A gel mattress pad or topper makes memory foam feel cooler. Memory foam mattresses utilize body heat to conform to your body as you rest. After resting on it a while, the mattress may feel a little too warm for comfort, especially if you prefer cooler sleeping conditions. While there are several ways to reduce the warming sensation of sleeping on memory foam, cooling the mattress is often a matter of placing a cooling material between your body and mattress, but this may also change the feel of the mattress itself. Cooling with Cotton A cotton cover over the mattress -- between the mattress and fitted sheet -- keeps the mattress a bit cooler than not using such a cover. Cotton breathes and feels cool against the skin; pair the cotton cover with 100 percent cotton sheets for even more cooling properties. Synthetic materials such as polyester blends trap heat and moisture in, rather than wicking body perspiration away. Woolly Wonders A wool-based mattress pad or blanket beneath the sheet also helps keep the heat of the foam away from your skin.
While wool offers warmth in cool weather, such as with a wool sweater, wool also has cooling properties because it draws moisture away from the body. A wool blanket or pad keeps your body from feeling clammy atop memory foam. Wool mattress covers or pads are also washable. Air Cooling A bed fan -- a special fan designed to blow air beneath the covers -- offers a cooling sensation no matter what type of bedding is used. This type of fan draws air from beneath the bed, transferring it through the vertical body of the fan through a vent that extends over the mattress, beneath the top sheet and blanket. The vertical portion of the fan body adjusts to the height of the bed. Under Covers The type of pajamas worn while in bed also affects your comfort level in terms of feeling too hot or too cold. Warm materials such as fleece or synthetic fabrics may cause sweating, warming the body more than you'd like. Swap the pajamas out for thin, breathable fabrics, such as cotton to help ensure you feel cool enough for a good night's rest.
Any blankets and comforters should also be made of breathable, natural fabrics to avoid trapping in too much heat. Back to U.S. Website, APO/FPO FurnitureExtra 15% offSelect Furniture by Christopher Knight*RugsUp to 70% offSelect Area Rugs by Safavieh*DécorUp to 50% offSelect Curtains by Exclusive Fabrics*Bed & BathSave onSelect Bedding & Bath by Laura Ashley & MoreHome ImprovementExtra 15% offHome Improvement*KitchenShop AppliancesOutdoorUp to 50% offSelect Outdoor Furniture by Portfolio*JewelryUp to 50% offSelect Auriya Jewelry*WatchesUp to 50% off Featured Branded Watches*Shop WatchesWomenUp to Extra 15% offClothing, Shoes & Accessories*MenUp to Extra 15% offClothing, Shoes & Accessories*Kids & BabyExtra 10% offKids Furniture*MoreExtra 10% offPet Supplies* How to Keep Cool with a Memory Foam Topper Published May 11, 2011 | Updated June 12, 2015 You can instantly upgrade your mattress when you add a memory foam mattress topper. Memory foam toppers are made from high-density foam that works with your body heat to mold to your shape.
This is great for winter temperatures or people who get cold while they sleep, but when temperatures heat up, you may experience trouble sleeping. Make sure your mattress topper is not deterring you from getting the rest you need. Consider these ideas for keeping your memory foam cool at night. Keep Your Memory Foam Cool: Shop Memory Foam Mattress Toppers ▸ Use a Mattress PadThe simplest solution for cooling down your memory foam topper is to place a mattress pad over it. Look for a cotton top mattress pad, which will help provide a barrier between the topper and your sheets for even more breathability. You may want to consider a wool mattress pad. Although it seems counterintuitive, adding a layer of wool can be helpful for several reasons. Wool mattress pads absorb moisture for maximum comfort. As an added bonus, wool is naturally mold and allergen resistant -- making it a great choice for people with allergies. Shop for a Gel Memory Foam Mattress TopperIf you know your body temperature tends to rise while you sleep, pick a gel memory foam topper.
