Cotton. Lightweight and breathable, cotton is your best friend when it comes to bed sheets that keep you cool at night. Try swapping out your current sheets with flat and fitted cotton ones to see the difference.
Material: Most of the sleep experts we spoke to agreed that sheets made of natural fibers, like cotton and linen, are your best bet for sweaty sleepers because they're the most breathable (and therefore cooling).
Cotton is a naturally breathable where its cooling abilities could be further enhanced by its weave method. Typically, percale and sateen weaves are best suited for cooling and soft sheets as they are more breathable and lightweight.
Bamboo fiber has millions of micro-gaps which makes our sheets much more breathable than any fine cotton sheet, meaning you stay cooler and more comfortable in summer. Perfect for hot sleepers, night sweats and hot flashes.
Percale: Percale is generally considered the best weave for cooling bed sheets. It features a simple one-thread-over, one-thread-under pattern that gives the sheets a crisp, cool feel. Most percale sheets are cotton, but they may also use a blend of cotton and synthetic materials.
The NSF recommends choosing cooling sheets with a thread count between 200 and 400, since sheets with lower thread counts aren't as comfortable, and sheets with higher thread counts tend to trap heat at night.
Bamboo sheets are cool, breathable and absorbent
Bamboo sheets are light, smooth, breathable and antibacterial. They are also cooler to the touch than cotton sheets. Beyond that, bamboo can absorb 40% more water than cotton. So a bamboo sheet is a great choice to absorb sweat.
As a natural fabric, bamboo is fairly breathable, which helps keep the sleeper cool and comfortable. However, many sleepers think that it doesn't sleep as cool as cotton. Temperature regulation is one of the biggest strengths of most cotton sheet sets thanks to their combination of breathability and moisture-wicking.
Both Egyptian cotton and Sateen are breathable.
However, Egyptian cotton is considered superior when it comes to temperature control. This is due both to its weave and its crispness, which means it drapes further away from the body.
In your quest to cool down, you've probably come across “cooling” bedding—bed sheets, pillowcases, and duvet covers that claim to control temperatures. But do cooling sheets really work? The short answer is yes (thank goodness).
Linen and bamboo both sleep incredibly cool. But linen may have a slight edge over bamboo when it comes to cooling properties because of its looser weave.
If you compare linen vs cotton sheets in terms of breathability, another major difference emerges — linen will keep you much cooler at night because of its longer fibers and, therefore, looser weave. Air can pass through linen more easily, keeping your body cool.
If keeping cool is your priority, look for low thread count sheets in the range of 180 to 280. This way, you can be sure your bedding is soft and built to last while also allowing for steady airflow while you sleep.
Pima cotton sheets are cheaper than Egyptian cotton sheets making them the most preferred and popular cotton type chosen.
Generally, Egyptian cotton has even longer and stronger fibers than Turkish cotton. Additionally, Egyptian cotton fibers are a bit thicker and have more texture than their Turkish counterparts, which makes them more absorbent.
Are bamboo or eucalyptus sheets cooler? Bamboo and eucalyptus sheets are both cool-sleeping fabrics. They are both breathable and will wick moisture away from your body. However, some say that eucalyptus sheets feel cooler against their skin.
Microfiber sheets are not recommended for those who suffer from night sweats or want a cooling bed sheet. Bamboo sheets are the more breathable fabric and will allow the moisture to either escape, or they will soak up the moisture, keeping the bed dry and cool all night long while you sleep.
Hot sleepers may also appreciate Egyptian cotton's breathability and moisture-wicking. Individuals who like a silky feel and finish might find sateen sheets more comfortable.
Silk traps heat and gets too hot to sleep in for some, especially in summertime when you want to cool off in a smooth cooling fabric when you go to bed after a long hot day. Bamboo is a breathable fabric and a lot more comfortable, temperature-wise than silk.
Bamboo bedding typically has a thread count between 250-400 (our bedding is a super-soft 300), while Egyptian cotton thread count often falls between 400-700 – although bamboo thread is widely considered to be the softer pick no matter the thread count.
Its also hypoallergenic due to the non-abrasive structure of the smooth and round fibers. These attributes make bamboo sheets warmer than cotton sheets.
However, thread count greatly affects heat and higher thread counts create hotter sheets. In fact, 1000TC sheets are the hottest cotton sheets you can buy. Conversely, lower thread counts (250TC-350TC 10cm2) create cooler sheets but must be made from good cotton so they last.
“Too high of a thread count means that air doesn't circulate well and you'll sleep hot." Percale thread counts are lower simply because the plain weave allows for fewer threads in a square inch. Gopinath told us this made percale lighter and cooler, which is preferable in hotter temperatures or for hot sleepers.