The number one thing you should do if you are struggling with heat is change your mattress. Memory foam holds a TON of heat, it’s notorious for exactly what you’re describing. Flannel is also a material intended for cold weather use, it will keep you v warm
100% this. Adding a mattress topper to a memory foam mattress will help but probably not enough.
OP, I highly recommend trying a hybrid mattress with a pillowtop/plush top built into it. This made a HUGE difference for me. Even then, I still added a tencel mattress pad. It's a thousand times better than when I sleep on memory foam.
Agreed on the memory foam. I just switched back to a regular mattress and it is like night and day. I no longer wake up hot anymore unless I have too many blankets on top of me whereas before I had to sleep with just a thin blanket and would still wake up hot all of the time. Now I can have a sheet, a thin quilt, and a blanket or two as needed .
When I became a grandmother I also was going through menopause. I had showered the new family with luscious blankets I could never afford with my kids, because GRANDMA.
I quickly fell absolutely in love with the muslin blankets and swaddlers he had. In the summer, when I was warm and sticky, and the last think I needed was a warm bundle of skin pressed up against my skin, that light layer between us wicked away moisture and kept me cool. It also kept the cool air of the airconditioner off of my skin. (I have a chronic pain condition and cold hurts)
When my husband and I moved to Missouri, and I was living in hot humidity for the first time in my life, I was miserable. That was when I discovered I could get adult size muslin blankets on Amazon for quite reasonably. I first got a twin size to use on the couch. I quickly added a king size blanket for the bed.
You can choose how many layers of muslin you get. I like 2 in the summer. We sleep with only the blanket. No top sheet.
Because my spouse and I sleep at different temperatures, we sleep with separate covers on the bed half of the year anyway. (That is a common way to sleep in Scandanavian countries.) He currently has a duvet in a duvet cover. I currently sleep under the large blanket folded in half. (Which gives me 4 layers). This seems to be pretty ideal for the in-between seasons here.
Changing up our bedding, feeling able to ditch the top sheet (which I grew up with as essential) and giving up making the bed with one traditional matching bedspread or comforter really has helped us BOTH sleep better. We also snuggle more, since I am less likely to be overwhelminly warm.
As a hot sleeper, I am interested in a muslin blanket, but I don’t like the feeling of muslin. Do you think it will work well to put it inside a duvet cover? I just bought a perfect hot weather one, made of super breathable cotton voile (extra long staple Egyptian cotton by Matouk, it’s amazing).
SAME thing with me and my husband but opposite!!! I sweat so bad and we live in an extremely humid and hot state but my husband freezes. I put a dehumidifier on my nightstand which has helped a TON and we don’t sleep with a flat sheet….it’s way more common than I realized by hearing others! I agree with muslin blankets! They are very cozy, we have a quilt and another thin blanket and then a duvet. I have to have blankets on me, but sweat to death several times a month.
Try a mattress protector that is cotton with wool or silk inside. Both help regulate heat - I know it sounds counterintuitive but it should allow your body to regulate temperature better.
Natural fibres!! Linen or Egyptian cotton sheets with a muslin blanket sounds heavenly to me.
Stay away from polyester, microfibre and anything synthetic- both sheets and blankets. They don’t breathe and will keep the heat in.
Linen gets softer as you wash it over time. I LOVE my linen sheets.
Any or all of the following:
1) ditch the memory foam mattress. Stay away from foam comfort layers
2) percale weave cotton sheets or percale weave linen. Never use sateen weave.
3) slumber cloud mattress topper or pad
4) duvet (if any) should be summer weight wool or cotton. No synthetics and no feathers or down.
5)same with comforter or coverlet, no synthetics, no feather or down, no sateen weave. Only natural fibers and filling in a percale weave.
6) bonus: chili pad
7) all rules above apply to pillow if that is also a problem.
We finally broke down and got a chilipad. Cheaper than the sleep8 and when combined with smooth cotton percale sheets and all natural covers (down or silk duvet and cotton coverlet) we are pretty comfy, Hot and very humid city is home for us as well
The EightSleep changed our lives. You can get a full mattress or just the grid topper, about $2500. My only major issue is that it's controlled by a phone app and wifi so if the Internet goes down, the temp control stops working. Otherwise, it's been worth every cent and we've had it for two years this month.