They have all the great qualities of traditional memory foam. Gel memory foam mattress toppers provide the support that helps you rest comfortably, and they absorb movement, so you can sleep in peace even when sharing a bed. What makes them better is that these gel-infused mattress toppers allow for extra air circulation that will keep you cool all night. Think About Your SheetsMoisture-wicking sheets are your best option if you get hot at night. Because they are specially made to keep you from getting too hot, these sheets are worth the investment if you have a memory foam topper. Even just choosing high-quality cotton sheets, like 100 percent Egyptian cotton sheets, may help keep you from getting to hot at night. Try a Different PillowIf your head is cooler, your whole body can feel cooler. Look for a pillow that is intended for people who need help staying cool at night. Gel memory foam pillows and ventilated memory foam pillows are popular choices. Turn Down the HeatReducing the overall temperature in your home may help you sleep at night.
Lowering your thermostat even a degree or two can make a difference. It's helpful to install a programmable thermostat and set it to lower the heat about half an hour before your bedtime, so you won't have to think about adjusting it every day. If sleeping in the summer is an ongoing issue for you, you may also want to install a ceiling fan in your bedroom.cooling a memory foam mattress topper May 11, 2014 Subscribe Has anyone had any success with finding the right barrier layer to stop a memory foam mattress topper trapping too much heat?Few mattresses require as much adjustment from consumers as a memory foam mattress does (be it Tempurpedic or other brand). So why would you change how you sleep, even if just for the length of the free home trial, for the sake of a memory mattress? And if you are willing to compromise, just what can you do to make sleeping on a Tempur mattress as comfortable as possible? The way Tempur-Pedic mattresses respond to heat is the number one reason consumers choose them over other brands but it is also the number one reported reason of most returns according to the countless consumer opinions we have read online.
A large proportion of people who return their memory bed or mattress and then say they are uncomfortably warm to sleep on. But many go the other way and say it is too cold and firm. How do we know? Because many people for whom this mattress does not work have expressed their dissapointment in online reviews and comments. Depending on your unique body chemistry, you may find sleeping on a memory foam mattress too hot or too cold. Having said that, you may really like the feeling of memory foam and you really do see yourself sleeping better on a Tempur mattress, if only you could adjust the temperature to make it more comfortable. It's also important to remember that for every consumer who says Tempur feels too hot or too cold there are many others who don't have this problem. The question is figuring out which group you fall into. The strange thing is that visco elastic memory foam mattresses are supposed to absorb body heat and breathe it out through millions of tiny air passages within the memory foam mattress.
For many people though, these next two factors are overpowering and counteract that ability. Memory foam mattresses trap heat well because they: The following tips apply not just to Tempurpedic but to any other heat-responsive memory foam mattress. While you cannot alter Tempur foam density, you can change how the memory mattress reacts to body heat. If the Tempur-Pedic bed didn't react to heat as well as it could, there would be less contact with it and more exposure to air (which causes cooling). Tempur-Pedic mattresses come with a breathable terry cloth cover which acts as a light barrier between you and the viscoelastic memory mattress. The cover solves the heat problem for many people but for many others, it doesn't. If the Tempur-Pedic mattress sleeps hot even with the cover on, use an additional pad or cover over it to insulate the mattress from the body. The thicker the insulation, the longer it takes body heat to reach the Tempur foam layer. It becomes, therefore, less responsive to heat.
But sadly, there is a trade-off. Insulation means the Tempurpedic mattress cannot react the best it possibly could to body temperature, The end result is a somewhat firmer memory foam mattress that won't soften to become more gentle. Some suppliers use pillowtops or fiberfill padding over the visco foam mattress to make it cooler to sleep on. To make up for the reduced heat responsiveness, they use lower density foam to allow better body conforming. Their attempt to recapture the gentle feeling visco elastic mattresses are best known for, however, results in less support and shorter longevity. Other suggestions for making sleeping on Tempur-Pedic-style mattresses more comfortable without losing support or gentleness include: There are significantly fewer people who say Tempur-Pedic beds feel too cold. Cold memory foam mattresses also feel somewhat firmer. Here are some suggestions to make a Tempur mattress warmer and softer. First thing to try would be to make sure the memory foam layer within the bed or mattress reacts the best it possibly can to body heat.