There can be no disputing the importance of the right mattress for a good night's sleep, and there are many factors that contribute to the quality of our sleep. One of the common complaints from sleepers is that they get too hot. "Hot sleepers" may experience this discomfort for many reasons. If the cause is incorrect bedding, this may be relatively simple to remedy. If this is not the cause, the correct bedding may, at the very least, be able to provide some relief.
A cooling mattress topper is an additional layer of bedding placed on top of your mattress that is in some way designed specifically for cooling purposes, ensuring a cool and comfortable sleep. This type of mattress topper is a good potential option for those who find they get hot and sweaty at night but cannot invest in a new mattress. Discussed below is a review of some of the most highly rated cooling mattresses on the market.
(Important Facts, Studies, Advice, Considerations & FAQs In Conclusion)
COOLING MATTRESS TOPPER | THICKNESS | TRIAL & WARRANTY | PRICE |
---|---|---|---|
Silentnight Airmax 300 Mattress Topper | 3cm | NA Nights 2 Years | £41 |
Panda Gel Cooling Mattress Topper | 5cm | 30 Nights 10 Years | £89.95 |
Slumberland Airstream Mattress Topper | 4cm | NA Nights NA Years | £41.99 |
Simba Hybrid Topper | 7cm | NA Nights 1 Year | £219 |
SOPAT Cooling Mattress Topper/ Pad | NA | NA Nights NA Years | £29.74 |
Dreamzie Memory Foam Mattress Topper | 5cm | 30 Nights NA Years | £99.99 |
1. Silentnight Airmax 300 Mattress Topper
HIGHLIGHTS | SUITABILITY |
---|---|
• Airmax 300 technology • Machine washable • 2-year guarantee | • Those with allergies • People on a tight budget • Individuals who prefer to buy British |
The Silentnight Airmax 300 mattress topper is a 3cm deep filled hypoallergenic topper that can be added on top of your existing mattress for a cooler nights sleep. It has a dual-layer construction and Airmax technology facilitating air movement and air mesh walls to increase the breathability of your sleep surface, making it a good potential choice for hot sleepers.
This topper is made in the UK, available in various sizes, and is machine washable. The manufacturers include a 2-year guarantee, and it's on the lower end of the price scale, so it's a good option for those on a tight budget.
2. Panda Gel Cooling Mattress Topper
HIGHLIGHTS | SUITABILITY |
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• Hydro-foam™ technology • 30-night trial • 10-year guarantee | • Eco-friendly individuals • Those looking for a mid-range buy • People with allergies |
The Panda Gel Cooling mattress topper has a depth of 5cm and offers both support and comfort. This topper is composed of a 3rd generation, gel-infused memory foam (Hydro-foam™) and could be a good option for hot sleepers. This "open cell" cooling technology uses small heat-sensitive capsules that react to your body temperature and expand when the memory foam warms. The space between the cells then releases heat, ensuring you stay cool and the foam stays supportive. In addition, Hydro-foam™ conforms to the shape of your body and doesn’t lose its shape or density over time.
This topper has a soft bamboo cover that further facilitates breathability and is also antibacterial and hypoallergenic due to its natural properties. In addition, it is removable and washable. There is an anti-slip layer of dotted silicon on the bottom and elastic straps on each corner to ensure the topper stays firmly in place.
This eco-friendly product comes in various sizes, and manufacturers offer free UK delivery and returns. There is a 30-night trial to ensure you are completely satisfied with your purchase and a 10-year guarantee. This topper is middle of the range price-wise, and customer reviews are very positive overall.
3. Slumberdown Airstream Cooling Mattress Topper
HIGHLIGHTS | SUITABILITY |
---|---|
• Airstream technology • Washer and dryer friendly • Made in the UK | • Those with a mattress depth of 35cm • Allergy sufferers • People looking for medium support |
The Slumberdown Airstream cooling mattress topper is 4cm thick, offers medium support, and is suitable for a mattress with a depth of 35cm. This topper uses Airstream technology designed with breathable materials that draw moisture away, ensuring that you feel cool and dry throughout the night, which may make it a good affordable option for those who tend to overheat during the night.
Reinforced elastic corner straps make sure the topper stays in place and there is a soft-touch cover. This Slumberland topper is hypoallergenic and washer and dryer friendly. The brand is made in the UK, and customers generally rate this product very highly.
4. Simba Hybrid Topper
HIGHLIGHTS | SUITABILITY |
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• Simbatex air-flow • Hybrid design • 1-year warranty | • Those with a flexible budget • People who prefer a thicker topper • Eco-friendly individuals |
The 7cm Simba Hybrid mattress topper is made of both springs and foam and could be a good choice for hot sleepers due to the combination of materials facilitating optimal coolness, comfort and support.
