Platinum trusted service awardTable of Contents
- What Makes Certain Bedding Materials Cooling?
- What Are The Coolest Sheets?
- What Other Types Of Bedding Keep You Cool?
- FAQs
- Final Thoughts
Nothing compares to getting into bed with cool sheets on a warm night, especially if you're a hot sleeper or experience night sweats. So, if you are tired of losing sleep because you're feeling too hot and bothered, it's time to upgrade to cooling bed sheets.
The right bed sheets can make all the difference in keeping your body cool and comfortable throughout the night. Egyptian cotton, Pima cotton, bamboo, linen, and Percale cotton sheets are some of the best options.
These lightweight, breathable, high-quality sheets are designed to regulate body temperature and provide uninterrupted sleep, even on the hottest nights. Say farewell to tossing and turning and hello to refreshing, uninterrupted sleep!
What Makes Certain Bedding Materials Cooling?
The science behind cool, crisp sheets lies entirely in the material. Certain materials, like Egyptian cotton, bamboo, and Pima cotton, have properties that make them perfect for hot sleepers. These sheets help regulate your body's temperature and prevent night sweats, keeping you more comfortable throughout the night.
When choosing the suitable sheet materials to keep you cool, make sure to keep the following properties in mind:
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Moisture-wicking: These materials move moisture away from the body and towards the outer surface, where it can evaporate.
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Breathability: Materials with a looser weave pattern allow better air circulation, allowing moisture to escape more easily and cooling you down.
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Thread count: Refers to the number of threads in one square inch of the fabric. A thread count of 200 to 450 is ideal for cooling sheets. Anything more would make the fabric too dense and it would retain heat.
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Natural material: Natural fibres like linen or bamboo generally offer better breathability and moisture-wicking properties compared to synthetic fibres.
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Weave of the fabric: This refers to the pattern in which threads are woven together. Plain weaves offer excellent breathability compared to tighter weaves.
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Weight of fabric: The lighter the fabric, the more cooling it will be!
What Are The Coolest Sheets?
If you are a hot sleeper, Egyptian cotton, Pima cotton, bamboo, linen, and Percale cotton are some of the best cooling sheets for a duvet cover, pillowcases, fitted sheet or flat sheet. These materials aid body temperature regulation. Let's take a look at these cooling bedding materials in greater detail.
Egyptian cotton
200 thread count
200TC Egyptian Cotton makes excellent sheets for hot sleepers.
Cotton is cool to the touch, breathable, durable, and moisture-wicking. Air can circulate effectively through this natural material, providing a much cooler sleep. Additionally, a thread count of 200 to 450 is optimal for keeping cool. Higher thread counts can make sheets too dense, trapping too much heat.
400 thread count
For bedding that is just as breathable with a slightly more luxurious feel, 400TC Egyptian cotton bedding is just what you need. Because of its somewhat higher thread count, these sheets offer a softer feel than 200 thread count sheet sets, resulting in maximum comfort and sufficient breathability.
Egyptian cotton is crafted with an intentional weave that facilitates temperature regulation thanks to its extra-long staple cotton fibres. It will keep you comfortable during any season, too!
Pima cotton
Pima cotton is another excellent choice for those looking for soft, durable, and breathable bedding. Its exceptional quality and functionality make it a good choice for those who value restful sleep.
Belledorm's 450 Thread Count Pima cotton sheets are made from 100% natural cotton, which is considered among the world's finest types of cotton. Like 400-thread count Egyptian cotton, it is made with extra-long-staple cotton, which is reputable for its quality and moisture-wicking properties. These sheets are a luxurious and practical addition to your home.
Organic bamboo
Organic bamboo sheets are perfect for hot sleepers who want bedding made from more natural fibres. The undetectable gaps found in bamboo fibres allow for exceptional airflow, which prevents heat entrapment between the sleeper and their sheets.
Bamboo sheets also have incredible moisture-removing capabilities since they are highly absorbent. This means you won't have to worry about waking up in the middle of the night in an uncomfortable puddle of sweat.
While they are highly functional in their cooling ability, they are also unbelievably soft—often compared to the texture of silk or cashmere fabric. Their smooth texture also helps prevent friction on the body while sleeping, which is another reason they assist so well in heat regulation.
