During the night, our bodies are constantly releasing heat into the surrounding environment. This process helps us achieve an optimal body temperature, necessary for a good night’s rest.
Lying on the wrong type of sheets can trap this heat and cause us to wake up hot and sweaty. However, the best cooling sheets help us maintain that cool body temp for a proper night’s rest.
The right cooling sheets provide comfort and wick moisture away, keeping us dry throughout the night. They also help us stay cool by dispersing heat away from our bodies. These are the top considerations to keep in mind when selecting cooling sheets.
This guide explores different cooling sheet options, which meet tight criteria based on, the structure, features, and material used. It also explains what to look for in cooling sheets and other things to consider with your sheets.
Best Cooling Sheets 2021
#1 Sweet Zzz Bamboo Sheets
#2 Katy Bamboo Sheets
# 3 Abripedic Tencel Sheets
# 4 Peru Pima Luxury Percale Sheets
#5 Pinzon Signature Cotton Velvet Flannel Sheet
Sweet Zzz Bamboo Sheets
(Best Overall)
- 100% Bamboo Rayon
- 100 Night Trial
- Environmentally Friendly
- Lifetime Warranty
Best Overall
Our best overall pick for cooling sheets is the Sweet Zzz Bamboo sheets made from 100% Bamboo Rayon. We find the Sweet Zzz sheets silky soft to touch with a 300 TC, that’s softer than a 1000 TC Egyptian cotton used in hotels.
The use of a twill weave construction makes these sheets strong, durable and less likely to wrinkle. The gaps between the diagonal weave pattern on the sheets allow for proper airflow resulting in excellent breathability.
The use of Bamboo gives these sheets additional benefits. Such as the hypoallergenic nature of the Bamboo fiber, temperature regulating, and moisture-wicking abilities, that help keep you cool and dry throughout the night.
Additionally, these sheets come with deep pockets that can cover up to 14” mattresses. They have a 100-night sleep trial with a lifetime warranty.
As such, Sweet Zzz bamboo Sheets were the best of all the cooling sheets tested and are reasonably priced too. That is why we chose them as the best overall cooling sheets.
Katy Bamboo Sheets
(Best Luxury )
- 100% Rayon From Bamboo
- Free Delivery & Return
- 100 Night Trial
- 5-Year Warranty
Best Luxury
Also made from 100% Bamboo Rayon, another great bamboo cooling sheet is the Katy Bamboo Sheet. These sheets are soft and silky, providing that luxurious 5- star hotel feel. The 300 TC sheets have a round smooth fiber structure, that gives off a comfortable feel.
These sheets’ breathable nature and moisture-wicking capabilities allow for a cooler night’s sleep. They are eco-friendly, as well, since they are made from a renewable source.
These sheets, also, boast of a universal fit with deep pockets highlighted by an ultra-thick band that helps the sheet cover up to 18″ mattresses.
Katy’s bamboo sheets come with a 100-night sleep trial and a 5-year warranty.
Though a bit pricier, we chose these sheets for the best luxury due to their luxurious feel, many available colors, and the extra deep pockets.
Abripedic Tencel Sheets
(Best Tencel Choice )
- ENCEL SHEETS are Silky Soft
- Perfect for allergies
- 30-Day Trial
- 30-Day Warranty
Best Tencel Choice
Our pick for the best Tencel sheets was Abripedic Tencel sheets made from 100% woven Tencel Lyocell sourced from Eucalyptus trees. Tencel is one of the best cooling materials available today. It is highly absorbent and breathable. A factor that helps keep you cool throughout the night.
We chose these sheets as the best of Tencel because of their amazing quality, cooling factor, price, colors, and available pillowcases.
These sheets come in 10 different color options. They are strong and durable They also have a silky soft fabric that boasts of a 300 TC thread count that is as soft as an 800-1000 TC cotton fabric.
Besides, these Tencel sheets are much more affordable than big brand names. They are very lightweight but can be warm when needed. Being light, however, can be a drawback as the sheets are a bit transparent oftentimes showing the color of the items they cover.
