Summer is quickly approaching, and unless your air conditioning unit has the power of a semi truck, you might be in store for some uncomfortably hot nights. A great way to reduce sweating in your bed is to get some new sheets specifically designed to sleep cool.
Keeping cool while bundled up is a bit of an oxymoron, but many people get so used to a full set of sheets that they find it hard to sleep without them, even if it’s too hot. Luckily there are plenty of sheets designed with hot climates and hot sleepers in mind, across a wide range of budgets. There are also a few ancillary products you can try to keep yourself cool as well. Check them out below.
Note that the prices on our selections are for queen-sized mattresses: bigger or smaller beds will be more or less expensive, respectively.
The Best Overall Cool Sheets: Peachskin ($100)
Peachskin’s fitted sheets are designed to regulate a sleeper’s temperature, forming a happy medium between pricey “performance” bedding and inexpensive open weave fabrics. Peachskin’s proprietary blend is synthetic, not cotton, but a super-high thread count keeps it extremely comfy. It’s designed to be breathable and moisture-wicking, quickly dealing with sweat and keeping you dry.
When you wash the sheets—and you’ll need to more frequently if you’re in a hotter area or your air conditioning is unreliable—they’ll be ready in under half an hour on a “medium” dryer cycle. Despite their synthetic build, they’re amazingly soft and smooth.
The Best Premium Cool Sheets: Sheex ($189)
For those who live in particularly hot environments, or who are just naturally hot like a human furnace, you might want to step up to something more capable. Sheex sheet sets are more than twice as expensive as our more general pick, but they make up for it with a material that’s similar to performance athletic wear with an 87-13% polyester-spandex blend. (It’s kind of like sleeping in a fancy golf polo.)
People love the breathable and temperature-controlling sheet sets, ideal for anyone who finds normal cotton sheets excessively toasty. Sheex sets come in a variety of colors to match your decor, and all include clips to keep the fitted sheets secured to your mattress.
The Best Budget Cool Sheets: Linen Home Cotton Percale ($43)
If our selections above are outside of your price range, then you’ll need to look for more general fare in traditional cotton. Percale sheets are much better than the more popular “jersey” fabric at allowing heat and moisture through, and the 200-thread-count selection from Linen Home are more naturally breathable than expensive high-thread sheets.
To be clear, they’re not as cozy as more expensive options—”crisp” is an adjective often applied at this thread count, so those with especially sensitive skin may not like them. The crispness is part of the cooling magic though. Super soft sheets tend to drape closely to the body but stiffer sheets “tent” more and allow for more air movement—if you hate the feeling of your sheets clinging to you, give Percale weave sheets a shot. Not only that but at just $43 for a full fitted sheet set, flat sheet, and two pillowcases, it’s a solution for hot summer sleeping that won’t break the bank.
The Best Cool Comforter or Duvet Cover: Easeland
