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If you want to get good sleep, one easy thing you can do is make sure you’re sleeping in a cool room. According to a 2019 study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, the ideal sleeping temperature is 66-69 degrees Fahrenheit. (1)
“We tend to sleep better in cooler temperatures,” says Chris Winter, MD, neurologist, sleep specialist, and author of The Rested Child and The Sleep Solution.
Research has found that the temperature that you sleep in can significantly impact the quality of your sleep. Specifically, warm sleeping temps have been found (2) to increase wakefulness and decrease slow-wave sleep (the most restorative sleep stage) (3) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
On the flip side, a cool sleeping temperature is important because it mimics the body’s circadian pattern of temperature regulation. When you fall asleep, your body temperature declines. And when you wake, it rises (2). So, cool sleeping temps may help you fall (and stay) asleep.
An easy solution to keep you cool throughout the night: a cooling mattress pad. If you tend to be a hot sleeper, are experiencing hot flashes, or wake up soaked in sweat, it’s a great, simple solution to consider.
“For those who sweat, sleeping on a cooling pad can be a game-changer!” adds Dr. Winter.
The Best Cooling Mattress Toppers
Slumber Cloud Core Mattress Pad
Best Overall
This cooling mattress topper from Slumber Cloud uses NASA technology to keep you cool. Yep, the same material that is used in spacesuits, the brand’s Outlast® fabric technology, helps to absorb heat and regulate your body temperature. It comes in seven different sizes (including a split size, so it covers just one side of the bed).
Amazon Basics Cooling Gel-Infused Firm
Best Value
This cooling mattress from Amazon Basics combines latex and a cooling gel to prevent you from getting hot while you sleep. You can choose from a 2-inch or 3-inch model, as well as a medium or firm feel for any size bed. Amazon notes that this mattress topper will provide more “bounce” and less “sink,” compared to memory foam mattress toppers.
Chilisleep Dock Pro Sleep System
Best Thermal Power Cooling Mattress Topper
This mattress pad connects to a cooling system that gives extra thermal power to keep you seriously cool. It’s also very quiet—just 41 to 46 decibels—so it won’t bother you while you sleep. It connects via WiFi which allows you to set the temperature anywhere from 55-115 degrees Fahrenheit. Dr. Winter personally uses this one. “I love this product, because it is absolutely frigid and it can be programmed to warm-up prior to waking up.”
Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Adapt + Cooling 3-Inch Mattress Topper
Best Memory Foam Cooling Mattress Topper
Memory foam provides a thicker, more cushioned mattress topper. But this 3-inch thick version from Tempur-Pedic will also help keep you cool thanks to its cooling (and washable) pad made of a breathable fabric. Amazon reviewers note that it is heavy, so keep that in mind if you’re looking for something more lightweight.
Sleep Number DualTemp Individual Layer
Best Individual Cooling Mattress Topper
If you and your partner can’t agree on a sleeping temperature, this Sleep Number topper will solve all your woes. Available in a half size, you can cool down one side only with its active air technology system and remote. It cools up to eight degrees below room temperature, and also can heat up to 25 degrees above room temperature.
Serta ThermaGel Memory Foam Mattress Topper
Best Gel Cooling Mattress Topper
Serta’s memory foam mattress topper will keep you three times cooler, according to the brand, thanks to: a cooling over, smart temperature regulation HEIQ technology, and memory foam infused with ThermaGel particles. It also has a Nanotex stay-dry wicking feature to help wick away sweat. Bonus: choose between a 2-inch or 3-inch width, depending upon your preference.
ExceptionalSheets Bamboo Mattress Pad
Best Bamboo Cooling Mattress Topper
If you want a natural fiber cooling mattress cover, bamboo is a great, sustainable material with lots of breathability. ExceptionalSheets notes that in a thermal effusivity test, this bamboo topper was more than 60 percent more effective at transferring heat away from a sleeper than the typical polyester (synthetic) mattress toppers.
EASELAND Pillow-top Mattress Topper
Best Pillow-top Cooling Mattress Topper
Looking for a little extra cushioning with your cooling? A cooling pillow-top mattress pad will provide both. This EASELAND one is affordable and is a number one best-seller on Amazon (with more than 58,000 reviews and a 4.6-star rating.) It also comes in ten different sizes, so you can choose the one for any kind of bed (including an RV King).
