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Nothing can be as irritating as feeling hot when trying to sleep.
Well, maybe waking up all sweaty is even worse.
If you agree, then today’s list of the best cooling mattresses for hot sleepers may be helpful. Let’s see what makes a good cooling mattress and which model can save your sleep.
A Quick Preview
 | Editor’s Choice The Plank Mattress | Read more about this mattress |
 | Best Cooling Cover GhostBed Luxe | Read more about this mattress |
 | Best Mattress for Hot Side Sleepers Nolah Original 10 | Read more about this mattress |
Our Reviews of the Best Cooling Mattresses for Hot Sleepers
Editor’s Choice — The Plank Mattress
Highlights
- Firm and minimal comfort layers keep you on top of the bed, which can help you feel cooler.
- The Extra Firm side’s 0.75 inches of comfort material can help keep your spine and hips in alignment.
- The optional GlacioTex cover is cool-to-the-touch, helping disperse excess heat.
The Plank is my editor’s choice for the best cooling mattress for hot sleepers due to its firm surface that keeps you above the comfort layers, and optional GlacioTex cover. I tested the Plank, and found its surface temperature reached 89.7 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a bit hotter than the Nolah (by 5.2%); however, the Plank’s secret to cool sleep lies in its firmness. The 1 inch of sinkage I measured on the Extra Firm side means you aren’t in contact with the heat-retaining memory foam layers as much. That minimal contact means heat has more opportunity to escape and disperse. Additionally, the firm surface is able to keep your back and spine straight, which may ease muscle tension and improve sleep quality.
In addition, the optional GlacioTex cover is infused with PCM material, which is cool to the touch whenever you change sleeping positions.
What I Don’t Like About This Mattress
One thing I don’t like about this mattress is that its firmness may cause too much pressure build-up for lightweight side sleepers in their shoulders and hips.
Read our full Plank mattress review for more information.
Best Cooling Cover - GhostBed Luxe
Highlights
- 7 foam layers of varying thickness and material, made to support body weight of partnered sleepers.
- Latex layer adds enough bounce for good mattress responsiveness.
- Medium plush firmness allows it to contour well to the body.
When it comes to cooling mattresses that offer great support, GhostBed Luxe shines bright here. This premium mattress comes with 4 top layers of gel-infused memory foam mattress. Placed on a 2-inch thick latex foam layer which allows for enough responsiveness while maintaining low motion isolation. Then, at the base layer is 7.5 inches of dense polyfoam; that's durability and support in one piece. Couples can enjoy this mattress in any preferred size; full, queen, king, or cal king.
Pros:
- Mattress cover made of plush fabric for a comfy and cradling feel.
- Core cooling to wick away body heat.
- Gel memory foam contouring works great for pressure relief.
- Good body support from a dense base layer.
- Latex bounce layer adds good responsiveness.
Cons:
- Heavier sleepers might sink in when sleeping as this mattress isn't firm enough.
- Not the best edge support.
Best Mattress for Hot Side Sleepers - Nolah Original 10
Highlights
- breathable Tencel cover for cooler sleep;
- lifetime warranty for your peace of mind;
- uses proprietary Nolah AirFoam for cool pressure relief;
- extra-thick, high-density support foam for increased durability and protection against premature sagging;
- medium firmness, great for a wide range of sleepers.
Finally, the last cooling mattress I want to review is the Nolah. If you are a side sleeper and a fan of plush memory foam, this is your guy. However, it won’t make you sweat during the night, unlike many memory foam models.
Now, what makes the Nolah stand out from the competitors is the proprietary AirFoam it uses for the comfort layer. This foam is made without the heat-sensitive viscoelastic chemicals, which means it doesn’t trap that much heat.
Overall, this mattress can easily surprise you. It feels like a cloud but doesn’t make you feel trapped and burning hot, which is a rare combination.
Read our full Nolah mattress review for more information.
Pros:
- great value for money;
- does a good job of relieving pressure;
- great for those sleeping on the side;
- superb motion isolation;
- breathable cover.
Cons:
- might not be supportive enough for sleepers over 230 pounds;
- weak edges;
- not suitable for strict stomach sleepers or heavier back sleepers.
