What We Like On the more affordable end, the Sleepy’s Basic Memory Foam mattress offers the essential cooling features and body support that hot sleepers are looking for without sacrificing comfort and durability.
With a carbide gel foam layer and a breathable cover that’s cool to the touch, this mattress helps draw away body heat and regulate your temperature night after night.
Delivered conveniently in a box, this mattress enjoys a quick and easy set-up to offer more refreshing sleep ASAP.
Features
Firm comfort
8” mattress height
2” convoluted transition foam for support and durability
4” firm support foam
Stretch knit zipper cover
Cooling Technology
2” carbide gel memory foam
Breathable cool-to-the-touch cover
What Customers Are Saying
“I can’t remember a mattress I’ve owned in my life that is as comfortable as this one. Firm yet soft. It goes really well with my new adjustable bed frame.” – John Z.
“The Basic Memory Foam Firm Mattress offers great support and comfort, especially for those who prefer a firmer feel. The memory foam contours well to the body, reducing pressure points and improving sleep quality. Despite its firmness, it stays cool throughout the night… If you need a reliable, firm mattress without spending too much, this one is a great option.” – Anonymous
“Very comfortable and cool. It helps if you live in a hot climate or if you’re heat averse.” – Eevee
A luxury pick that delivers cooling relief for hot sleepers, the Beautyrest PressureSmart 2.0 Hybrid Medium Mattress is made with breathable materials for better temperature regulation while sleeping.
The InfiniCool Plus Surface helps create a cool and enjoyable sleep experience, constructed with three separate layers of cooling technology to keep the night sweats at bay.
The mattress also offers plenty of cushiony support for all sleeping positions. It provides motion separation with its advanced coil system to ensure you and your sleep partner enjoy a restful night of sleep, even if the other is tossing and turning.
Features
Medium comfort
13” mattress height
1” Beautyrest gel memory foam
2” GelTouch foam
1000 Series Plush Pocketed Coil
1” energy foam
BeautyEdge
Cooling Technology
InfiniCool Plus surface
1” CarbonBoost memory foam
What Customers Say
“I’m very happy I decided to go with a Beautyrest hybrid. It provides the support, comfort, and cooling I was hoping for, and I’m sleeping deeply and soundly for the first time in a long time.” – Donna
“Love this mattress. Definitely cooling, and a perfect medium.” – S. Dotson
“Cool and comfortable.” – John S.
Frequently asked questions
Why does sleep temperature matter?
The temperature of your body while asleep directly impacts the quality of your rest. The body starts to cool down a few hours before you sleep, so creating a cool sleep environment can help support your body’s natural cycle for deeper and more restful sleep.
What is the best way to cool down a mattress?
You may be able to make a few simple swaps to improve the coolness of your mattress and sleep environment, like adding a cooling mattress topper, breathable bedding, a bedroom fan with a cross-breeze over your bed or lowering your thermostat.
What is the best temperature for sleep?
Each person has their own preferences for ideal sleep temperature. However, experts at Mattress Firm state that setting the thermostat between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit is the best for falling and staying asleep.
Can I use a mattress topper to enhance cooling?
Yes, using one of the best mattress protectors for hot sleepers can help regulate your body temperature at night and offer a soothing sensation if it’s cool to the touch.
Do cooling mattresses help with back pain?
The best mattress for sweaty sleepers isn’t inherently suited for those suffering from back pain. However, certain models may include supportive features that help relieve back pain, like a cooling hybrid mattress constructed with sturdy coils and cushiony foam layers.
Are cooling mattresses effective for night sweats?
Yes, the best bed for hot sleepers will help dissipate heat from the body, making them less prone to sweating at night. Plus, many of the best mattresses for cooling are made with moisture-wicking covers and materials, helping you stay dry and comfortable even if you start to sweat.
How do I maintain the cooling properties of my mattress?
Get the most out of your cooling mattress by using breathable bedding made with natural materials that won’t trap heat; add a cooling mattress topper and ensure proper ventilation in your bedroom, using a fan or a central system to circulate air.