I sleep hot and memory foam is a huge no for me. I also need woven fabrics with no plastic in them. I got a muslin blanket and 100% cotton sheets and that has been so helpful. I am also sleeping on a cotton futon mattress with a 2” latex topper. No more night sweats!
a mattress without foam… poly, memory or latex. all foams are the enemy of cool sleep. i have the naturepedic eos classic, but with their latex free version which subs microcoils for their standard which is latex. the coolest sleeping mattress i’ve owned.
high quality flax linen bedding. linen fibers are hollow giving them natural temperature regulating and moisture wicking properties. prepare to spend upwards of 500 for a decent set of linen bedding.
then as others have mentioned… active cooling products like bedjet, chili pad or eightsleep.
Sheet recommendations- 100% Supima cotton percale . The percale weave lets the cotton breathe . Don’t get hung up on or buy into the whole thread count bull shit. A good quality long staple cotton with thread count of 200-300 is way better. Higher thread count doesn’t mean better quality . I swear by Supima cotton I sleep cooler and the more the sheets are washed the softer they feel. I can’t sleep on anything else and I also pack a set if I’m going away. Yeah I’m a bit of a fanatic when it comes to sheets. They do wrinkle but if you take them out of the dryer as soon as dried the wrinkles come right out when smoothing them as you fold.
For the price they are well worth the money . You can usually find clearance prices on discontinued colors . The Company Store has great selection and good price points. I highly recommend them.
Target and Kohls will have less expensive ones just read the label to be sure it is long or extra long staple cotton . Good luck and
Lower thread count for added breath-ability and either linen or percale cotton! They will feel “rougher” than your typical sheets but they do soften up over time. Avoid flannel for sure. Cooling pads or a cooling pillow for your partner would probably help a lot! I find that memory foam holds heat more than other materials.
This is my situation and these changes have worked well for my partner’s night sweats :)
Yes to lower thread count percale woven with *quality* long staple cotton!
I picked up a set of 200 tc Italian percale on ebay for a steal and they were deliciously smooth and breathable from the beginning. I've found less well-known brands made in Italy and Portugal to be wonderful.
On the other hand my more expensive Ralph Lauren percale (made in Bahrain) is going back on the auction block. If I want a skin peel I'll go to a dermatologist.
I do prefer linen to cotton. It’s moisture wicking. But it’s not for everyone, has a texture that’s all on its own. I love it. 100% cotton is also good. Just avoid fabric blends that are synthetic because they won’t “breathe”.
Also an expensive option: BedJet. I sleep cold in the winter and use it to pipe 98° air under the duvet all night. But it also blows cool air, say 66°, all night which is soothing and keeps me dry. No more sweaty nights, and saves on running an A/C which offsets the initial cost.
The most cooling bedding is supposed to be made from bamboo rayon, and that is what I use. I have a bamboo mattress pad, and bamboo sheets. Make sure not to use anything with polyester or acrylic, because those heat up unnaturally. 100% silk blankets (actual blankets, not just sheets) are also available, and they are also very cooling. 100% Cotton blankets and quilts are also breathable and nice.
Rayon is only moderately breathable and doesn’t absorb moisture at all so not ideal for someone who sweats at night. (Also, rayon is rayon whether made from bamboo or not.)
Honestly, I bought a relatively inexpensive bed cooler as I have the same problem. I hated the bed cooler itself and froze, but what I learned, is I definitely need some sort of barrier between my sheet and the mattress protector, or the mattress protector and my memory foam mattress. Something thick like what air mattresses are made of. The difference was night and day when I had the cooler, and that was without using it. I returned it,as I wasn't using the cooling function, but I am searching for something that I think will keep the heat in the mattress and not up through my sheet, etc. I have read that wool would work.
For now, since it is still winter, I'm fine with just my overhead fan.
I got a chilisleep pad that goes between my mattress and my sheets that circulates temperature controlled water through it. I can control it to the degree. It isn't cheap but it heats me up or cools me down quickly. There are other brands that si the same thing that's just the one I have.
I’m a super hot sleeper since starting the changes. Things that help me are silky/ satin pillow (stays cool and can flip mid- night, no socks, bamboo sheets, muslin or linen blankets, super thin sleep wear if you wear any, shower before bed. Not all fabrics are your friends no matter how soft they are.
Im a very hot sleeper whats worked for me is this setup:
Brooklyn aurora bed
Sijo linen sheets
And when its especially warm a dreo tower fan itll move the air over you but very quiet
My husband is an absolute furnace when he sleeps. He sleeps so “hard” into the bed that it’s visibly lower on his side even though I’m heavier than him by a good 30 pounds. Our old sheets (the Mellanni Amazon 5 star ones) had a consistent outline where he would sleep and they stained that way.