Peru Pima Luxury Percale Sheets
(Best Percale Choice )
- 100% Cotton
- MADE IN PERU
- Lifetime Warranty
- 30-Day Trial
Best Percale Choice
Made from 100% long-staple Pima cotton made in Peru. The Peru Pima Luxury Percale sheets are professionally crafted in a small family-owned business in the coastal valleys of Peru.
We chose this set as the best Percale sheets because of its great selection of colors and sizes along with the ability to purchases pillowcases separately.
Peru Pima comes with a 415 cotton thread count, with the cotton hand-harvested by small local farmers. A process that ensures the cotton maintains it’s pure color.
Due to a unique percale weaving technique, these breathable sheets sleep cool all year long. Besides, these sheets get softer with each wash.
The sheet’s durability, luxurious look, and quality finishing attract some of the best hotels in the world as clients.
Peru Pima Percale sheets come with a lifetime warranty. The company promises to refund buyers in case of a rip, pill or fray. They are also OEKO-Tex certified which means they are a safe option.
Pinzon Signature Cotton Velvet Flannel Sheet
(Best Budget)
- 100% Cotton
- 1-Year warranty
- 30-Day Trial
- Made in Portugal
Best Budget
Despite how they look like, Pinzon Cotton Flannel sheets are actually temperature regulating and sleep cool during summer and warm during winter. Their fluffy nature has lots of room for air circulation.
Pinzon’s cotton flannel sheets are made from 100% combed cotton flannel fabric which makes them super soft to touch. They have a double-napped finish on each side, making them soft on either side.
These sheets are easy to care for because they are machine washable. Besides, they are environmentally friendly and are made in an OEKO-TEX certified factory.
Retailing at a fraction of some of the sheets reviewed in this list, these sheets are our best budget choice and also our best Flannel choice.
One drawback of Pinzon cotton flannel sheets is that they pill overtime.
Cooling Sheets Buying Guide
How to shop for The Best Cooling Sheets and What to Look for?
Now that we know the best cooling sheets in the market, let’s look at how you can go about buying a cooling sheet.
Material, structure, and comfortability of the sheets are some of the things you need to consider when buying a cooling sheet. As well as, extra features like the fitted sheet’s covering-range and the company’s reputation, policies, and warranties.
In this guide we describe each of these factors in detail, to help you make the right choice.
1- The Right Sheeting Material
Cooling sheets are largely determined by the type of material used. Natural materials tend to be cooler than synthetic materials due to their open cell structure which allows free flow of air. Some commonly used cooling sheet materials include:
Bamboo:
Fabrics made from Bamboo fibers are super soft, smooth, and cool. Bamboo is softer and 40% cooler than cotton fabrics because of its moisture-wicking abilities. Apart from this, bamboo fabrics are hypoallergenic, eco-friendly, and highly durable. Making bamboo one of the best if not the best cooling sheet material.
Tencel:
Tencel is a patented fabric from Lenzing, made from lyocell and modal cellulosic fibers of the bamboo tree. It is softer than cotton and more moisture-wicking than bamboo. It’s a great cooling material preferable for people who live in warm climate zones.
This is because it cannot regulate temperature. This recyclable and eco-friendly material works well as a cooling sheet. Albeit more expensive than the rest of the fabrics listed here.
Cotton:
Cotton has been used to make bed sheets for centuries. Its open-cell structure makes it a very breathable material. In addition to this, cotton has great moisture-wicking abilities.
It absorbs excess moisture and dissipates it. These characteristics make cotton a good cooling material. Though not as cool as Tencel or Bamboo.
Cotton is also soft to touch, it stays cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Silk:
Silk is not a cooling material though some manufacturers tote it as so. Silk is just cool to touch but quickly traps heat as one sleeps. Avoid silk cooling sheets if you can.
Micro-Fiber:
Micro-fiber is a manmade fiber that is thinner than a strand of hair. This fiber has a lot of applications including making clothing or bedding materials.
