The Best Blankets, Bed Sheets and Pillows for a Cool Sleep

Image: Shutterstock

Cooling blankets in Canada

I’ve always been a hot sleeper—I’ve been shouting “Did somebody turn the aircon off?!” in a murderous rage since I was six years old. Now that I’ve become a Woman of a Certain Age And That Age is Definitely Not 23, my need for products that will keep me cooler at night has become a bit of an obsession.

When you sleep, your body temperature goes down a couple of degrees, but the heat that you let off often gets trapped in your mattress, pillows and bedding, which then slowly cooks you as if you were a sweaty little sous vide snack.

Here are some products that can help keep you cool. One caveat: sleep—or lack of it!—is the biggest factor that makes my life 1) suck or 2) not suck, so while some of these items are pricey, this is one area where I think spending a little more on quality goods is worth it.

(Related: Can a Weighted Blanket with Cooling Tech Help Me Sleep—and Not Over-Heat?)

Image: Casper

Cooling Bed Sheets

Try: Casper Hyperlite Sheets

From $97, Casper

OK, when I heard about these sheets, I didn’t believe the hype. I’m generally of the opinion that most bed sheets are pretty much alike, but after trying these I can say with full authority that I BELIEVE.

Made with Tencel lyocell, a super soft synthetic fibre, and grid weave for maximum breathability, these sheets are so weirdly light it feels as if you’re sleeping under fairy wings. Now I don’t even bother with any of my other sheets—just wash this set and put it right back on the bed. Comes in Indigo, Dusty Rose, White, Grey and Fog Blue.

(Related: Meet Lyocell, a Potentially Sustainable Fabric That Could Become Your New Favourite Textile)

Image: Gravid

Cooling Weighted Blanket

Try: Gravid Weighted Blanket with Cooling Cover

From $209 at Gravid

I love weighted blankets for their much-touted ability to help tossers and turners relax. But these blankets were pretty much a winter-only thing for me because I always found them too warm for the hotter months. Enter this blanket from Canadian brand Gravid—both the inner weighted blanket and outer cover are made from eucalyptus-derived Tencel lyocell which doesn’t trap heat. The cover feels slippy and cool to the touch. It also attaches to the blanket with a neat zipper design that avoids the bunching I’ve experienced with other weighted blankets. So far it only comes in a dark blueish grey—but hope eternal!

Image: Dyson

Cooling Fan and Air Purifier

Try: Dyson Purifier Cool

$750, Dyson

Yes, I have the aircon on blast and I also use a fan—sue me! While of course you can get a standard tower fan for a lot cheaper than this new high-tech version from Dyson, this baby does double duty as a heavy-duty HEPA air purifier, a bonus for someone like me who has allergies and minimal floor space for multiple appliances. You can control it with a remote or via a phone app. It has 10 different strengths, and also, isn’t it sexy? If something is going to be a permanent fixture in your bedroom for four months of the year, it’s nice when it’s not ugly. Comes in dark/silver or white/silver.

(Related: 4 Times in Your Life You Should Definitely Be Using an Air Purifier)

Image: Ceramo

Cooling Pillow

Try: Blu Sleep Ceramo Pillow

$149, myblusleep.com

The fancy pillows from this Canadian brand are made with a breathable, high-tech foam that Blu Sleep claims is 3,000 times more cooling than standard memory foam. While I don’t know about 3,000(!) times cooler, these pillows are definitely cool to the touch and come in both back and side sleeper styles (the side sleepers have a cut out for your shoulder). They’re also infused with essential oils like lavender, chamomile and aloe. While I found they didn’t smell too strongly and the scent faded pretty quickly, these might not work you if you’re sensitive to fragrance or essential oils.

(Related: The 11 Best Pillows for Every Type of Sleeper)

Image: Casper

Cooling Mattress

Try: Casper Wave Hybrid Snow Mattress

From $2,545, Casper

Real talk: I haven’t actually tried this mattress, but I’ve been thinking about it since Casper launched their Cooling Collection that’s all about keeping you up to 6 degrees cooler than other mattresses. The beds in this collection have “snow technology,” which includes a layer of cooling gel and breathable fabric that collects and moves heat away from your body, like some kind of superhero. While there’s a slightly more affordable mattress in the collection (the Nova Hybrid Snow, starting at $2,095) this one is the most supportive for people with achy backs.

Image: Simba

Cooling Duvet

Try: Simba Duvet

From $299, Simba Sleep

A duvet made with “space-inspired fabric technology,” this baby keeps you cool but cozy with a hypoallergenic fibre fill that’s embedded with semi-conducting minerals that draw heat away from the body and an outer layer made of breathable cotton.

Cooling Duvet Cover

Try: Maison Tess Coco Linen Duvet Cover

$275, Maison Tess

It’s useless to have a “cooling duvet” if you just slap a synthetic, non-breathable cover on it, which is why I love my purposely rumply percale cotton and flax linen duvet from this eco-friendly Canadian brand. Comes in a range of muted pastels and chic earth tones.

Next: We Found the Absolute Best Pyjamas to Keep Cool at Night