Best cooling sheets 2023: tested by an expert hot sleeper

Nov 29, 2023

The best cooling sheets will keep your temperature regulated all night long when opening a window or ditching the duvet simply aren't enough to keep you cool

Swapping your bedding for one of the best cooling sheet sets is essential for hot sleepers. Whether it's night sweats, a heatwave, or just how you're built, waking up in the night due to overheating is one of the most common sleep issues. Before trying a bedding set made of bamboo, linen, or Tencel, it affected me, too.

Cooling sheets are made from breathable materials that are naturally temperature-regulating, moisture-wicking, and cold to the touch, or use a looser weave that allows air to travel.

To find only the freshest bed sheets, I tried and tested many of the best bed sheets you can buy online. I trialled sheet sets from big-name sleep brands like Bed Threads and Brooklinen as well as smaller, newer companies that are disrupting the market with bamboo lyocell and eucalyptus bedding. I considered how hot I felt over consecutive nights and compared this against the marketing claims of each sheet set.

If you're in need of some cooling sheets guaranteed to keep you comfortable all night long, I wouldn't hesitate in recommending the Ettitude Signature Sateen Bedding Set. Made from 100% bamboo, its open weave kept me coolest. If that doesn't work for you, these are the best cooling bed sheets you'll be grateful for when it's too hot to sleep.

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There are lots of bedding sets that will claim to have 'cooling effects', but ultimately this will come down to personal experience and why you want a cooling set. Know the sleep issue you face first to decide which of the best cooling sheets below will be right for you. If you're generally a hot sleeper, for example, look for a set that is cool to the touch. But if you're buying and planning ahead for hot weather, a lightweight breezy linen set will help keep your bedroom cool in a heatwave.

Best cooling bed sheets

Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California kingMaterial: Bamboo lyocellColors: 12OEKO-TEK certified: No

+ Naturally cool to the touch+ Stylish sateen finish- Silky look isn't for everyone

Ettitude's sheet set, made of CleanBamboo fabric, is my favorite for summer. Naturally cooling, temperature regulating and smooth to the touch, these moisture-wicking sheets kept me (a sweaty sleeper) cool at night. The bamboo lyocell construction is also sustainable. I love the silky look – others may not – but it looks very luxurious draped over my bed.

Best bed sheets for hot sleepers

Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California kingMaterial: 100% tencel EucalyptusColors: 7OEKO-TEK certified: Yes

+ Cold to the touch+ Great price- Prone to wrinkling

Naturally antimicrobial and breathable, these vegan eucalyptus sheets are ideal for hot sleepers. If you're prone to getting sweaty at night, they create a cold-to-the-touch sleep surface that releases and dissipates heat as you sleep. Eco-friendly, and with a reasonable price tag, these are must-have sheets for those who struggle to regulate their temperature. However, they crease quite easily in the wash, and I'd recommend hanging them on the line if possible, rather than the tumble dryer.

Best bamboo bed sheets

Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California kingMaterial: 100% bamboo viscoseColors: 7OEKO-TEK certified: No

+ Impressive quality+ Eco-friendly material and packaging- Expensive

Nothing beats the feeling of sleeping in these bamboo sheets. They arent the most cooling option but bamboo has plenty of sleep benefits that help with hot sleepers. They don't trap heat at all and instead keep your temperature regulated and your body sweat-free. It's the most expensive option here but they are worth the spend, as I'm sure this set will last me for years to come. It also arrives packaged in stylish bags, with handles for easy storage, but if you're on a budget, these aren't for you.

Best luxury bed sheets

Sizes: Queen, KingMaterial: 100% viscose from bambooColors: 9OEKO-TEK certified: No

+ Cool to the touch+ Luxurious silky finish- Sheets and shams sold separately

These sheets have all the benefits of bamboo, just like the two bamboo options above. These sheets feel soft, yet durable, and bring a luxurious silk finish that can totally transform your room, even if you're working with a small apartment like mine. However, this is only the duvet cover; for the full set you'll have to add on sheets and shams, making it quite pricey.

Best linen bed sheets

Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California kingMaterial: 100% linenColors: 33OEKO-TEK certified: Yes

+ Breezy and breathable+ Softens with every wash- Expensive

Linen is loved by many, but it isn't my favorite fabric. However, I find myself reaching for this Piglet in Bed set all the time when summer comes round. This Luna Stripe set looks and feels the part. It's breathable and lightweight so you can wake up feeling fresh. What's more, this set somehow seems to get softer with every wash – which only prompts me to keep choosing it from the rest of the piles of bedding.

