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It’s brutally hot outside right now, with heat domes sending temperatures soaring across the country. But the weather isn’t always the only reason hot sleepers struggle to cool down at night. Certain medications, medical conditions, and hormonal changes can also cause excessive sweating during sleep, says dermatologist Ranella Hirsch, MD. “For many people, it’s hormones (i.e., you hear this from people in pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause frequently),” she says.
While sleeping hot is common, sudden changes in your sleep should be monitored. “If you suddenly start becoming overheated while sleeping, it's best to first discuss with your doctor why this may be happening and to see if you can fix the core of the problem,” says dermatologist Lindsey Marie Zubritsky, MD.
Luckily, there are a variety of ways to stay cool while sleeping, and research has found that the best temperature for sleeping is a room that's between 65 to 67 degrees at night. “Optimizing the sleep environment using cooling interventions is the best way to improve quality of sleep for hot sleepers,” says Keri Peterson, MD. “There are cooling mattress pads and local body cooling items available, which significantly improve sleep quality and thermal comfort in both menopausal women and the general population.”
Whether you’re dealing with an underlying medical issue or a lack of airflow in your bedroom, here are some cooling sleep accessories to help improve your sleep, from moisture-wicking pajamas to fans to high-tech bed cooling systems—mouth tape not included.
How We Selected
As a hot sleeper and a sleep writer, I’m always looking for products that help me balance coziness and breathability. I’ve tested everything from high-tech white noise machines to luxurious linen sheets, and some of my favorite sleep accessories are even included in this list.
To find the best ways to stay cool while sleeping, I consulted medical experts, conducted extensive research, and pulled the best products we've tested and are proven winners from Women’s Health sleep guides. Whether you’re battling high humidity without air conditioning or want to ditch your stuffy bedding, you came to the right place.
Pillows
If you find yourself flipping to the cooler side of the pillow throughout the night, a cooling pillow can help. Made from a variety of breathable, moisture-wicking materials inside and out, these editor-tested pillows are a good place for hot sleepers to start.
Sleep Number’s True Temp Pillow is available in three shapes—classic, contour, and ultimate, which is adjustable. The foam pillow has a cooling cover that’s great for hot sleepers and humid climates because it actually removes moisture vapor, thanks to its use of 37.5 Technology.
The key feature of the aptly named SlumberCloud UltraCool Pillow is its cool-to-the-touch cover made with NASA-engineered fabric. The pillow is available in two firmness options, and it’s OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certified.
Our favorite adjustable pillow also happens to be an excellent, budget-friendly cooling pillow. The Coop Home Goods Original Loft Bed Pillow comes in three shapes, has a soft, breathable cover, and is stuffed with shredded memory foam that you can adjust to your preference.
Sheets
We found the best cooling sheets to keep you cozy yet chilled all night long. “Sheets should also be lightweight and breathable, made from linen or cotton,” Zubritsky says. “This allows for better airflow and less heat trapping.”
Made with buttery soft bamboo rayon, “The Regulator” Sheets wick moisture and minimize odor. We love the nine color options that My Sheets Rock offers, and the lightweight, stretchy fabric is great for year-round use.
If you need to stay cool on a budget, this Mellanni sheet set is just $70 but frequently goes on sale, and it’s available in a whopping 40 color options. It’s made with a breathable, durable microfiber, and it’s OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certified.
Casper’s Hyperlite Sheets are made with Tencel Lyocell woven into a grid pattern that makes the sheets extra breathable. The temperature-regulating set feels premium and durable despite its $109 price tag.
Comforters
While you might think you need to skip the comforter to stay cool, these cooling comforters prove otherwbee. A comforter that can help promote airflow and is made from materials like bamboo viscose to Scotchgard-treated fabric lets you cozy up under the covers without overheating.
With a silky, cooling bamboo viscose cover, the Hombys Bamboo Comforter is soft and lightweight, thanks to the blanket’s hollow microfiber fill. It’s also machine washable and OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certified.
