If you struggle to fall asleep because you're simply too warm in bed, investing in a cooling mattress will help reduce overheating so you fall asleep faster. With some brands making lofty claims about the cooling credentials of their mattresses, it helps to know which features really do make a difference against sweating and overheating.
Many of the best mattresses on the market come equipped with certain features to help keep our temperatures regulated at night, but what exactly are those features? Some might harness that naturally cooling credentials of organic materials, while other boast cutting edge cooling technology.
Here, we'll cut through brand claims and lay out exactly what to look for when shopping for the best cooling mattress. While sales happen all year round, the upcoming Memorial Day mattress sales are when we're likely to see the biggest discounts, making now a great time to buy.
3 key features to look for when buying a cooling mattress
1. Heat-wicking covers
You might be surprised to learn that many of the best organic mattresses on the market are naturally cooling, thanks to the materials used in their construction. Organic wool, cotton and latex are all naturally breathable and moisture wicking, making them a great choice for hot sleepers as they’ll draw heat away from the body and help promote airflow.
But it’s not just natural materials that can help with overheating. If your budget doesn't quite stretch to an organic mattress, look for a bed with GlacioTex covers for a cool to the touch mattress finish.
GlacioTex is a trademarked cooling fabric that uses fibers with high thermal conductivity to pull heat away from your body. You’ll find it used in plenty of the big name mattresses, such as Helix Sleep and Bear. There’s also Ghost Ice, which is the equivalent from GhostBed, using woven cooling fibers.
Another fantastic cooling material is Phase Change Material (PCM). Developed by NASA, PCM absorbs heat and humidity and wicks away heat from your body. It’s incredibly effective, with one study showing that the material improves human heat dissipation by up to 25.6% compared to a standard mattress.
2. A hybrid design
You might love the ‘hug’ you’ll get from the best memory foam mattresses but some memory foam mattress can trap heat. The problem with some all-foam (certainly not all) is that it’s difficult for air to circulate around the mattress and then escape. Instead, it gets trapped in pockets of foam.
On the other hand, the best hybrid mattresses offer a certain degree of breathability, thanks to the individually pocketed layer of springs throughout the bed. These channels help disperse heat and help to keep sleepers’ temperatures regulated.
Of course, hybrid mattresses also come with some foam layers on top of the springs. One of the best choices you can make here is latex, due to it being naturally breathable material. Some manufacturers also add perforations into the latex or other cooling materials to aid with cooling.
3. Gel, copper and graphite-infused foams
There is some debate as to how effective foam infusions are, particularly gel, but if your heart is set on a mattress that contains a decent amount of foam and you’re a hot sleeper, gel infused foam can help keep you both comfortable and cool. Gel memory foam is foam infused with gel beads designed to absorb body heat and move it away from a sleeper’s body.
You’ll also find mattresses infused with other materials such as copper, graphite, and charcoal. Because the infusions have to be added in small quantities, they may not make a huge difference to hot sleepers, but we think they’re essential to include alongside other more suitable materials.
As we touched on above, many brands have developed their own techniques to stop their foam from becoming hot and trapping heat. A lot of these revolve around perforations, holes or even slashes cut in the foam, all of which allow heat to escape and prevent it from becoming trapped in the foam.
Alternatively, you might prefer a more high-tech solution. Many of the best smart mattresses feature integrated cooling technology that allows you to adjust the temperature by degrees. You can learn more with our guide to how smart mattresses can help with common sleep issues.
Top 3 best cooling mattresses to buy today
