An ideal sleeping environment is key to ensuring a restful slumber, so many mattress brands employ cooling technologies in their beds.
Casper mattresses use an innovative cooling technology with thousands of perforations in their memory foam to draw body heat away from sleepers. At ISPA EXPO, one machine that caught our eye was Atlanta Attachment’s 1393FPS foam panel slitter.
1. Breathable Covers
One simple way to cool down your sleep surface is by adding a thin mattress cover. Not only are thinner covers less costly than quilted covers, they also allow air circulation more freely over the sleeping surface. Traditional memory foam has many open pores filled with tiny bubbles; when heated by body heat absorbed from pillows this compression reduces airflow and limits airflow through.
Use of breathable covers made of natural textiles like cotton or viscose from bamboo can improve breathability and help wick away moisture, keeping you cool through the night. This is especially important in hot climates or for pregnant women or people suffering from heat-inducing health conditions like menopause or night sweats.
Open-cell foam and ventilated latex also serve to regulate heat effectively, so the best mattresses for cooling feature these materials in their foundation layers. By doing so, these support layers can dissipate heat directly beneath you instead of keeping it trapped underneath your body. Furthermore, placing it on a frame and foundation with evenly spaced wooden boards provides additional airflow underneath the mattress for cooling purposes.
2. Cooling Infusions
Foam mattresses and mattress toppers often incorporate cooling materials like gel, copper, or graphite into them to help sleepers stay cool by absorbing and discharging excess body heat as temperatures fluctuate throughout the night – an approach proven effective for minimising disrupted cycles during slumber.
Many infused memory foam mattresses provide a more balanced, cooler sleeping experience than traditional memory foam, which tends to hold on to heat and sink in. Saatva’s Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper uses graphite infusing layers beneath to draw heat away from sleepers’ surfaces while simultaneously keeping memory foam layers cooler.
Innovative upgrades can often be found in high-end mattresses, while hybrid versions often combine foam or latex with traditional innerspring cores to promote airflow and help you avoid heat retention in memory foam or polyfoam models. Innerspring and latex mattresses have the added advantage of roomy coil systems which promote airflow without impeding body movements – offering relief against memory foam models which trap too much heat due to memory foam technology.
3. Gel Memory Foam
Memory foam mattresses are known for their ability to conform to sleepers, relieving pressure points and helping ensure proper spinal alignment. Furthermore, this material draws away body heat. Gel memory foam takes this concept one step further by including cooling gel infusions which absorb and disperse body heat thereby decreasing temperature fluctuations and improving comfort levels.
Manufacturers add cooling gel to either the top or bottom layers of traditional memory foam mattresses, or layer bead forms within layers for use as beaded memory foam layers. Either this cooling gel can be poured directly into a foam mold during production or it can be infiltrated throughout manufacturing processes.
No matter if the cooling gel used in mattresses is thermal gel designed to feel cold to the touch or phase change materials that change from solid to liquid when body heat is detected and released away, the end result remains: a cooler night’s rest.
Gel memory foam mattresses come in all-foam models as well as hybrid versions featuring both memory foam layers and pocketed coils for support in their support core, providing hot sleepers with maximum cooling properties to reduce heat retention. These options can also provide optimal temperature regulation during sleep.
4. Aerated Polyfoam
Polyurethane foam mattresses are an affordable and comfortable option, often chosen due to its soft surface. Not only are PU mattresses used as comfort cushions and insulation materials in home construction projects; but besides that they help keep sleep surfaces cooler by reflecting body heat rather than absorbing it.
Some PU foam mattresses feature an aerated layer to regulate temperature. This layer typically comprises thin tufts of breathable polyester that can be combined with quilted covers to give the mattress a classic appearance.
Other cooling mattresses employ techniques like aerated memory foam and gel infusion to reduce heat retention, or phase change materials or thermal transfer fibers that absorb and dissipate it, in order to combat night sweats and overheating. While these are effective ways of cooling the body during sleep, even with the best cooling mattress they won’t stop you overheating unless sleeping in an environment with proper air circulation; even so, a cooling mattress should only be considered part of an overall cool sleep strategy that includes sheets, sheets, ceiling fan etc.
5. Microcoils
Microcoils feature perforations similar to latex foam that help regulate sleep temperature while simultaneously improving breathability, making microcoils an excellent way to regulate temperature regulation and improve airflow during sleep. Many mattress brands such as Spindle, Dreamcloud, Zenhaven and Bear mattresses utilize microcoils within their comfort layers.
Microcoil layers can also serve to increase durability and contouring by replacing foam layers. These microcoils, smaller than traditional innersprings, help support any recessed areas on the sleep surface for increased durability while decreasing motion transference.
Although a mattress with coils tends to be heavier and firmer than many other options, they are still an ideal choice for those who desire durable support and comfort. Furthermore, because their coils work independently of one another they may help relieve pressure in specific parts of your body by providing proportional support. Furthermore, hybrid mattresses often combine this type of coil system with memory foam or polyfoam layers for enhanced responsive contouring capabilities that feels cool at night.
6. Airflow
Temperature plays a critical role in sleep quality, so your mattress should promote airflow during the night to allow warm air to escape while cool air enters.
Most mattresses feature breathable covers and airy foam layers to increase breathability, and many memory foam mattresses feature open-cell designs that promote airflow by preventing heat from being trapped, helping prevent overheating and night sweats. These cooling technologies may help avoid overheating as well as night sweats.
Foams that contain minerals such as copper or silver enhance their cooling properties by helping reduce core body temperature while supporting healthy circadian rhythms that promote quality sleep.
Many brands, like Amerisleep and Beautyrest, incorporate microcoils in their innerspring mattresses to increase heat dissipation for cooler sleep. Furthermore, egg crate surfaces or cuts on their foams also enhance airflow for increased cooling capabilities and overall performance.
7. Breathable Foam
Memory foam mattress pads offer pressure-relieving comfort, but can sometimes trap heat and restrict airflow resulting in overheating and poor night’s rest. Mattress makers address this by employing techniques which promote breathability and temperature regulation.
These beds employ cooling gel infusions that break up foam concentration and ensure your body can breathe freely, moisture-wicking covers to prevent night sweats, and phase change materials that react with body heat to absorb and dissipate it.
Additionally, they ensure their foam mattress is breathable by employing advanced open-cell technology – creating an experience that feels cool underfoot.
Add an extra boost with a mattress pad or topper made from breathable materials such as cotton. Natural fabrics provide comfort against overheating while wicking moisture away, so this approach may reduce overheating risk. Some sleepers also find relief by dampening a cloth and placing it over their head or chest before sleep time.
8. Cooling Sheets
No matter your health issue – hot flashes during menopause or anxiety-induced night sweating being just two examples – cooling sheets can provide welcome relief. Constructed of natural fibers designed to promote breathability and moisture wicking, and featuring an open weave pattern to allow airflow.
The best cooling bed sheets are constructed of lightweight and breathable fabrics like cotton or linen, often featuring special cooling technologies or fibers that wick away moisture and heat effectively.
Cooling sheets come at various price points, from budget-friendly sets to luxury options that cost upward of $500. If you only plan on using cooling sheets occasionally throughout the year, investing in high-end models might be worthwhile.
Fabric selection is key when it comes to choosing cooling sheets, and many believe higher thread counts mean better sheets. But tight weaves can trap body heat and restrict airflow – opt for crisp percale construction instead. Lattice or grid patterns on sheets also enhance circulation of cool air while sleeping.
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