Do Cooling Sheets Work?

If you have a problem with sleepless summer nights in a bed that’s too hot to sleep in, surviving the heatwave and waking up tired and sweaty, chances are you need to upgrade your bedding. Buying a cooling sheet for your bed is a way to control your temperature at night.

The question is, however, do they work? In this blog, you’ll learn everything about how these sheets work their magic and why you should consider buying them. Hopefully, it will convince you to try sleeping with an upgraded bed sheet and improve your sleeping schedule in no time.

What research says

Sleep is a vital part of everyone’s life. As we spend a third of our lives in bed, we need to make it comfortable and give ourselves the chance to wake up rested and refreshed. When summer comes, hot sleepers spend a lot of money on air conditioning or fans, even at night, so they should consider investing in their bedding sheets to avoid all that trouble.

Research says that hot sleeping is not beneficial for our bodies, and the ideal temperature is between 60-67 degrees at night. Purchasing cooling bed sheets will benefit your health, especially if you live in a warmer climate or tend to sweat a lot while sleeping.

Memory foam in some mattresses also traps body heat which causes an increase in body temperature at night, so cooling sheets are crucial for keeping your body at an optimal sleeping temperature. 

Whether the cooling sheet will do its job or not depends on the fabric. For example, nylon and polyester are not as breathable as bamboo, the material that absorbs moisture and stretches while being super soft. You want softness, a cool-to-the-touch cooling sheet, which is breathable and moisture-absorbing.

Most brands offer trial periods when you’re buying a sheet for your bedroom, allowing you to test various sets and keep the one you like best. This way, you will get your money back on items that don’t meet your expectations, so it’s easier to decide what suits you best.

How do cooling sheets work?

Three factors are crucial for the performance of a cooling sheet:

●      Material

●      Thread count

●      Texture and weave

Material

The sheet material is the primary factor when it comes to the evaluation of your cooling sheet. Synthetic fabrics, like nylon and polyester, have a lower air circulation than natural fibres like bamboo, Tencel, and cotton. These three are many people’s favourites because they have excellent breathability and cooling properties.

Tencel

Tencel is a breathable, soft, wrinkle-resistant, and moisture-wicking linen fabric. It is very sustainable, derived from wood eucalyptus, and its manufacturing requires less energy and chemicals than the other materials currently on the market.

Bamboo 

Bamboo, similar to Tencel, is another natural fabric, very durable and sustainable. Bamboo cooling sheets ventilate well. They are flexible, soft, and more lightweight than cotton sheets.

Cotton

Cotton is a popular fabric for bed sheets, and because of its feel, people also prefer it in wardrobes. It is an excellent choice for sheets because of its absorbency, softness, and breathability. 

When shopping for cotton sheets, you have several options: 

●      Supima cotton

●      Egyptian cotton

●      American Upland

Whichever material you choose, don’t forget that lighter colours are better for higher temperatures, while darker ones absorb heat and sunlight during the day. Light colour reflects sunlight which helps an average hot sleeper rest properly.

Thread count

Many believe that a higher thread count equals a high-quality bed sheet. However, this isn’t the case for cooling bed sheets. This is because a higher thread count means tight construction, and that kind of construction means more heat retention. Cooling sheets need to be breathable and spacious, so the optimal thread count for these is from 200-400 threads.

Texture and weave

Lightweight materials feel lighter and softer to the touch, but they can trap heat at night. A crisper sheet is a better option because it allows more airflow. As for the weave, you need to look for moisture-absorbing cooling sheets with lattice or grid patterns. These sheets will assist in boosting the outflow of any extra body heat throughout the night.

Why you should consider cooling bed sheets?

Night sweats can keep you awake at night. Some people have problems with thermoregulation as their bodies overheat easily. Constantly waking up is very stressful and messes with your sleep cycle, health and productivity. 

Here are some issues that can cause higher sleeping temperatures.

Hormonal Imbalance

As the menstrual cycle affects the hormone levels in the female body, pregnancy and menopause can also cause night sweats. When there’s an imbalance in estrogen levels, the hormone tries to balance the changes. When the estrogen level is low, this causes enlarged blood vessels, and the result is that the body temperature is higher. 

Besides estrogen, hyperthyroidism, carcinoid syndrome, and pheochromocytoma can cause a hotter temperature at night.

Naturally hot body temperature

Some people naturally have a higher body temperature which causes waking up in a sweat at night, so they may want to consider using a cooling sheet all year.

The heat from the bed partner

Some people find it hard to sleep with a partner because they feel the heat rising from the partner’s body, keeping them uncomfortable and hot. A cooling sheet is advisable in these situations, where if one partner is a cold sleeper, he can always use the extra blanket.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a condition caused by low blood sugar, and it can be the reason for night sweats. People who take insulin or other medications for diabetes may notice that hypoglycemia causes overheating.

Medications

Fever-reducer medications can also cause overheating when you’re ill and trying to sleep it off. Besides them, other medications that affect night sweats are high-blood pressure pills and also antipsychotics. Furthermore, abusing alcohol and drugs also makes you excessively sweat while sleeping.

Summer heat

In hot summer months, turning the air conditioner on and off cannot be enough to help you fall asleep. Those who don’t have air conditioning or a fan need all the help they can get, and a cooling sheet might be the perfect solution.

Are bamboo sheets actually cooling?

Bamboo sheets are indeed an excellent choice for a cooling sheet. Fibres from bamboo naturally cool you down, and bamboo is good for the environment too. In addition, this material has a couple more benefits. 

Breathable

Bamboo fibres are natural and allow the skin to breathe by regulating our body temperature. The sheet doesn't stick to the body, which offers superior comfort. Bamboo has high absorption and it can move moisture away to the outer surface, helping you stay dry. 

Soft

Besides being cool, bamboo cooling sheets are very soft to the touch and they feel amazing. This softness is because of the natural fibres, which cause no itching and scratching. Bamboo rayon which has 250-300 thread count has the same softness as some 1000 thread count sheets. Some say it feels like silk, you can wash them many times, and they become softer and softer with each wash.

Very durable and sustainable

Because of their manufacturing process, bamboo sheets are exceptionally durable and sustainable. Bamboo is a strong material, especially organic bamboo. If you take care of it properly, it will last a lifetime. It will not shrink, which makes it a fantastic investment for your bedroom.

Hypoallergenic

Hypoallergenic cooling sheets are a great solution if you’re prone to skin issues while sleeping. Bamboo sheets are resistant to pesticides, insects and fungi. They retain antimicrobial properties and reduce bacterial growth much better than standard bed sheets. They are great for people with fungal infections and allergies.

Improve your sleep quality with cooling sheets

Various research suggests that cooling bed sheets indeed help people sleep better. If you suffer from night sweats or hot flashes, then cooling bed sheets could be a great way to help you feel more comfortable at night and improve your sleep quality.

However, keep in mind that everyone is different, so what works for one person may not work for another. It is also necessary that you follow the care instructions for your cooling bed sheets so that they last as long as possible.