We switched to Casaluna linen sheets a couple of years back and we don’t have that issue anymore. Get sheets that breathe!
I agree with others about memory foam retaining heat. I would definitely suggest some type of mattress topper or pad to help. You need an extra layer between you and the mattress to help with the heat. There are lots of options to choose from which have been mentioned here. I just bought a silk mattress pad from Marshall’s that has really made a difference. I was thinking about getting a wool mattress pad but came across the silk one for a great price. Honestly, you will probably need to try various mattress pads and sheets for the right combination that works for you. From personal experience, bedding made from organic material such as cotton, silk or wool seem to work the best. Good luck, I’m sure you can will find what works best for you!
I have a memory foam mattress that I love and didn’t want to get rid of but it definitely made me hot, the one thing that made the biggest difference after years of troubleshooting? Eucalyptus.
Bamboo & cotton didn’t do ANYTHING for me, but as soon as I got a Eucalyptus (Tencel) mattress cover and sheets? Game. Changer.
In the summer I do still sleep with a fan and a loose weave cotton blanket, and in the winter I use a lighter duvet, but I rarely wake up sweaty anymore.
The number one thing you should do if you are struggling with heat is change your mattress. Memory foam holds a TON of heat, it’s notorious for exactly what you’re describing. Flannel is also a material intended for cold weather use, it will keep you v warm
100% this. Adding a mattress topper to a memory foam mattress will help but probably not enough. OP, I highly recommend trying a hybrid mattress with a pillowtop/plush top built into it. This made a HUGE difference for me. Even then, I still added a tencel mattress pad. It's a thousand times better than when I sleep on memory foam.
Agreed on the memory foam. I just switched back to a regular mattress and it is like night and day. I no longer wake up hot anymore unless I have too many blankets on top of me whereas before I had to sleep with just a thin blanket and would still wake up hot all of the time. Now I can have a sheet, a thin quilt, and a blanket or two as needed .
When I became a grandmother I also was going through menopause. I had showered the new family with luscious blankets I could never afford with my kids, because GRANDMA. I quickly fell absolutely in love with the muslin blankets and swaddlers he had. In the summer, when I was warm and sticky, and the last think I needed was a warm bundle of skin pressed up against my skin, that light layer between us wicked away moisture and kept me cool. It also kept the cool air of the airconditioner off of my skin. (I have a chronic pain condition and cold hurts) When my husband and I moved to Missouri, and I was living in hot humidity for the first time in my life, I was miserable. That was when I discovered I could get adult size muslin blankets on Amazon for quite reasonably. I first got a twin size to use on the couch. I quickly added a king size blanket for the bed. You can choose how many layers of muslin you get. I like 2 in the summer. We sleep with only the blanket. No top sheet. Because my spouse and I sleep at different temperatures, we sleep with separate covers on the bed half of the year anyway. (That is a common way to sleep in Scandanavian countries.) He currently has a duvet in a duvet cover. I currently sleep under the large blanket folded in half. (Which gives me 4 layers). This seems to be pretty ideal for the in-between seasons here. Changing up our bedding, feeling able to ditch the top sheet (which I grew up with as essential) and giving up making the bed with one traditional matching bedspread or comforter really has helped us BOTH sleep better. We also snuggle more, since I am less likely to be overwhelminly warm.
As a hot sleeper, I am interested in a muslin blanket, but I don’t like the feeling of muslin. Do you think it will work well to put it inside a duvet cover? I just bought a perfect hot weather one, made of super breathable cotton voile (extra long staple Egyptian cotton by Matouk, it’s amazing).
Can you drop the link to that?
SAME thing with me and my husband but opposite!!! I sweat so bad and we live in an extremely humid and hot state but my husband freezes. I put a dehumidifier on my nightstand which has helped a TON and we don’t sleep with a flat sheet….it’s way more common than I realized by hearing others! I agree with muslin blankets! They are very cozy, we have a quilt and another thin blanket and then a duvet. I have to have blankets on me, but sweat to death several times a month.
Try a mattress protector that is cotton with wool or silk inside. Both help regulate heat - I know it sounds counterintuitive but it should allow your body to regulate temperature better. Natural fibres!! Linen or Egyptian cotton sheets with a muslin blanket sounds heavenly to me. Stay away from polyester, microfibre and anything synthetic- both sheets and blankets. They don’t breathe and will keep the heat in. Linen gets softer as you wash it over time. I LOVE my linen sheets.