If you’re prone to night sweats, the Elements Cooling Duvet is Scotchgard-treated, making it moisture-wicking and temperature-regulating. The micro-cluster fiber fill allows for air flow throughout the night, and the blanket is antimicrobial, fighting any odors or bacteria that might be present.
At under $30 for a queen-sized comforter, this DownCool comforter is super budget-friendly and lightweight. It’s OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, featuring a soft microfiber cover and breathable down-alternative fill.
Weighted Blankets
While hot sleepers may gravitate toward lightweight bedding, that doesn’t mean they should miss out on the benefits of weighted blankets. We’ve tested the best cooling weighted blankets for warm nights, evaluating them for soft feel, breathability, and even weight distribution.
The Bearaby Tree Napper doesn’t have the typical filled weighted blanket look, thanks to its knit style made with organic cotton and Tencel Lyocell. It comes in five colors and four weight options.
This YnM weighted blanket from Amazon is filled with glass beads and has a smooth bamboo viscose shell that’s cool to the touch. The small quilted squares ensure that the weight won’t shift around, and it’s available in weight options ranging from 7 to 30 pounds.
Made with a soft cotton shell and filled with glass beads, the Baloo Living Weighted Blanket is sturdy yet breathable. It offers three sizes and four weight options and has a unique quilted pattern to keep the weight in place throughout the night.
Mattress Toppers
While you may not have the budget for a whole new mattress, a cooling mattress topper can instantly provide relief on hot summer nights. Whether made with gel memory foam or organic latex, these toppers will make your bed comfier and cooler.
This four-inch mattress topper from Sleep Innovations is a gel foam mattress topper and plush pillow top in one, providing a cooling feel and extra comfort to your mattress. It comes in three different styles for whether you want to prioritize cooling, plushness, or support.
It uses three inches of graphite-infused foam to draw heat away from the body and relieve pressure. Our testers found it plush but supportive, without the overly sunken feeling that some memory foam creates. It also reduces motion transfer and has a breathable, moisture-wicking organic cotton-blend cover.
This 2-inch organic latex mattress topper from Naturepedic is both pressure-relieving and naturally cooling. The latex fill is GOLS certified, and it’s covered in a soft organic cotton shell. Plus, it comes with a 100-night trial and a 10-year warranty.
Mattresses
Investing in a cooling mattress can stave off the night sweats and improve your sleep quality year-round. While something like a Tempur-Pedic is a large investment, there are other more budget-friendly options, too.
While it comes with a hefty price tag, the Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Breeze mattresses come in two different hybrid models, the ProBreeze and LuxeBreeze. Both have a cooling SmartClimate cover and a cooling layer to decrease heat.
Beautyrest’s Black mattress has a couple of cooling features, including a layer of gel memory foam and a heat-transferring cooling cover. It’s a little more budget-friendly than some of our other favorite cooling mattresses, and it comes with a 100-night trial.
Couples who prefer different mattress feels can customize each side of the M3 Night Ice with interchangeable coil units ranging from firm to plush. Its perforated foam helps dissipate body heat. Mesh side panels and built-in vents promote airflow throughout the mattress.
Cooling Sleep Systems
If you want a cooling solution that’s a little more high-tech, there are plenty of cooling sleep systems on the market that are essentially next-level mattress toppers that can be customized to fit your needs. Just be aware you’ll need to give up a little floor space for these gadgets.
The Chilipad Cube Bed System features a square-shaped external hub and a mesh mattress pad, which circulates water to keep you warm or cool. The cooling system has a temperature range of 55 to 115 degrees, and the mattress topper is conveniently machine washable.
Eight Sleep is an industry leader in cooling technology, and its latest cooling sleep system, the Pod 5, is no exception. The high-tech mattress cover and accompanying hub allow you to cool or heat your bed to your exact desired temperature while also tracking your sleep. While it is pricey and requires a monthly subscription to get full advantages of the app, our editors who have tested the Eight Sleep systems swear by them.
The app-controlled BedJet 3 is an external dock with a hose that goes under your sheets, allowing the device to cool or heat your bed through airflow. It’s essentially like having a heating and cooling unit just for your bed, so you can be at your optimal temperature every night.