Best percale bed sheets

Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cali-king, Split-kingMaterial: 100% long-staple cottonColors: 3OEKO-TEK certified: Yes+ Cool and crisp+ Hotel quality- Machine wash on cold

If you're after that hotel feel, these percale finish cotton bed sheets from Saatva will have you sleeping cool. Cold and crisp to the touch, yet thick and durable for longevity, they're great for hot sleepers in winter or those looking for a great cooling set that will last them for seasons to come. I've not tested these myself (yet), but I gave them a space in this guide due to impressive customer ratings and reviews.

Many cooling bed sheets are marketed as being able to keep your temperature regulated and sweat-free all night. But of course, whether they succeed at this will be down to personal experience. When testing the best cooling sheets, I've taken the time to sleep under them during various weather conditions, including heatwaves, and shared them with friends who are not hot sleepers for their verdict.

As well as testing these sheets in bed, I've also made sure to launder and dry the bed sheets to see how durable and well they wash. The best-cooling bed sheets on this list will be high in quality and last for years. I also take cost into account, as bed sheets made from bamboo, linen, or eucalyptus often come with a hefty price tag.

Style and comfort go hand in hand too. As much as cooling bed sheets should do their job in regulation your body temperature, they shouldn't compromise on looks. For more insight into our hands-on review process, refer to our how we test review guidelines.

Material has the biggest part to play in keeping you cool. Polyester, for example, is one of the worst bed sheet materials as it traps heat, making you hot and sweaty in summer. These are the materials with natural cooling properties you should be looking for instead.

Linen: The best option for summer, linen is lightweight and breathable. I describe it as feeling breezy - you can literally feel the air moving through from the sheets as you sleep. High-quality and ultra-durable, it launders well and gets softer with every wash. Linen may be more expensive, but if you're too hot all year round, they're worth the investment. However, some people find linen a little scratchy.

Bamboo: New to the bedding game but quickly making its way as the most popular material for bed sheets, bamboo has lots to offer. In terms of cooling, bamboo is naturally temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking, keeping you sweat-free. Unlike linen, it's always buttery soft to the touch, and often has a silky finish, making them feel and look quite luxurious.

Eucalyptus or Tencel: If you can find a Eucalyptus bedding set, I say buy it. Very new to the market, it's quickly becoming one of the best eco-friendly, sustainable bedding choice that also keeps you cool. Naturally lightweight with an open weave, and moisture-wicking while remaining soft and smooth, eucalyptus ticks a lot of comfort boxes.

Cotton percale: Cotton is generally quite breathable. 'But a percale finish will make cotton bed sheets cold to the touch.' explains Yusuf Ozkanli, founder of luxury bedding brand Beddable, 'meaning they're ideal for hot sleepers and warm temperatures.' Thicker than other materials, but very durable they're usually used in hotel rooms. Best at keeping the whole bed feeling fresh, cotton percale is a bedding fabric you can rely on.

Generally, when choosing bed sheets, you should also think about how much you're willing to spend, the color and style that will suit your bedroom and the size you need.

Yusuf Ozkanli is the founder and product manager of luxury bedding brand Beddable and has over 7 years of experience in sourcing home textiles from across the world.

Yes, but it's important to do your research. Some brands may market their bedding as cooling, but there are no real properties to suggest otherwise, and visa versa – some bedding may be naturally cooling without you realizing it. It all depends on the material and finish. Bedding made from bamboo, eucalyptus, linen, or even cotton with a percale finish has natural cooling properties that will help hot sleepers stay cool and everyone else sleep well during hot weather. Just as you may flip your pillow to the fresh side, these cooling bed sheets will feel crisp to the touch.

Hotels typically use 100% cotton percale bed sheets. Percale is the type of finish and refers to the one-yarn-over, one-yarn-under weave, that creates a matte fabric that feels cool and crisp to the touch. Hotels use this type of bed sheet because it is often deemed the most durable. It washes incredibly well without the need for ironing. It's also a choice that suits most sleep types as it's temperature regulating and not overly thick nor lightweight for a middle-of-the-ground feel.

Overheating is one of biggest causes of a bad night's sleep. If you're struggling to get a good night's rest and are often waking up in night sweats you should consider investing in a new mattress with cooling properties, or a cooling mattress topper if your current bed is in good condition. Keep yourself at optimum temperature and never compromise on restful sleep again.

Louise is your eCommerce Editor and sleep specialist to help you wind down well. A connoisseur of the mattress world, Louise previously covered sleep and wellness (as well as the occasional organizational buy) at Real Homes, and has tried, tested, and reviewed some of the buys for your bedroom. With an MA in International Journalism and PR experience, Louise brings bags of bedding expertise and enjoys nothing more than helping readers find solutions and products that best suit their sleep needs.

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