Sleek bedroom with a black bed and mattress, matching dark linens, wooden nightstands, and a geometric black and gold accent wall.

Quality sleep is an essential part of living a happy, healthy life. When you sleep well, you're more likely to feel good, function properly, and avoid illnesses. While many factors can inhibit a person's ability to sleep soundly and wake up feeling refreshed, one of the most common challenges poor sleepers face is overheating in bed. The good news is that this is a problem that can be easily remedied. When it comes to maintaining your ideal temperature through the night, the type of mattress, bedding and accessories you choose can make a tremendous impact. If you're tired of waking up feeling overheated and exhausted, the trusted Star Furniture team is here to help you beat the heat once and for all. Check out these simple tips to tailor your bedding to your unique needs and wake up cool and refreshed day after day.

Understanding the Needs of Hot Sleepers

Feeling hot during the night is a common complaint among people of all ages who struggle to get a good night's sleep. While many fall asleep feeling cool, they often wake up multiple times due to overheating. Overheating during sleep can be caused by various factors, including certain health conditions, poor air circulation in the bedroom, or the local climate. Additionally, the choice of bed linens and mattress materials plays a significant role. Bedding that retains heat rather than promotes air circulation can make you feel hot while you sleep. Fortunately, this issue can be easily resolved by switching to sheets, blankets, and mattresses that are breathable and moisture-wicking. You may be surprised by the improvement in your sleep quality with these simple changes.

Choosing a Cooling Mattress

When it comes to ensuring your bed is set up for a cool night's sleep, it's a good idea to start with your mattress. A cooling mattress will set the stage for sleeping well night after night. A well-chosen mattress can make a significant difference in your sleep quality, especially during warmer months or if you tend to sleep hot.

Just as some mattresses are more supportive or plush than others, the same is true for temperature control. Some mattresses make it easier to stay cool while you sleep, while others are more likely to hold in heat. Because of this, it's important to familiarize yourself with the different types of mattress technologies in order to find the one that works best with your specific sleep needs, especially if you're a hot sleeper.

Here's what you need to know about common mattress materials:

  • Gel-infused foam: Memory foam mattresses are known for their unique contouring abilities, which give them exceptional support and comfort. While traditional memory foam mattresses tend to retain heat, gel-infused foam offers the same support and comfort while helping to better dissipate heat.
  • Latex: Latex mattresses are made from natural latex foam, which is as supportive, comfortable, and responsive as many memory foam mattresses. Best of all, latex is naturally cooling, making it an ideal choice for hot sleepers. Additionally, latex is known for its durability and hypoallergenic properties, adding more value to its cooling benefits.
  • Innerspring coils: This traditional mattress type is composed of a core made from springs and several layers of memory foam, providing both support and comfort. Just as traditional memory foam can retain heat, the same is true for hybrid mattresses. For this reason, it's best for hot sleepers to look for innerspring or hybrid mattresses with open-cell construction, ventilation channels, or gel-infused foam to ensure they're as cool as they are comfortable.

Choosing the right cooling mattress involves understanding the materials and technologies available. By selecting a mattress that aligns with your specific sleep needs, you can enhance your overall sleep experience and enjoy a cooler, more comfortable night’s rest.

Selecting a Mattress Protector

No matter what type of mattress you have, investing in a mattress protector is a must. Along with protecting your mattress from becoming soiled with body oils, pet dander, and spills, mattress protectors can keep your mattress looking and smelling like new for years to come. Like any other bedding or mattress, however, some mattress protectors can hold in heat while others can encourage a cool night's sleep. For this reason, it's worth taking the time to choose one that will prevent overheating if you're a hot sleeper. 

First and foremost, look at the type of fabric that the mattress protector is made from. Natural materials, such as cotton and bamboo, tend to be breathable and allow air to circulate freely through them, which helps regulate your body's temperature while you sleep. Moisture-wicking fabrics are also a good choice for hot sleepers as they move sweat away from your body. 

Star’s pro tip: Cooling gel infusions aren't only for memory foam mattresses. They can also be found in some mattress protectors for the ultimate cool sleeping experience.

Incorporating Cooling Mattress Toppers

Not to be confused with a mattress protector, which tends to be thin and primarily used to protect a mattress from becoming soiled, mattress toppers are types of padding that are used to provide additional comfort to a mattress. They're usually between 2 and 4 inches thick and can be made from a variety of materials, like traditional mattresses. 