Cotton percale
Cotton percale sheets are another excellent choice for hot sleepers due to their loose, simple weave pattern, and natural fibres. Its "one under, one over" weave pattern makes it much more breathable than materials like sateen, which has a tighter weave pattern.
Percale is made from high-quality long-staple cotton and usually features a thread count of 200-450, which makes it highly durable, soft, and absorbent.
Cotton percale sheets draw sweat away from the body towards the surface, promoting quick evaporation and keeping you comfortable and dry while you sleep. Additionally, Percale becomes softer the more you wash it, making it a great long-term purchase.
Linen
Linen sheets are made from the natural fibres found in flax plants. Linen has phenomenal breathability, absorption, and moisture-removing properties, making it an ideal choice for temperature regulation. All these properties ensure a comfortable sleeping temperature, preventing the discomfort that comes with night sweats.
Linen sheets are also highly durable. Flax fibres are known to be extra long and strong. In fact, they are estimated to be three times stronger than cotton fibres! This means that linen is less prone to wear and tear and often gets softer after every wash.
Additionally, linen is hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, making it an excellent choice for those with sensitive skin.
What Other Types Of Bedding Keep You Cool?
Apart from your sheets, certain types of duvets, flat sheets and pillows can also help to keep you cool. Let's explore some of the best options.
Duvets
A cooling duvet is breathable, moisture-wicking, and lightweight. These properties are usually found in natural materials such as lightweight wool, silk, and down, as well as synthetic materials like microfibre.
We recommend:
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Lightweight wool duvet: Surprisingly, wool has natural temperature regulation and moisture-wicking properties. Wool fibres create air pockets that provide breathability and air circulation, ensuring you remain cool.
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Silk-filled duvet: Silk is luxurious, naturally hypoallergenic, and temperature regulating, drawing dampness away from your body. It's also lightweight, which makes it ideal for keeping cool.
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Microfibre duvet (4.5 tog): A microfibre-filled duvet is lightweight, offering good breathability and minimising sweating. And, when you get one with a 4.5 thermal overall grade (tog), it simultaneously provides comfort and coolness.
Flat sheets
If you are an extra hot sleeper, flat sheets are an excellent option to use instead of a duvet. The ideal fabric for cooling flat sheets is silk, Egyptian cotton, or bamboo. These fabrics are breathable, moisture-wicking and durable (in other words, their thermoregulation properties will not fade over time).
We recommend a bamboo flat sheet, 100% mulberry silk flat sheet, or 200 and 400-thread count Egyptian cotton flat sheet.
Pillows
Say goodbye to neck sweat! Cooling pillows are a fantastic addition to your bedding, especially for over heaters. Pillows made from breathable and moisture-wicking fabric help keep you extra cool and dry while you sleep. These properties are usually found in natural materials such as silk, wool and down, as well as microfibre.
We recommend silk, wool, duck down or microfibre pillows for their temperature-regulating properties.
FAQs
Are sateen sheets good for hot sleepers?
No, sateen sheets are not good for hot sleepers. They have a thicker yarn size and are made of very weighted fabric. This material is best for people who live in colder climates and need to retain heat at night. So, if you're a cold sleeper, sateen sheets provide a warmer sleep in winter and summer.
Does polyester make you hot?
Yes, polyester materials will make you hot. Synthetic fibres like polyester or even poly/cotton blends usually have little to no breathability, which means that hot air is easily trapped. Polyester sheets are not suitable for hot sleepers, as they will make you even hotter.
Are bamboo sheets better than cotton?
In terms of heat regulation, bamboo sheets and cotton sheets offer similar benefits. However, bamboo bedding is more durable than cotton. They are less prone to pilling and keep their shape much better after washing and using them for a long time. Cotton sheets are likely to pill, fade, and wrinkle, giving them a much shorter household lifespan.
Final Thoughts
Heat regulation is a massive factor in ensuring uninterrupted, good-quality sleep. So, the sheets you use at night must have cooling properties that reinforce that. To avoid those middle-of-the-night hot sweats, upgrade your bedsheets to high-quality cooling sheets. The general rules to remember are to avoid synthetic fibres, such as polyester or poly/cotton blends, and switch to organic, natural materials.
Belledorm's range of Egyptian cotton, Pima cotton, and bamboo sheets all have amazing temperature-regulating properties to provide cooler and more restful sleep. Due to their natural fibres and weave pattern, they promote breathability, advanced moisture-wicking capabilities, and softness.
