We updated this article in April 2022 to add more information about each featured product, based on extensive research done by our team (and that of our sister team at the Good Housekeeping Institute).
There are few feelings quite as annoying (and unpleasant) as waking up in your own night sweat puddle. If this happens to you regularly, you’ve probably blamed what’s covering you up—your sheets or weighted blankets—but the true culprit might actually be what lies below you, making it important to invest in the best cooling mattress pads and toppers.
If you’re a hot sleeper, you already know that sticking to cooling sheets and lightweight comforters made with natural materials like bamboo, cotton, and eucalyptus can help you snooze more soundly and comfortably. However, choosing a mattress is just as important in creating the ideal conditions for sleep, as it can either trap heat or allow for optimal airflow. That’s where a cooling mattress pad or topper comes into play.
“Cooling mattress pads and toppers work by managing moisture around the body,” says Chris Tattersall, shareholder and Managing Director of the Woolroom. “This can be done either by using a wicking fiber that channels moisture away or by using natural fiber such as wool which absorbs excess heat and humidity throughout the night and then dispels this during the day.”
For most people, the ideal temperature for sleeping is somewhere between 60 and 67°F, according to the National Sleep Foundation, and because a cooling fan or air conditioner doesn’t always cut it, tweaking your bed setup can help you achieve that sweet spot.
Before you start to stress, thinking you need to toss everything and start from scratch, you can simply just invest in a cooling mattress pad—it’s the ideal alternative to getting a new comfy mattress altogether.
The best cooling mattress pads and toppers vary in material and tech, but gel-infused options, in particular, are known to trap in a lot of heat and draw it away from the body, which is pretty brilliant if you ask us. Ahead, shop the best mattress pads and toppers that are designed specifically to give you a cooler night’s sleep.
How we chose the best cooling sheets
We consulted Tattersall, Logan Foley, sleep science coach and managing editor of SleepFoundation.org, the Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI) which tests countless products to ensure a fair and accurate representation of each item, and countless customer reviews to find the best cooling mattress pads to help you get some restful sleep.
This mattress pad has a loyal customer list and approval from GHI, meaning it’s worth every penny. Created with the same tech astronauts use in space suits, this mattress topper responds to you, absorbing body heat when you get overly hot and releasing that heat back when you get a bit chilly. This way, you won’t have to flick off the covers.
“Seriously. I’ve never slept better,” one reviewer says. “The mattress cover and pillow cover have made my sleep temperature drop to a happy place while keeping my husband’s temperature still warm and cozy.”
This cooling pad has the same softness as goose and duck down, minus the feathers. Plus,it’s waterproof and hypoallergenic so you can snooze without sneezing.
“Although I love the comfort of a foam mattress, I am of the age where I ‘sleep hot,’” one Amazon customer writes. “This topper did the trick. Not only did it make my mattress even cozier, but it is also considerably cooler to sleep on.”
This plush memory foam is infused with a cooling gel to improve breathability, plus lavender essential oil for extra-relaxing sleep. But what sets this gel-infused memory foam apart is its five body zones optimized to help reduce pressure in common pain points.“This gel topper is perfect for helping to keep you cool,” an Amazon customer says. “It feels like you’re sleeping on a cloud or a bunch of marshmallows.”
Unlike the diamond stitching you see on many mattress pads, this one features squares to prevent the filling from separating inside.It’s stuffed with 100% cooling cotton and can be machine-washed, too.
“I love this mattress topper! I’ve ordered two others and returned them both but this one was a keeper,” says one Amazon reviewer. “It is soft, adds a luxury feeling to my bed, and stays cool all night as promised. I would definitely recommend it!”
This plush mattress pad has a fitted skirt that stretches across mattresses up to 18 inches thick. The brand also claims that this mattress pad is 60% more effective at transferring heat than polyester. “This mattress pad lives up to all the claims,” one buyer says. “It’s super comfortable and it keeps me much cooler at night.”
This topper supports the curves of your body, promoting an ideal spine alignment during sleep. Plus, it comes with a machine-washable cover that holds both layers in place and gives the whole thing an ultra-soft feel. One Amazon reviewer who was not happy with their new mattress purchase bought this topper to help: “I like a softer bed. This provides the perfect soft for sleeping and stays cool so you don’t sweat like crazy.”
Universal Cooling Design Works on Left or Right Side
Automatic Timer
Expensive
Sleep Number claims this mattress pad will cool down or warm up any bed up to 35% and the GHI agrees! This electric mattress topperlets you control the temperature of your side of the bed while your sleeping partner can control theirs. With both cool and warm settings controlled with a remote, airflow technology changes the temperature of the pad.
Although this mattress pad can be used any time of year, it’s best for the warmer months because it helps absorb heat, allowing you to snooze more soundly at night. Designed with Polar Point tech, it’s made with special threads that produce a cooling touch. It also has a hypoallergenic fiber fill for comfort and support.
Of course luxurious mattress-maker Saatva offers one of the best cooling mattress pads on the market, too. This organic cotton topper has three layers of cooling technology: heat-distributing graphite, supportive memory foam, and motion-minimizing transitional foam. Oh, and it’s hypoallergenic. “Totally worth paying the extra for this mattress pad,” one reviewer writes. “Comfortable and doesn’t need shaking. Perfect for a hard mattress.”
Users Report It Sinks in After a Few Months of Use
Durable and comfy, this top-rated cooling mattress pad is infused with green tea extract and castor seed oil to help eliminate odor-causing bacteria. “It’s very cool and keeps your body temperature cooler during the night,” an Amazon customer says. “The smell that came with the packaging dissipated after just a couple of days. Still using it two years later for our 4-year-old.”
Made from three inches of Tempur-Pedic’s proprietary memory foam, this extra-comfy mattress pad is thicker than other options—not to mention just as cooling as the brand's mattresses.“It is so comfortable and I sleep more soundly than before,” one reviewer raves. Plus, “this topper has helped in alleviating lower back pain.”
Some Users Say It Does Not Stay in Place Very Well
This gel-infused memory foam topper features a ventilated design to optimize airflow and reduce trapped body heat. It also eliminates movement transfer to minimize stress on the body, and comes in 2-inch, 3-inch, and 4-inch thicknesses. With nearly 8,000 Amazon reviews, it maintains an impressive 4.4-star rating.
What to look for when shopping for cooling mattress pads and toppers
✔️ Check the depth. “The key factor to consider is the depth of the pad or the protector, says Tattersall. “If one has a comfortable mattress, then a thinner layer such as a protector is really important as one does not want to lie into the pad too much as this can envelop the body and cause extra heat.”
✔️Look for specific materials. “Materials are vital and for me and the more natural the fibers the better they breathe and will manage excess humidity and heat better than synthetic fibers,” explains Tattersall.
✔️ Check for unique features. “Open-cell or convoluted polyfoam toppers are a great option for cooling mattress toppers as they allow for heat to escape underneath the body instead of staying trapped against it. Latex is also a good option as it is naturally breathable. Look for a latex topper that is ventilated with pin core holes for added circulation,” says Foley.
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