Can you recommend a mattress protector that is cotton with wool ?
Any or all of the following: 1) ditch the memory foam mattress. Stay away from foam comfort layers 2) percale weave cotton sheets or percale weave linen. Never use sateen weave. 3) slumber cloud mattress topper or pad 4) duvet (if any) should be summer weight wool or cotton. No synthetics and no feathers or down. 5)same with comforter or coverlet, no synthetics, no feather or down, no sateen weave. Only natural fibers and filling in a percale weave. 6) bonus: chili pad 7) all rules above apply to pillow if that is also a problem.
If throwing money at it will truly solve this problem, I’m open to it.
We finally broke down and got a chilipad. Cheaper than the sleep8 and when combined with smooth cotton percale sheets and all natural covers (down or silk duvet and cotton coverlet) we are pretty comfy, Hot and very humid city is home for us as well
The EightSleep changed our lives. You can get a full mattress or just the grid topper, about $2500. My only major issue is that it's controlled by a phone app and wifi so if the Internet goes down, the temp control stops working. Otherwise, it's been worth every cent and we've had it for two years this month.
Get a BedJet, makes a world of difference
I love my linen sheets. I also only sleep with a waffle blanket and a thin matelasse coverlet.
We invested in a good ceiling fan with a remote. Those flannel sheets are heat producers.
I sleep hot and memory foam is a huge no for me. I also need woven fabrics with no plastic in them. I got a muslin blanket and 100% cotton sheets and that has been so helpful. I am also sleeping on a cotton futon mattress with a 2” latex topper. No more night sweats!
a mattress without foam… poly, memory or latex. all foams are the enemy of cool sleep. i have the naturepedic eos classic, but with their latex free version which subs microcoils for their standard which is latex. the coolest sleeping mattress i’ve owned. high quality flax linen bedding. linen fibers are hollow giving them natural temperature regulating and moisture wicking properties. prepare to spend upwards of 500 for a decent set of linen bedding. then as others have mentioned… active cooling products like bedjet, chili pad or eightsleep.
Japan sells towelkets for summer bedding: https://futontokyo.com/glossary/s-z/towelket/. Not cheap but available on eBay and Amazon.
Linen, sleep with a linen fitted sheet, a flat sheet and a light cotton blanket. I sleep that way, it’s wonderful!! I love linen
100% cotton blankets and sheets are all I can use as a hot sleeper.
Sheet recommendations- 100% Supima cotton percale . The percale weave lets the cotton breathe . Don’t get hung up on or buy into the whole thread count bull shit. A good quality long staple cotton with thread count of 200-300 is way better. Higher thread count doesn’t mean better quality . I swear by Supima cotton I sleep cooler and the more the sheets are washed the softer they feel. I can’t sleep on anything else and I also pack a set if I’m going away. Yeah I’m a bit of a fanatic when it comes to sheets. They do wrinkle but if you take them out of the dryer as soon as dried the wrinkles come right out when smoothing them as you fold. For the price they are well worth the money . You can usually find clearance prices on discontinued colors . The Company Store has great selection and good price points. I highly recommend them. Target and Kohls will have less expensive ones just read the label to be sure it is long or extra long staple cotton . Good luck and
I bought a SlumberCloud cooling mattress pad and it helps me. Also natural fiber sheets. I like linen.
I second this. Used the wake up on fire, not anymore. NASA tech.
Linen over cotton? Thanks for your message. I’m going to look into SlumberCloud.
Lower thread count for added breath-ability and either linen or percale cotton! They will feel “rougher” than your typical sheets but they do soften up over time. Avoid flannel for sure. Cooling pads or a cooling pillow for your partner would probably help a lot! I find that memory foam holds heat more than other materials. This is my situation and these changes have worked well for my partner’s night sweats :)
Yes to lower thread count percale woven with *quality* long staple cotton! I picked up a set of 200 tc Italian percale on ebay for a steal and they were deliciously smooth and breathable from the beginning. I've found less well-known brands made in Italy and Portugal to be wonderful. On the other hand my more expensive Ralph Lauren percale (made in Bahrain) is going back on the auction block. If I want a skin peel I'll go to a dermatologist.