Just as it's important to look for cooling properties when shopping for a new mattress that won't cause you to overheat as you sleep, the same is true for mattress toppers. Many mattress toppers boast the sought-after contouring of memory foam, but traditional memory foam can trap heat into your bed as you sleep. If you'd love to feel the gentle hug of memory foam when you crawl into bed without waking up hot and sweaty in the middle of the night, be sure to look for a mattress topper that includes cooling gel memory foam or breathable latex. 

Woman lying on a bed with a white pillow, gray headboard, and modern decor in a serene bedroom setting.

Investing in Cooling Pillows

Beds, mattresses, and their accessories have come a long way in recent years. It should be no surprise, then, that pillows have as well. Gone are the days of pillows being filled with simple feathers or foam. Instead, pillows come with countless filling options to meet every sleeper's personal preferences. For hot sleepers, investing in cooling pillows is as beneficial as choosing a heat-resistant mattress and bedding. 

Before bringing a new pillow home, be sure to look for features, such as airflow and heat dissipation, with materials that are known to promote cooling, such as shredded memory foam and gel-infused fibers. Don't forget to consider other factors that could impact the comfort and support of your pillow, including its loft and firmness. Be sure to look for a pillow that complements your preferred sleeping position, keeping your spine in proper alignment once it's resting on the pillow. Like any piece of furniture that you use daily, it's best to try out a cooling pillow before purchasing it or selecting one with a trial period in case it's not as accommodating as you expect.

Utilizing Temperature-Regulating Accessories

If you haven't visited a trusted mattress store recently, like Star Furniture, you might be unaware of the latest bedroom accessories designed to enhance temperature control while you sleep. Innovative products, such as mattress pads with cooling technology and adjustable bed bases with customizable temperature settings, allow you to create your ideal sleeping environment. These advancements are especially beneficial for hot sleepers, as controlling the temperature of your bed from the base up can significantly improve comfort. When combined with a cooling mattress, breathable sheets, and a cooling pillow, you'll look forward to crawling into bed and waking up refreshed every night.

Optimizing Bedroom Environment for Cooling

Even if you have the perfect mattress, bedding, and accessories tailored to hot sleepers, your bedroom environment will play a major role in how you feel through the night. To set yourself up for success, it's important to take the right steps to help you stay cool. Along with setting your thermostat to a temperature that you find comfortable (sleep experts recommend somewhere between 65 and 68 degrees), other tools can be added to your bedroom to optimize bedroom air flow and ventilation, such as oscillating fans and air purifiers. 

Additionally, your window treatments can help keep your bedroom cool. Rather than choosing sheer curtain panels or thin blinds that let heat and sunlight in, choose ones that will effectively protect your bedroom from the elements, such as blackout curtains. You won't believe how much easier it is to fall asleep and stay asleep longer when your bedroom is dark, cool, and properly ventilated. 

What NOT to Do to Stay Cool While You Sleep

If you feel hot while you sleep, you're not alone. Overheating at night is a common struggle for people of all ages. While your sleeping environment and bed could be the cause of why you feel hot as you sleep, certain activities or lifestyle factors could be contributing to overheating at night without you realizing it. The good news is that these simple steps could make a big difference in helping you stay cool in bed. Check them out:

  • Avoid wearing pajamas that are thick or tight. Instead, choose clothing that is loose, light, and breathable. 
  • Don't forget to check the direction of your ceiling fan blades. Make sure they're turning in a clockwise direction to circulate cool air.
  • Don't let pets climb in bed with you. While they're sweet and cuddly, sleeping with your furry friend can worsen your overheating tendencies.

Stay Cool All Night Long with the Right Bed and Accessories 

Let's face it - it’s difficult to sleep well if you don't feel comfortable. For hot sleepers, finding the right combination of furniture, bedding, and accessories to create a cool sleeping experience all night long is often easier said than done. Familiarizing yourself with the latest cooling technologies in mattresses, protectors, toppers, and bed linens can help point you in the right direction regarding which materials and features would work best for your needs, but it shouldn't end there. 

Working with a trusted Star Furniture consultant can ensure you find your ideal mattress, bedding, and accessories. At Star Furniture, we have everything you need to beat the heat while you sleep this summer and beyond. Visit us online to check out our large selection of beds and mattresses, then stop by our showroom to see why we're everyone's favorite mattress store.

If you enjoyed this blog, read this one that covers what you might not know about modern mattresses.