What Type of Mattress Is Best for Hot Sleepers?
Generally, latex, hybrid, and innerspring mattresses are considered the best types of mattresses for hot sleepers (1). As for memory foam, hot sleepers often avoid it due to its cradling properties. Moreover, memory foam is well-known for trapping body heat.
Here’s the deal, though:
These days, manufacturers use new technologies to make memory foam more temperature-neutral. You can find gel- or copper-infused models, open-cell foam, and convoluted layers, all designed to sleep less hot.
Air beds can also be suitable for hot sleepers, although this mattress type might not be comfortable enough for everyday use.
Medium and medium-firm mattresses are often viewed as universally comfortable for most sleepers. For those who tend to sleep hot, the good news is, that such mattresses don’t allow much sinkage, meaning they initially won’t make you too hot.
Who else can use cooling mattresses?
Apart from the hot sleepers we’ve been discussing, the cooling mattress is also recommended for some individuals and situations. Some of which include;
Couples
Cooling mattresses are also recommended for couples; even if both partners are lightweight and back sleepers, the combined heat of their bodies will tend to make the bed warm. This problem can be easily remedied with the use of a cooling mattress.
Heavier persons
Another set of people who would greatly benefit from using a cooling mattress are folks on the heavy side. This kind of mattress allows them to sleep without worrying about excess heat.
Dry weather
A major situation where using a cooling mattress is optimal is during dry weather, for example, summer or a desert area. The weather will make virtually everyone sleep warm irrespective of weight or mattress type. Using a cooling mattress in this scenario helps you get to sleep quicker.
Also Read: Best Sleep Blogs
What Mattress Types have the best cooling effect?
In search of a suitable cooling mattress for hot sleepers, one can easily get lost among all the brands and mattress types.
The reason why shopping for a new cooling mattress can become tricky is the loud and exciting claims from the manufacturers about their beds’ magical properties.
To understand what promises are real and what claims are just marketing, it’s better to do a little research.
So, which mattress is the best for hot sleepers?
It depends on the materials used, your body type, and your personal preferences, of course. But the materials play the primary role, so let’s take a closer look at those:
- Coils. Coils and springs are typically used for the support core. And since there’s a lot of space between them, this construction allows for unobstructed air movement and heat removal. Additionally, mattresses with coils are very responsive and make you sleep “on” your bed rather than sink into it. All of that makes coils a great option for hot sleepers.
- Latex. Generally, latex — even if it’s synthetic — doesn’t trap heat. Many manufacturers also use various aeration techniques (for instance, making holes all across the surface) for improved air circulation. Combine that with the natural bounce of latex that doesn’t allow you to sink too deep, and you get a good cooling mattress for hot sleepers.
- Gel-infused foam. While foam itself tends to trap heat, some manufacturers try to balance that out infusing it with beads of cooling gel. However, not all gel memory foams work the same. Gel absorbs the heat from your body and holds it in, creating a cooling effect. But because this material is able to absorb only a specific amount of heat, its cooling properties are often limited to a certain extent. So, the way your mattress will regulate the temperature depends on how much gel the foam contains and what type each specific model uses. Some brands also add graphite or copper to the equation, which permeate the foam and make it a bit more neutral in terms of temperature.
- Open-cell foam. Another way to make foam trap less heat is to make it using an open-cell technology. Such foams allow the air to travel through the material, which increases breathability and helps with temperature regulation. However, the effect isn’t that impressive and might not be enough for those who really tend to sleep hot. After all, open-cell foam still has a generous hug and a slow response, which makes it envelop your body and, consequently, retain its natural heat.
- Wool. Typically used as a fire barrier, wool is a natural, breathable material that can help induce your mattress’s cooling properties. Additionally, wool does a great job of wicking moisture away (2), which means it’s supposed to help with sweating too.
Also Read: Mattresses Made in the USA
Benefits of using a cooling mattress
Here are some reasons why cooling mattresses are beneficial for use;
- Aids quicker sleep. With its cooling capabilities, users tend to fall asleep faster on the mattress. In addition, sleeping cool brings about an improvement in melatonin secretion by the body, which also helps in reducing insomnia.