Fans
Even if you have central air conditioning, a fan can help increase airflow in your bedroom so you don’t overheat at night. We found the best cooling fans for limited floor space and maximum power.
With a classic pedestal fan style, this model from Amazon Basics is packed with helpful features like oscillation, a tiltable head, three speeds, three modes, and a timer. It also comes with a remote, so you can easily operate the fan from bed.
This small Vornado fan packs a punch, moving air up to 100 feet. It has four speed settings, and the head can tilt up to 90 degrees. Plus, you can place it on a dresser or nightstand if you’re low on floor space in your bedroom.
This tabletop fan from Honeywell costs under $20 and can circulate air up to 25 feet away, making it a great option for a bedside fan or a small bedroom. It has three speed options plus an adjustable head.
Sleep Masks
Whether freezer-safe or naturally cooling, a sleep mask can block out light and keep you chilled at the same time. From cooling eye cups to cool-to-the-touch silk, here are the best options for keeping cool and sleeping well.
Although it might not be a sleep mask that you wear all night, the NEWGO Cooling Eye Mask is essentially a handy reusable compress that you can cool in the freezer or warm in the microwave. The dual-sided mask features gel beads and a plastic cover on one side and a fuzzy texture on the other.
For a more traditional eye mask, try this one from Alaska Bear made with organic mulberry silk. The mask won’t tug at your skin, and it will remain cool and silky soft all night long.
The Manta Pro Sleep Mask is the real deal, featuring hollowed-out eye cups made with cooling foam that totally blocks light without putting pressure on your eyes. The adjustable strap is made of mesh to promote airflow, while staying securely on your head throughout the night.
Pajamas
If you’re trying to stay cool while sleeping, what you wear at night is pretty important. “Opt for moisture-wicking pajamas made from breathable, lightweight fabrics like bamboo or cotton,” Zubritsky says. When looking for pajamas that will keep you cool, go for shorts and tanks over pants or sleeves.
If you love the chic pajama sets from brands like Eberjey but not the $150-plus price tag, Quince offers a similar look for less. The breathable jersey is made with rayon from bamboo and spandex, giving it enough stretch for sleeping and lounging.
Lunya’s washable silk PJs are perfect for hot sleepers and warm summer nights. Made with 100 percent mulberry silk, the shorts and loose-fitting T-shirt are thermoregulating, have a luxurious feel, and come in a variety of beautiful colors and patterns.
You don’t want to wear constricting pajamas when you’re trying to stay cool, and this stretchy set from Cozy Earth is a perfect example. The pajamas are made with bamboo viscose and spandex, making them breathable and comfortable.
Window AC Units
No central AC? No problem. Bring the air to your bedroom with these window air conditioning units that are quiet, powerful, efficient, and can be tailored to your preferences.
Windmill’s sleek AC unit has simple controls as well as remote, app, and voice control. It boasts three settings and three speeds, easy installation, and an LED display.
While not as aesthetically pleasing, the Hisense UltraSlim Window Air Conditioner can cool up to 450 square feet of space. It features four-way air flow and has a built-in dehumidifier for those hot and humid nights.
Meet the Experts
- Ranella Hirsch, MD, is a dermatologist in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- Lindsey Marie Zubritsky, MD, is a dermatologist based in Mississippi.
- Keri Peterson, MD, specializes in internal medicine and is based in New York City.
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Grace Cooper is a writer who reviews sleep, wellness, and kitchen products. Her work has appeared in Gear Patrol, Apartment Therapy, Food & Wine, CNET, Wellworthy, and more publications. She loves finding innovations that make everyday life a little bit easier, whether getting a good night's sleep or making the best chocolate chip cookies.
Christian is the Style and Reviews Director at Men's Health and Women’s Health, where he oversees shopping and style content for both brands. He started his magazine career as an accessories assistant at Vogue, and has since held editorial roles at Tatler Asia and The Manual. When he’s not online shopping, you can find him on long walks with his two corgis.