The silky feel of this fabric makes it comfortable on the skin and its moisture-wicking abilities help keep you dry at night. If you suffer regular night sweats and are on a tight budget, you can go for micro fiber sheets.
However, keep in mind that synthetic materials tend to warm up as you lie on them and that can be a problem if you usually sleep hot.
2- The Right Thread Count
Apart from the material, cooling sheets are also determined by the sheet’s thread count and weaving method. Thread count is defined as the number of horizontal and vertical threads found in a square inch of fabric. Studies show the higher the thread count, the softer the material is.
However, some manufacturers have been known to use poor quality yarn to raise the fabric’s thread count affordably. This is counteractive as the softness element is lost. Normally a thread count of 250 to 500 is sufficient.
Besides, the higher the thread count, the tighter a material has to be woven hence closing up the gaps found between the strands of fiber. This makes the sleeping sheet heavy leading to one sleeping hot because of the lack of aeration.
Natural Means Cooler
Natural materials that come from a natural environment with little to no tempering make the best cooling materials. This type of fabric tends to have an open structure that allows the free flow of air, allowing for the transfer of heat.
Natural materials also tend to have great moisture wicking abilities. They draw moisture away from you and dissipate it into the surrounding air, hence keeping you cool.
Another benefit of natural materials is that they are hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly. However, not every sheet labeled natural or organic is 100% natural.
Some sheets blend natural fabrics with synthetic fabrics and use the term natural to market their product and mark up the price.
Make sure to check for sheets labeled 100% natural.
4- Deeper Pockets with Elastic Bands
Fitted sheets help us create a smooth surface to lie on and also protects the mattress. Tight elastic bands help keep these sheets in place, for a comfortable night’s rest. Check that your cooling sheets come with deep pockets that can cover at least 12″ mattresses.
Some of the sheets reviewed in this list like Katy Mattress’s bamboo sheets have extra deep pockets that cover up to 18 inches of mattress. Apart from the fitted sheet, also check that the flat sheet is large enough to cover the entire mattress comfortably.
5- The Available Colors
The colors the sheets come in is also important. To improve or match your bedroom’s aesthetics, lighter colors are usually recommended. You don’t want to pick bright or solid colors that might not work well with your bedroom overtime.
This type of color can become an eyesore. You are safer in picking neutral colors. These types of colors support a wide variety of bedding items and never run out of fashion.
Besides, lighter materials don’t absorb heat as darker fabrics do and are also known to create a soothing experience.
6- Good reviews and Company reputation
The emergence of bed-in-a-box companies has changed the way people buy their bedding items including sheets. Most of the sheets you buy today are sold online. While there are many benefits of buying things online (like cheaper prices), there are also some drawbacks such as the inability to inspect your sheets before purchase.
As such, you need to carefully review the bedding company you are purchasing the sheets from. Find a reputable bedding company that has already been tried and tested.
Reviews are a good way to help you figure out whether you are getting what is advertised. Go through those before making a purchasing decision and ask the manufacturer as many questions as possible.
Also, ensure the sheets have a free trial period (more on this in the next point).
7- Good Return Policy and Warranty
A good return policy shows that a company is willing to stand behind its products. Look for a minimum of 30 days’ sleep trial on the sheeting material you end up choosing.
Ensure to find out how the return works before purchasing the sheets. In some instances, there are some return fees incurred through shipping charges. Especially check for this if you are buying the sheets from another country.
Look for a good warranty as well like Sweet Zzz’s lifetime warranty. But make sure you understand the terms and conditions necessary for the warranty to work. For example, most warranties cover manufacturing defects, premature ripping or running of the seams.
However, most companies stipulate the conditions necessary for the warranty to take place. E.g. if the manufacturer specifically instructs you not to use chemical detergents, then don’t use chemical detergents.
Most companies won’t take back sheets with stains, odors, or damage resulting from the misuse of the sheets.