- Helps with weight loss. This is made possible since sleeping cool helps improve the body's metabolic rate.
- Helps with perspiration. Since the cooling mattress is made to dissipate heat, it makes the possibility of night sweating less possible.
How Important Is the Mattress Cover for cooling sleep?
Many sleepers overlook a very important mattress component – the cover. Just like other materials of your bed, the cover plays a big role in thermoregulation. Plus, it’s the part of the mattress that is the closest to your body, so it certainly requires your attention.
Now, modern manufacturers use various types of fabrics for mattress covers, including special blends, natural fibers, and hi-tech technologies. The most effective cooling covers are:
- Cotton. This fabric type is naturally lightweight and breathable (3), which makes it a suitable option for hot sleepers. It’s also good at wicking moisture away from the body, plus it dries rather fast.
- Bamboo. Being made via the bamboo cellulose extraction, bamboo fabric (also known as rayon) is very breathable and has high moisture-wicking abilities. Because it has countless micro-gaps, it feels softer than cotton and absorbs moisture even better (4).
- Celliant fiber. Using special thermo-active minerals in their fibers (5), Celliant covers were specifically designed to help hot sleepers with temperature regulation. However, reviews show that the effectiveness of this material is linked to the mattress itself. Therefore, if your bed sleeps hot on its own, a Celliant cover is not very likely to improve the situation.
- Lyocell. Lyocell fabric is made of cellulose, a sub-product of wood pulp, which makes it another natural option for your sweet slumber. It is breathable and pleasant to the touch (6), so no wonder many manufacturers use it for mattress covers.
- Phase-change materials. These were designed to help sleepers maintain steady temperature levels during the night. Phase-change materials work to absorb your body’s natural heat until you reach a certain temperature. At this point, the fabric is supposed to stop retaining heat to maintain a comfortably cool body temperature. According to studies (7), the use of phase-change materials in mattresses can indeed improve heat dissipation.
- Non-quilted (as opposed to quilted) covers. Now, this aspect refers more to the design of the cover rather than the materials used. However, it’s still important. While quilted covers often include thin layers of foam merged with the cover fabric for extra cushion, they tend to sleep hot. At the same time, non-quilted covers are usually thinner and, consequently, more breathable and cooler.
Keep in mind that most mattress warranties don’t cover temperature issues. This means you may not be able to return your mattress if it makes you sleep hot. And that’s why it’s important to pay attention to the cooling materials used in your new bed before finalizing your purchase.
Firmness, Weight, and Temperature — What’s the Connection Between Them?
Some sleepers may think that the firmness level of the mattress is unrelated to sleeping cool.
If you’re one of them, I have to disappoint you.
Firmness matters because it determines how deep you sink into your bed. And the deeper you sink, the more enveloped your body becomes. As a result, more sinkage causes more heat to be trapped.
So, while softer mattresses can offer good pressure relief, they also tend to sleep hotter than firmer ones. On the scale from 1 to 10 (with 10 being the firmest), anything below 6 is likely to conform closer to your body and make you feel warmer.
Firmer mattresses (above 6) typically don’t let sleepers sink in deep, which makes them more suitable for hot sleepers.
Additionally, your body weight matters too. Heavier users experience even more sinkage. Plus, if you weigh more than 230 pounds, you would probably have to use more energy to shift and move in bed, and this can increase your body temperature and cause night sweats (8). So, heavier sleepers are usually recommended to choose firm mattresses.
Also Read: Best Tempurpedic Alternatives
How Much Do Cooling Mattresses Cost?
The price of a cooling mattress would depend mostly on its type. However, the average price tag for a quality model would fall somewhere between $800 and $1500. Latex mattresses are often even more expensive and can cost more than $2,000.
Where can you buy a cooling mattress?
You’re provided with two options of purchase:
- The online store,
- Your local brick-and-mortar store.
Even though both options perform special functions, it is better to do your cooling mattress shopping online than in a physical store.