This topper has a soft, breathable sleep surface followed by the open-cell Simbatex air-flow layer and 3D mesh fabric, facilitating a cool, comfortable sleep, followed by the 2,500 Aerocoil™ spring comfort layer. These conical-shaped springs are enclosed in a 100% polyester pocket, ensuring that you are supported from all angles and aids in motion isolation. Under this layer is the Simba-pure support providing further support. The Simba Hybrid topper is also fitted with straps to prevent the topper from moving around.
It is made in Europe from 100% recyclable material. Customers seem very happy with their purchase and comment specifically on it being cool and comfortable. Simba offers a 1-year warranty and is a good potential choice if you have a higher budget.
5. SOPAT Cooling Mattress Topper
HIGHLIGHTS | SUITABILITY |
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• 300TC 100% cotton • Snow down fill • Machine washable | • People on a tight budget • Those with mattresses up to 53cm thick • Individuals with allergies |
The SOPAT cooling mattress topper is breathable and soft and won't break the bank. It is made of 300TC 100% cotton and gives good comfort without extra heat and sweat. This cool and breathable mattress topper may be a potentially good buy for those who tend to overheat during the night. It is filled with snow down alternative fill (a fiberfill that feels like authentic goose and ducks down).
Any spilt fluid (less than 200ml) can be wiped away quickly and won't soak through to your mattress. This topper is resistant to bacteria and mites and has fabric sides that can stretch to fit mattresses up to 53cm thick. This SOPAT cooling topper is machine washable, and customers are generally very satisfied with their purchase.
6. Dreamzie Mattress Topper
HIGHLIGHTS | SUITABILITY |
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• Viscose bamboo cover • Chemical-free • 30-night trial | • Allergy sufferers • People with mattresses up to 30cm thick • Those with a more flexible budget |
The Dreamzie Memory Foam Mattress topper is 5cm thick and is designed for all body types and sleep positions. The topper cover is made from viscose bamboo fibre which facilitates ventilation by absorbing moisture and promoting airflow throughout the night, making it suitable for hot sleepers.
This mattress topper is hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial and chemical-free, making it a good option for those with sensitive skin or allergies. The cover is machine washable and includes a non-slip back surface to keep the topper in place. Large elastic straps are fitted to each corner to ensure the topper stays in place. Worth noting that it can fit mattresses up to 30cm thick.
This Dreamzie mattress topper is made in Europe, is free from harmful chemicals, a comes with a 30-night trial. In addition, the inclusion of memory foam in this topper ensures that the body is contoured and facilitates the claimed ergonomic and orthopaedic features. Customers rate this product highly, and it may be a good option for those with a slightly higher budget.
What Is A Cooling Mattress Topper
Mattress toppers are an additional layer of bedding placed on top of your mattress that have the potential to in some way alter your sleep surface. Like a cooling mattress, a topper designed specifically for cooling purposes should offer something in terms of construction and materials to help ensure a cool and comfortable sleep. A cooling mattress topper is a good potential option for those who find they get hot and sweaty at night but cannot invest in a new mattress.
Temperature And Sleep
Sleep deprivation can be debilitating and compromise our quality of life, and an appropriate sleep environment is critical to achieving adequate quality and quantity of sleep. Many factors affect sleep, and temperature plays an integral role.
Research✓ shows that in addition to falling asleep and sleep duration, temperature has a significant effect on sleep calmness and even appetite. Both our sleep environment and body temperature can influence our sleep experience. A review✓ of the environmental parameters required for an ideal sleep environment shows optimal ambient temperature between 17 and 28 °C (depending on humidity). Furthermore, a decline in core body temperature has been shown✓ to increase the likelihood of falling asleep and may facilitate a deeper sleep.
Fun fact!
The release of "sleep hormone" melatonin induces changes✓ that result in a drop of our body temperature about 2 hours before sleep, essentially preparing our body for optimal sleep.
Causes Of Overheating When We Sleep
There are many different reasons why people may wake up hot and sweaty during the night. Causes of "night sweats"✓ may include menopause symptoms (“hot flushes”), anxiety, medicines, low blood sugar, alcohol or drug use, or hyperhidrosis (a harmless condition where you sweat a lot). Many people tend to be “hot sleepers” without any underlying pathologies or apparent reasons. Causes of “night sweats” in some individuals are unexplained.
Regardless of the reason, some bedding may help alleviate these night sweats, and some may exacerbate them. The best way to maintain your bed at the right temperature is to choose bedding designed for hot sleepers. A cooling mattress topper may potentially be a way to offer hot sleepers a cool, comfortable, restful sleep. If you have any concerns that your overheating is due to any medical issues, it is advisable to see a doctor.
Interesting to note...
