It’s easy to see the appeal of a cooling mattress during the hot summer months. But as winter approaches, you might be wondering whether a cooling mattress is worth buying? To help you decide, we've identified five key signs that you would benefit from sleeping on a cooling mattress all year round, and not just in the summer.
Many of the top recommendations in our guide to this year's best mattresses for all sleepers and budgets have good temperature control. But proper cooling mattresses contain various materials (such as copper, graphite, or cooling gel) to dissipate heat to a greater degree.
Whether down to menopause, night sweats, medication or a health condition, there are many reasons people sleep hot year-round. If this is you, read on as we look into how a cooling mattress can help you ward off the night sweats and sleep more peacefully all year round – plus we’ve rounded up the mattress sales to shop today if you want a proper cooling bed for less but can't wait for this year's Black Friday mattress deals to arrive in November.
What is a cooling mattress?
A cooling mattress is any form of bed especially designed to provide a cool-to-touch sleep surface and keep your body at an optimal sleeping temperature through the night – a godsend for year-round hot sleepers.
The best cooling mattresses have features that set them apart from other mattresses include temperature-balancing materials, open-cell structures and breathable fabrics.
Materials like gel, latex and phase-change materials (PCMs) absorb excess heat from your body, drawing it away from the mattress surface to keep your bed cooler.
Open-cell coil structures in spring and hybrid mattresses also improve air flow and heat dissipation. This is why hybrid mattresses tend to be cooler than all-foam mattresses as memory foam traps heat while coil layers help air circulate and keep the bed cool.
Finally, breathable fabrics forming the top cover of cooling mattresses like cotton or linen wick moisture away from the body and allow better airflow to stop you waking up feeling clammy and uncomfortable.
5 signs you need a cooling mattress all year round
1. You experience hot flashes
Some of us just sleep hotter than others — waking up drenched in sweat, regardless of the season, is a sure fire sign you need a cooling sleep surface. Not only is waking up in a pool of sweat uncomfortable, it also contributes to poor sleep hygiene, increasing the build up of bodily fluid in your bed. Without regular cleaning, this build up of sweat and oil can stain your mattress, leave it smelly and reduce its lifespan.
With a cooling mattress keeping you cool while you sleep you won’t have to worry about excess sweat ruining your mattress. Though we still advise you clean your bed regularly – you’ll be surprised how much dust mites and regardless of your sleep temperature.
2. You often wake with the covers kicked off
Some mattresses trap body heat while you sleep, causing you to heat up way above the recommended sleeping temperature during the night. Waking up so hot and frustrated you kick off the covers is a sign you’d benefit from a cooling mattress.
Let’s be honest, there’s no better feeling than cocooning in your duvet, especially during the colder months. Yet year-round hot sleepers are not afforded this luxury as they can’t bear the extra padding. But with a cooling mattress and cooling sheets regulating their body temperature, they can enjoy the comfort of a duvet.
3. You struggle to fall asleep
Temperature can impact our circadian rhythm – our body’s internal sleep and wake cycle. Struggling to nod off is an indication that you would benefit from a cooling mattress in order to achieve the optimal sleep temperature, which research shows is between 20 and 25 °C (68 and 77 F).
Your body temperature tends to drop as you prepare for sleep. A cooler sleep environment created by a cooling mattress helps facilitate this natural drop in body temperature, signalling to your body it’s time to wind down for sleep. Induced into a sleepy state, you will drop off to sleep more quickly without tossing and turning.
4. Certain medical conditions
Some people’s tendency to sleep hot is unfortunately out of their control as certain illnesses, medication, medical conditions and natural phases like menopause can increase nighttime body temperature all year round.
Of course, a temporary high temperature doesn’t mean you must rush to buy a cooling mattress. But if you’re suffering from a medical condition that causes night sweats – for example hyperthyroidism or anxiety – then a cooling mattress could be just what the doctor ordered. Helping to balance your temperature through the night.
Even better, a smart mattress with automatic temperature regulation and personalized sleep tracking (if your budget stretches that far) can help you understand what is happening to your body overnight. With this information you can work with medical professionals to craft an ideal sleep routine.
5. You wake up thirsty
We all wake up gasping for water from time to time – especially when the evening before includes one too many glasses of wine. But regularly waking up thirsty is often a sign that your body has produced excessive amounts of sweat in an attempt to cool you down during the night, leaving you feeling dehydrated. A cooling mattress can keep you cool and dry throughout the night, keeping thirst at bay.
