Cool Mattress Options for the Hot Sleeper

There is nothing worse than tossing and turning during a hot, sleepless night. While there isn’t much information related to how excess heat during the night time can cause excessive sleep loss, one recent study suggests that at least one out of every three people are prone to experiencing night sweats. The study goes on to state that “night sweats are associated with several sleep symptoms…When their patients report night sweats, clinicians should consider asking about sleep quality and sleep-related symptoms.”
If you are a hot sleeper or routinely lose quality sleep time due to heat related problems, opting for a cooling mattress is a simple way to improve your quality of life. A lack of sleep has been linked with several adverse health conditions, including heart issues, high blood pressure, depression and anxiety, and even weight gain. Below, we offer a complete rundown on why you should consider upgrading to cool mattress and some of the top options on the market today.

Why are Cool Mattresses Important?

Cool mattresses are those that include high end technology aimed at achieving temperature neutrality. While different cool mattress products will rely on different technologies, all of them aim to avoid the temptation to retain heat. Regular mattresses will retain your body heat (the human body maintains a constant temperature of 98.6 degrees). If this leads to sweating, the excess moisture can build up around your body, increase the overall heat in your bed, and increase discomfort. Cool mattresses, on the other hand, not only allow for maximum heat transfer away from your body, but also routinely incorporate moisture wicking technology so that sweat will not accumulate on the surface of the mattress.
The combination of cool mattress technologies have even been proved to help people lose weight through improving metabolic rate and function. A recent study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found that cool mattresses can increase the overall amount of brown fat (which is the good type of fat) and can help burn calories and increase insulin sensitivity.

What Features to Look for in a Cool Mattress?

Not all sleeping technology that brand themselves as “cool mattresses” are made the same. If you are ready to upgrade to a cool mattress, here are some of the temperature neutrality advantages that you should be looking for:

• Moisture wicking Properties: With all of the discussion about innerspring technology and high quality memory foams, the fabric that makes up the outer layer of your mattress is often overlooked. However, mattresses that include moisture wicking fabrics can help to actively draw moisture away from the body. For example, a specific type of wicking polyester has a special cross-section and a large surface area. This can help to gather moisture emitted from the body, spread it out, and allow your sweat to evaporate outside the fabric.
• Plant Based Memory Foams: While memory foam mattresses have been shown to offer several comfort advantages and benefits, the synthetic foam material is much less breathable than other mattress options and can present a problem to hot sleepers. Opting for plant based memory foams (usually sourced from soy) are naturally cooler than synthetic foams. As an added benefit, these natural foams emit much less volatile organic compounds, thus improving the indoor air quality inside your bedroom.
• Low Motion Transfer: If you share a bed with someone, keeping your own space is essential to staying cool. Mattresses that offer low motion transfer will make sure that you stay separated from whoever you are sleeping with and thus avoid the direct body heat of another human body.
• Celliant Fibers: Lastly, mattresses that include Celliant fibers can also offer an added cooling effect. Celliant is a proprietary synthetic fiber made that is manufactured from 13 natural minerals mixed with PET and polyester resin. According to Tuck Sleep Technology, “fabrics infused with Celliant fiber are designed to absorb radiant energy emitted from the body, convert it to infrared energy by altering the wavelength, and then reflect it back into the body.”

Best Cool Mattress Options on the Market

While some of the above-mentioned technologies are certainly worth considering when choosing the best cool mattress for your individual needs, below are four other cool mattress technologies that offer high quality technologies to help you stay cool while sleeping.

• Bamboo-Infused Mattress

Bamboo-infused mattresses are either made from fabric made from 100% bamboo or have a type of gel or foam that is infused with bamboo. As a natural and renewable material, bamboo is extremely sustainable and will often have a cooling effect on your mattress. While bamboo-infused memory foam is a cooler and more natural option, the main component of the foam will still be polyurethane which can off-gas and negatively affect people with sensitive lungs. This bamboo memory foam topper offered by Wayfair is a relatively inexpensive way to cool off your nights.

• Charcoal-Infused Mattress

Many of the top bamboo mattresses on the market are actually made from bamboo charcoal. Charcoal infused mattresses, such as this one by Magenta Mattress, have natural absorption properties, thus helping control humidity. Furthermore, charcoal infused mattresses can also help to eliminate body odor, regulate your body temperature, absorb body toxins in sweat, and offer anti-bacterial properties.

• Gel Memory Foam Mattress

The simple addition of gel to the popular memory foam mattress offers a drastically improved air flow. This allows heat to be more effectively pulled away from the body during sleep. The cooler sleeping surface offered by the gel allows sleepers to enjoy the therapeutic and comfort benefits of memory foam while avoiding the excess heat that can cause discomfort. This gel memory foam mattress also incorporates a unique ventilation system to increasing the cooling properties.

• Copper-Infused Mattress

Copper transfers heat extremely well, which is why it is routinely used in plumbing devices. The same principal behind copper pipes for hot water can be transferred to mattress technology. Copper has a conductivity rating that is up to 20,000 times higher than that of conventional polyurethane foam. When copper is placed within the cellular structure of a foam mattress, it can allow heat to escape and offer a sensible cooling effect. Copper mattresses also offer the added benefit of being antibacterial and anti-inflammatory for added health benefits. One great copper-infused mattress product is offered by US Mattress which infuses the power of copper both in the top fabric as well as the comfort layer of the mattress.

Any of these top mattress products will offer superior cooling technology to help you enjoy a better and more comfortable night´s sleep.