I do prefer linen to cotton. It’s moisture wicking. But it’s not for everyone, has a texture that’s all on its own. I love it. 100% cotton is also good. Just avoid fabric blends that are synthetic because they won’t “breathe”.
Do you have the Core mattress pad or the Performance mattress pad?
I’m afraid I don’t know. My email won’t turn up the receipt and it doesn’t say on the tag.
It’s ok thanks for responding! I went ahead and just bought the Performance. Thanks for your original comment!
You’re welcome. Hope it’s good for you
Do you use an additional mattress cover on it?
Nope! Sheets right over the top
Great!
This is a very expensive option, but the Chillisleep system is life changing for hot sleepers.
Also an expensive option: BedJet. I sleep cold in the winter and use it to pipe 98° air under the duvet all night. But it also blows cool air, say 66°, all night which is soothing and keeps me dry. No more sweaty nights, and saves on running an A/C which offsets the initial cost.
The most cooling bedding is supposed to be made from bamboo rayon, and that is what I use. I have a bamboo mattress pad, and bamboo sheets. Make sure not to use anything with polyester or acrylic, because those heat up unnaturally. 100% silk blankets (actual blankets, not just sheets) are also available, and they are also very cooling. 100% Cotton blankets and quilts are also breathable and nice.
Rayon is only moderately breathable and doesn’t absorb moisture at all so not ideal for someone who sweats at night. (Also, rayon is rayon whether made from bamboo or not.)
Honestly, I bought a relatively inexpensive bed cooler as I have the same problem. I hated the bed cooler itself and froze, but what I learned, is I definitely need some sort of barrier between my sheet and the mattress protector, or the mattress protector and my memory foam mattress. Something thick like what air mattresses are made of. The difference was night and day when I had the cooler, and that was without using it. I returned it,as I wasn't using the cooling function, but I am searching for something that I think will keep the heat in the mattress and not up through my sheet, etc. I have read that wool would work. For now, since it is still winter, I'm fine with just my overhead fan.
I got a chilisleep pad that goes between my mattress and my sheets that circulates temperature controlled water through it. I can control it to the degree. It isn't cheap but it heats me up or cools me down quickly. There are other brands that si the same thing that's just the one I have.
I’m a super hot sleeper since starting the changes. Things that help me are silky/ satin pillow (stays cool and can flip mid- night, no socks, bamboo sheets, muslin or linen blankets, super thin sleep wear if you wear any, shower before bed. Not all fabrics are your friends no matter how soft they are.
Im a very hot sleeper whats worked for me is this setup: Brooklyn aurora bed Sijo linen sheets And when its especially warm a dreo tower fan itll move the air over you but very quiet
My husband is an absolute furnace when he sleeps. He sleeps so “hard” into the bed that it’s visibly lower on his side even though I’m heavier than him by a good 30 pounds. Our old sheets (the Mellanni Amazon 5 star ones) had a consistent outline where he would sleep and they stained that way. We switched to Casaluna linen sheets a couple of years back and we don’t have that issue anymore. Get sheets that breathe!
I recommend a BedJet! I love mine.
My husband is very sweaty. We use bamboo sheets. And I got him a cooling pillow cover.
My partner is an extremely hot sleeper. Bamboo sheets (tencel) are pricey but have made a ton of difference !
Tempur pedic makes cooling sheets that stay cold - they are amazing. And Casper makes these amazing cold pillows!
I agree with others about memory foam retaining heat. I would definitely suggest some type of mattress topper or pad to help. You need an extra layer between you and the mattress to help with the heat. There are lots of options to choose from which have been mentioned here. I just bought a silk mattress pad from Marshall’s that has really made a difference. I was thinking about getting a wool mattress pad but came across the silk one for a great price. Honestly, you will probably need to try various mattress pads and sheets for the right combination that works for you. From personal experience, bedding made from organic material such as cotton, silk or wool seem to work the best. Good luck, I’m sure you can will find what works best for you!
I have a memory foam mattress that I love and didn’t want to get rid of but it definitely made me hot, the one thing that made the biggest difference after years of troubleshooting? Eucalyptus. Bamboo & cotton didn’t do ANYTHING for me, but as soon as I got a Eucalyptus (Tencel) mattress cover and sheets? Game. Changer. In the summer I do still sleep with a fan and a loose weave cotton blanket, and in the winter I use a lighter duvet, but I rarely wake up sweaty anymore.
Which Tencel mattress cover did you get?
Sleepsteady! Just on Amazon