How Do Cooling Sheets and Bedding Work?
Understanding how cooling bedding works can help you choose the right layers for a good night’s rest, no matter the temperature. Some cooling bedding is made with materials engineered to help you regulate your body temperature, but some natural fabrics possess those same key qualities. Explore this guide to learn how cooling sheets and bedding work, and which options best suit your personal sleeping preferences.
The Science Behind Cooling Bedding
No fancy tech needed here: Cooling bedding is breathable and moisture-wicking—benefits often associated with natural materials like cotton and linen. Here, let’s break down what exactly these two qualities mean.
What Is Breathable Bedding?
Breathable sheets and bedding are made with fibers and fabrics that facilitate or allow ample air circulation, which helps prevent heat from being trapped between your body and your bedding. Breathability is influenced by fabric and weave. Look for natural, rather than synthetic, fibers in looser weaves, such as percale, which allow air to move more easily.
How Do Moisture-Wicking Sheets Work?
Cooling bedding is made with moisture-wicking materials that draw perspiration, water, and humidity away from your body—first absorbing it, and then allowing it to evaporate. This keeps you drier and cooler overnight, so you don’t wake up sweaty or overheated.
What Is the Best Material for Cooling Bedding?
Start your search for breathable, moisture-wicking bedding with the material options and bedding layers known to keep you cool while you sleep—from crisp cotton percale sheets to gel-infused bedding basics designed to dissipate heat for cooler rest. We’ve broken down the options for you, here.
Cool, Comfortable Cotton Percale Sheets
Best for: Budget-friendly, versatile cooling bedding. Ideal for hot sleepers and warm temperatures; layers well for year-round comfort
When it comes to cotton bedding, percale sheets and other layers are synonymous with cool overnight comfort. Cotton fibers naturally wick moisture, and the loose percale weave allows ample airflow to keep you cool through the night. Pair solid or patterned percale sheets with a lightweight coverlet for optimal comfort all night long.
Lightweight Linen Layers
Best for: Gorgeous texture and exceptional cooling ability; sleepers who experience hot flashes
Lightweight, cool linen offers an elegant texture, puts off a relaxed, laid-back vibe, and layers beautifully. Its natural thermal regulating properties mean that linen cools you down when you’re hot, but helps your body warm up when you’re cold, making linen sheets and bedding a great option for summer or for those whose body temperature tends to fluctuate when they sleep.
Bamboo and Eucalyptus Sheets and Bedding
Best for: Luxe, silky, and buttery soft; temperature regulation for cold sleepers
Rayon or TENCEL™ Lyocell sheets made from bamboo or eucalyptus fibers are super soft, but also offer the same comfortable, cooling properties as linen and cotton—even in a sateen weave. However, TENCEL™ or bamboo-blend sateen bedding is still warmer than percale or linen alternatives, making these layers best for cold sleepers in warm months.
The benefits of TENCEL™ Lyocell and bamboo don’t stop at keeping you cool. These semi-synthetic fibers are also hypoallergenic and antibacterial—ideal for sensitive skin.
Cool ZZZ® and Gel-Infused Bedding Basics
Best for: Superior cooling on hot nights; extra-warm sleepers
Don’t overlook the basics when making a summer bed: From mattress pads to pillows and protective covers, our Cool ZZZ® products feature moisture-wicking shells and heat-absorbing liners that keep you comfortable all night. We also offer cooling gel pillows and mattress pads that balance the superior support of memory foam with heat-absorbing gel fibers that pull extra warmth away from your body.
Whether you call a warm climate home, experience fluctuating body temperatures, or tend to sleep hot, high-quality cooling bedding can help you sleep better. Use our expert insight to choose cooling summer sheets, then pair them with a lightweight top-of-bed layer such as a quilt or coverlet. Explore our other Guides for more tips on making your bedding as comfortable as possible for any season or sleeper.