The online store provides you with enough hassle-free time to go through their catalogs and make your choice. There are also the added advantages of home delivery and promotional offers to be expected from the online store. Shopping online is a task that can be carried out from the comfort of your home, saving you a trip in case you don’t find your cooling mattress preference available at the local store.
How to Pick A Good Cooling Mattress Based On the Sleeping Style
While most shoppers already know that firmness of the mattress can affect temperature during sleep, it’s also crucial to remember that firmness also plays a huge role in one’s comfort and back health.
In other words, getting a firmer mattress to avoid sinkage (and overheating) could also lead to spinal misalignment and back pain when such a firmness level isn’t ideal for one’s favorite sleep position.
Therefore, shoppers need to consider their sleeping style when looking for a good cooling mattress. Here are the general recommendations:
- Stomach sleepers. Great news for stomach sleepers: they will be the least likely to overheat during the night, as this sleeping style calls for a firmer mattress. A stiffer surface will prevent unwanted sinkage, thus keeping the spine straight and properly supported;
- Back sleepers. Those who sleep on their back don’t need that much cushioning - just a little bit for the hips and buttocks. Therefore, back sleepers are typically advised to pick medium or medium-firm mattresses (the latter would be more preferable for hot sleepers);
- Side sleepers. This is the “warmest” sleeping style. Side sleepers require a generous hug for their protruding body parts. They usually feel the most comfortable when using softer mattresses. So, for this sleeping style, a mattress with extra cooling features would be preferable.
Things to Consider When Shopping for a Good Cooling Mattress for Partnered Sleep
Sharing a bed with a partner often means more heat accumulating on the sleeping surface. In other words, lying close to each other often causes partners to sleep warmer than usual.
In this scenario, a larger mattress would come in handy. It would allow two partners to lie further from each other and thus, enjoy improved air circulation and cooler sleep.
That being said, larger mattresses cost more. So, for budget shoppers, it might be a better idea to opt for a mattress that offers strong edge support. For instance, hybrid and innerspring models typically have reliable edges. And this means they can offer a wider sleeping area for two partners.
Conclusion
Shopping for a good cooling mattress isn’t an easy task.
You have to consider a ton of aspects, including the materials used and the firmness level of your bed.
However, if you stick to hybrid models or latex mattresses, you will be safe (in terms of temperature regulation). And don’t forget to take your body type into account: if you are heavier than average, you might need a firmer mattress.
In my opinion, the best cooling mattress for hot sleepers is the Plank, as its firmness keeps you out of the comfort layers, which could otherwise be heat-trapping. The Plank offers just enough sinkage to be cushioning, while also keeping your spine and hips in alignment so you remain tension-free for better sleep, along with an optional GlacioTex cover for extra coolness.
What do you think? Which mattress would help you stay cool at night? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
References:
- Sunny Gold (2018, December 13). Why Some Mattresses “Sleep Hot” (and What to Do About It). Retrieved from https://www.saatva.com/blog/why-do-mattresses-sleep-hot/
- Charles W. Bryant (n.d.). How does wool keep you warm even when it's wet? Retrieved from https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/hiking/wool-when-wet1.htm
- Columbia Research (n.d.). Lab Coat Information Table. Retrieved from https://research.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/EHS/Lab%20Safety/LabCoatInformationTable.pdf
- Sameen Ruqia Imadi, Isra Mahmood, Alvina Gul Kazi (2014, July 21). Bamboo Fiber Processing, Properties, and Applications. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-07641-6_2
- Celliant (n.d.). Retrieved from https://celliant.com/
- The lyocell, An Environmentally Sustainable Fiber. Retrieved from https://lyocell.info/
- Jose I.Priego Quesada, Marina Gil-Calvoa, Angel G.Lucas-Cuevas, Inmaculada Aparicioac, Pedro Pérez-Soriano (2016, October 21). Assessment of a mattress with phase change materials using a thermal and perception test. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0894177716302941
- Lisa Fayed (2020, January 27). Causes of Night Sweats. Retrieved from https://www.verywellhealth.com/night-sweats-514441
Our research
25
Mattresses Considered
123
Hours of Research
3
Sleep Experts Consulted