Weekend of July 29th

By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor

Trying to fall asleep when you’re hot is its own kind of hell. Here’s how to chill out properly at night.

Weekend Reading

Stay Cool & Sleep Easy

The best pillows and bedding for hot, sweaty sleepers

There are few things worse than trying to fall asleep when you’re hot. Who can rest when you're overheated? If you're one of the many who toss and turn come summertime—no matter how cold you try to make your place—you need to rethink your bedding. The alternative is doing nothing and letting even a small amount of sweat make you feel glued to the sheets.According to Leslie Swanson, a clinical psychologist and associate professor of psychiatry in the Sleep and Circadian Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan, when our environment is hot, it prevents our body temperature from falling as quickly to where it needs to be in order to facilitate quality sleep. The end result? It's harder to fall and stay asleep, so we wake up feeling groggy (and likely a little sweaty). Your first defense is to stay hydrated and avoid late-night workouts that raise your blood pressure and heat you up. She also says that while it's counterintuitive, a warm shower before bed actually triggers physiologic changes that will lower your core temperature and help you conk out. But then your bedroom has to do the rest of the work.In a well-regarded sleep study, scientists concluded that the ideal sleeping temperature is an environment between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. When lying in bed trying to snooze, your body temperature decreases to initiate sleep—and the proposed temperatures above can actually help facilitate this. If you have air conditioning, this temperate drop can be accomplished fairly easily (while using a decent amount of energy). On the other hand, these pillows, sheets and accessories will cool you down without raising your utility bills.

Pillows

Breathable Mesh

This squishy and ultra-comfortable pillow is covered with custom-developed fabric that stays cool and dry. Mesh panels cap the ends of the pillow and allow it to maintain airflow and remain cool all night.

Bear pillow, $150 / $105 (w/code SUMMER) by Bear

Cooling Foam

Instead of simply being stuffed with filling, Malouf's pillows are actually made from a proprietary “ActiveDough” foam that's infused with a temperature-regulating gel that draws heat away from your body.

Zoned ActiveDough pillow, $120 by Malouf

Buckwheat

This moldable (yet firm) pillow is filled with tiny pyramid-shaped buckwheat hulls. When piled together, there are spaces between the hulls. And these pockets of air will help keep your head cool throughout the night.

Buckwheat pillow, $29.99 by Sobakawa

Sheets

Percale

Percale is naturally very crisp, and the sleek polyester or a cotton blend is smooth, lightweight and cool against your skin.

From $74 by Sol Organics

Linen

Linen is made of a looser weave than your standard cotton so it traps less heat. This stonewashed set is made in Portugal of European flax so it's extra soft and naturally antibacterial.

From $259 / $233 by Brooklinen

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus has natural temperature-regulating properties. It's both cooling and moisture-wicking, so it's great for anyone who sweats at night.

From $119 by Sheets & Giggles

Extras

Bedside air-conditioner

The BedJet3 is a well-reviewed blower that sits under your bed, and you use a remote to blast a subtle cool breeze between the sheets via a short hose.

$599 / $429 by BedJet

Mattress topper

If you toss and turn, this cushy mattress topper improves cool air flow and dissipates heat and moisture from under your body.

From $119.99 by The Big One

Cooling weighted blanket

Swap your standard duvet for a weighted blanket that puts you at ease while keeping you cool thanks to the ultra-soft bamboo fabric.

From $115 by Luxome

FYI

According to a Sleep in America poll, a majority of Americans say they feel tired due to poor quality sleep rather than lack of sleep.