Other Things to Consider Along with Your Cooling Sheets
When buying cooling sheets, it’s important to also consider your other bedding materials. A cooling sheet will do little to nothing if it’s placed on a hot unbreathable surface like some memory foams.
The foundation of the bed will also matter when it comes to cooling. An open bed foundation will allow for proper airflow, keeping you cool at night, while the opposite will cause you to sleep hot.
That’s why it’s important to ensure that your whole bed promotes a comfortable cool sleep. This guide points out some of the things you might need along with your cooling sheets.
A Cool and Natural Mattress
Waking up hot at night is an absolute nightmare. While getting a cooling sheet will help towards better sleep. It will be innefective if it covers an otherwise warm sleeping surface. That’s why it’s best to get a cooling mattress for your cooling sheets.
A mattress has to allow proper airflow and be made with the right temperature regulating materials to qualify as a cooling mattress. There are many types of cooling mattresses in the market today.
Some of these include cooling gel enhanced memory foams, hybrids, and natural based mattresses. As mentioned before, natural materials make the best cooling materials.
Natural mattresses are cooler than hybrids which are cooler than memory foam. One example of a natural mattress material is natural latex.
Latex is collected from the sap of rubber trees. Combining this type of mattress with a cooling sheet will ensure you sleep cool for many nights to come.
Cooling or Natural Pillows
The same goes for pillows, natural materials like 100% latex make the best cooling pillows. There are different types of cooling pillows. Some are made of water, gel beads, PCM technology, and natural materials.
Water and gel bead pillows work by absorbing heat away from your body. As they do this, you remain relatively cool. But this is short lived because once the beads and water absorb enough heat, they become warm themselves and can no longer absorb any more heat. This causes the sleeping individual to wake up hot in the middle of the night.
PCM (Phase changing material) from NASA is a temperature regulating technology, that uses science to determine when you need cooling and when you need heating. This has not proven to be the most effective for cooling purposes.
On the other hand, natural materials like latex and buckwheat hulls, truly offer a cool surface to lie on. What is more important, however, is the ability of these pillows to maintain that cool sleep surface all throughout the night.
Buckwheat pillows are great cooling pillows but difficult to care for and maintain. The practical alternative is natural latex enhanced with pinholes for even more aeration.
Natural Waterproof Mattress Protector
A mattress protector is a valuable bedding investment as it protects your mattress from spills, stains, and dirt.
For this reason, most mattress protectors come with a plastic lining to ensure nothing gets through to the mattress.
This is problematic for hot sleepers because of the compact nature of the plastic lining limits or blocks the free flow of air between the top of the mattress and the bedding underneath. That’s why it’s important to invest in a cooling mattress topper.
Cooling mattress toppers just like pillows are made of gel infused foams or water technology. However, the best cooling protectors are made from Tencel and Bamboo materials.
These natural materials derived from the fibers of bamboo trees are great at moisture wicking. Helping you sleep cool and dry all night long while protecting your mattress.
Platform Bed or Slatted Foundation
Another bedding that you should consider with your cooling sheets is the foundation of the bed. Some modern foundations feature a single block of wood like wooden platform beds and bunky board beds.
These types of beds block off the free flow of air, between the mattress and the floor. Resulting in a warm sleeping surface.
That’s why foundations with slats are highly recommended. The space between slats allows for proper air flow.
Some good examples of slatted beds include slatted box springs, wooden, and metallic platform beds.
Conclusion
From this guide, it’s clear to see that there is a solution to your hot sleeping needs. Instead of suffering hot intolerable nights, you can invest in cooling sheets to keep you cool throughout the night.
To help you do this, this guide reviews 5 of the coolest sheets in the market today. The Sweet Zzz Bamboo sheets came out in the lead for their soft, cooling, and affordable nature.
To help you pick out the best cooling sheets for your sleeping needs. This guide explains in detail the factors one should look out for before purchasing a cooling sheet. We also add a section of the things you might need with your cooling sheets.
Now that you know what to look for in a cooling sheet and how to go about selecting the best one for your needs, go ahead and get yourself a good set of these sheets.
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