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Have you ever tossed and turned all night because your mattress felt too warm? If so, you are definitely not alone.
Overheating during sleep is one of the most common complaints I hear from customers. Cooling mattress technology promises to pull heat away from your body and help you sleep deeper and longer, but does it really work the way ads suggest?
In this guide, I break down how cooling mattresses actually work, where they help, where they fall short, and how to choose the right option if you sleep hot.
The Cooling Mattress Promise: What Brands Claim
You have probably seen plenty of mattresses advertised as “cooling.” Memory foam, hybrid, latex, and even traditional innerspring models now promote features like gel infusions, copper or graphite, phase change materials, or breathable covers that wick heat and moisture away from your body.
The promise is simple: a mattress that stays cooler all night. In reality, most of these features help with surface temperature and airflow, not with lowering your core body temperature on their own. Your sheets, pillows, and bedroom temperature still play a big role in how cool you feel.
Memory Foam Mattresses and Heat Retention
Memory foam mattresses are popular for pressure relief and contouring, but classic memory foam is known for trapping heat. Many brands now add cooling features like gel, copper, or graphite infusions, or cut channels into the foam to improve airflow.
These upgrades can make the surface feel cooler at first, especially when you first lie down. Over time, however, your body will still warm the foam to some degree. The more you “sink in,” the more likely you are to feel heat build up.
If you love the feel of foam and want to sleep cooler, look for designs with breathable covers, ventilated foam, and a support system that prevents you from sinking too deeply. You can also compare options in our guide on are memory foam mattresses good to see when this material makes sense for your sleep style.
For those still intrigued by memory foam, you can check out our memory foam collection.
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Are Hybrid Mattresses Cooler Than Foam?
When all-foam mattresses feel too warm, a hybrid is often the next step. Hybrid mattresses combine comfort foams on top with a coil system underneath. The spaces between coils allow air to move through the mattress much more easily than in a solid block of foam. That extra airflow can help heat escape instead of building up around your body.
Many customers who felt warm on memory foam alone report a noticeably cooler sleep when they switch to a well-designed hybrid, especially one with individually wrapped coils and a breathable cover. If you are weighing your options, our comparison are hybrid mattresses better than foam is a good place to start when deciding which construction is better for your needs.
Check out some of our hybrid options designed specifically to keep you cooler throughout the night: our hybrid mattress collection.
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Do Natural Materials Sleep Cooler? (Latex, Cotton, and More)
Natural and more breathable materials can make a noticeable difference if you sleep hot. Natural latex, for example, has a springy feel and a more open-cell structure that allows air to move through more freely than dense traditional memory foam. Many latex mattresses also include pinholes or channels that further boost airflow.
Paired with a coil support system, latex hybrids are some of the coolest all-night options we have seen for hot sleepers. Beyond the core of the mattress, pay attention to fabrics too. Covers made with cotton, Tencel, or other breathable fibers can help wick moisture away from your body so you feel drier and more comfortable through the night.
How Adjustable Bases Can Help You Sleep Cooler
An adjustable base is not a cooling device on its own, but it can help your body release heat more effectively. Elevating your head or legs slightly can improve circulation and create more space around your body for air to move.
This can be especially helpful if you sleep on your back or deal with issues like snoring or acid reflux that already respond well to elevation. If you often wake up hot and uncomfortable, pairing a breathable mattress with an adjustable base lets you fine-tune both support and airflow so your body feels more relaxed and less compressed into the surface.
You can explore some of our adjustable bases here.
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How to Choose the Right Cooling Mattress for You
Not all cooling mattresses work the same way, and what feels cool to one person may not feel cool to another. Your body weight, sleeping position, and whether you share the bed all affect how warm a mattress will feel in real life.
A good starting point is to ask yourself why you want a cooler mattress. If you wake up sore or stiff as well as hot, you may want to look at comfort and support first with guides like our best mattress for back pain and best mattress for side sleepers with hip pain before narrowing down cooling features.
If your comfort is fine but you simply sleep hot, focus on breathable constructions such as hybrids or latex, plus cooling covers and bedding. If you are still unsure, working with a dedicated Sleep Consultant can be very helpful.
We can look at your sleep habits, body type, and room setup and then recommend specific models that balance cooling, support, and budget.
Is Cooling Mattress Technology a Myth?
So, is cooling mattress technology real or just smart marketing? From what we have seen, it is a mix of both. Cooling features like gel infusions, phase change materials, breathable covers, coils, and latex can absolutely help you feel cooler than a dense, traditional foam mattress.
At the same time, no mattress can fully overcome a very warm bedroom, heavy bedding, or certain medical conditions that affect temperature. If sleeping cool is your top priority, start with a breathable construction such as a hybrid or latex mattress, then layer in cooling fabrics and lighter bedding.
Use your body as the final judge. If you wake up cooler, more rested, and with less discomfort, the technology is working for you. If not, it may be time to reassess your mattress choice, your bedding, or even your room temperature.
Feel free to explore our most cooling mattress collection to find your perfect match.
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If you have questions, I'd love to hear from you directly. Helping customers find comfortable, restful sleep is genuinely rewarding, and I’m always ready to assist in making the best decision.