There is a growing body of literature✓ demonstrating how climate change may disrupt human sleep.
Cooling Mattress Toppers: Considerations
There are some factors to consider when buying a cooling mattress topper. Therefore, it is essential to be clear on your personal needs and preferences and well-informed about your options to make the best decision.
- Cooling properties: Using materials that naturally promote airflow and don’t retain heat may seem like the only way to accomplish a cool sleep surface. However, manufacturers can also use clever aerated design, technologies, or specific infusions or layers to draw heat away from the body.
- Price: As with all bedding, the price will be largely determined by the materials and quality. The pricier toppers are more likely to be made of higher quality materials, use more advanced technologies, and have a longer lifespan. Alternatively, cheaper mattress toppers may sometimes tend to have a shorter lifespan.
- Sleeping position: Different sleep positions usually require pressure relief at different points. In general, side sleepers require a slightly thicker, softer mattress topper that reduces pressure in the hips and shoulders, back sleepers need a more mid-range firmness, sometimes needing relief in the hips, and stomach sleepers often a firmer thinner, topper.
- Firmness level: The firmness of a sleep surface is a critical factor in temperature regulation, as a softer surface will allow a sleeper to sink in further, resulting in more heat build-up around the sleeper. Heavy people may sink in further than lighter people, leading to an increase in heat retention, so therefore a firmer mattress topper may be a better option.
- Thickness: Mattress toppers are usually a 3cm -10cm thick addition to your mattress, and sleepers who exert more pressure on a sleep surface, like side sleepers or heavier individuals, may be better suited to a thicker mattress topper.
Types Of Mattress Toppers For Cooling
“Cooling” products have been trendy in the bedding industry. Between the constant advancement of technologies and materials and the clever marketing terms, it’s understandable that one can become overwhelmed. Each material has its advantages and disadvantages. Hopefully, this section will give you a clearer understanding of what cooling topper types are on the market today and which is best suited for you as a hot sleeper.
Memory Foam
Memory foam toppers (often called viscoelastic) are made using polyurethane material that is sensitive to body heat and allows it to contour to your body, providing pressure relief, comfort and motion isolation. Traditional memory foam, however, is known to trap heat due to the density of the material. Another possible choice could be a cooling infused memory foam mattress topper which can help to cool you down. Some of these toppers use gel and other materials like graphite, copper, or charcoal to draw heat away from the sleeper.
Polyfoam
Polyfoam is similar to memory foam as they both contain polyurethane (an umbrella term used to describe a synthetic blend of organic compounds), a product of the petroleum industry. However, polyfoam differs from memory foam as it is generally less dense and does not retain as much heat. Open-cell polyfoam is designed to improve the breathability of the topper, thereby facilitating thermoregulation. Polyfoam is often the cheapest topper material but is not known for being durable or eco-friendly. It may also develop permanent body indentations over time.
Latex
Latex mattress toppers can be made from natural and synthetic materials. Natural latex is harvested from the sap of rubber trees, and synthetic latex is a petroleum chemical-based “man-made” version of natural latex. Blended latex is a combination of both. Due to its inherently elastic properties, latex can contour to your body shape, allow for pressure relief as well as provide support. Latex is an excellent choice for cooling as it’s known to be a temperature regulating material and can increase airflow; body heat is dispersed, keeping the sleeper cool. Latex is known for its durability and sustainability, although it can also be on the pricier side. They are also sometimes constructed with ventilation holes that further facilitate air circulation and temperature regulation.
Hot Sleepers: Tips To Keep Cool
In addition to trying out a cooling mattress topper, listed below are a few useful tips that can contribute to a cool, comfortable sleep.
- Have a cool shower before bed
- Avoid caffeine within 6 hours of bedtime
- Close curtains, blinds or shutters when sun shines directly on them
- Open windows at night
- Invest in fans or a portable airconditioning unit
- Do exercise earlier
- Adjust your meals for hot weather
- Keep space between you and your partner
- Wear cotton or silk pyjamas
- Use a cooling or bamboo pillow
- Keep hydrated (limit alcohol intake)
- Use a slatted bed frame
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cooling mattress topper?
This depends on your specific needs and preferences; however, latex or gel-infused memory foam are good options for those who require comfort and pressure relief with added cooling benefits.
What is the best cooling memory foam mattress topper?
Memory foam is known for its superior pressure relief capabilities but is known to trap heat due to the density of the material. However, some of these toppers use gel and other materials like graphite, copper, or charcoal to draw heat away from the sleeper, so these could be a good choice.
Do cooling mattress toppers work?
Some people, whether for medical reasons or not, sleep hot, which can negatively affect sleep quality. A cooling mattress topper best suited to the individuals' needs and preferences can help facilitate a cool and comfortable sleep.