Waking up in the middle of the night is bad enough on its own, but there’s nothing worse than realizing you’re drenched in a puddle of sweat. Thankfully, the best cooling sheets can keep you from overheating in your sleep—even without a cooling fan or air conditioner. Staying chill while you snooze is important since being too warm can interfere with both REM sleep and slow-wave sleep, the stage most associated with waking up feeling refreshed research shows. “Cooling sheets are a great option for anyone who has a tough time falling asleep due to feeling warm or who is waking up sweating. This may be relevant for folks who live in warmer climates or who have a partner who sleeps hot,” says Keith Cushner, product expert at SleepFoundation.org. Fortunately, there are many different types of temperature-regulating sheets available to soothe hot sleepers. “The best types of sheets for hot sleepers are made from cotton, linen, bamboo-derived material, or lyocell. These materials are great at wicking moisture and regulating temperature,” explains Cushner. In addition to cooling sheets, you should also check to make sure your thermostat reads somewhere between 60 and 67°F each night for optimal sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). The perfect temperature varies from person to person, but your thermal environment also plays an important role in the quality of your sleep: Higher nighttime temperatures are associated with both increased stress and decreased alertness the next day. Meet the Experts: Keith Cushner is a product expert at SleepFoundation.org. Michael Breus, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine, and a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Our top picks
Ready to shop for new sheets? Read on to find the best cooling sheets to keep you cool all night.
Slumber Cloud Essential Sheet Set
BEST OVERALL
Featuring a flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases, the entire set is crafted from a blend of cotton and NASA-approved temperature-regulating technology that can help regulate body temperature all night long. It also comes in eight colors, and the fitted sheets have a strap to help keep them secure and bunch-free. “I produce an absurd amount of heat when I sleep and have always struggled to find the right sheets. These are soooo soft and keep us beyond comfortable at night. Texas summers are brutal, and these sheets are like slipping into a silky cool cocoon. I can’t wait to try the comforter next!” shares one Slumber Cloud reviewer.
Mellanni Cooling Sheets
BEST VALUE
“I am 100% happy with these sheets,” a reviewer writes. “They do keep you cool, and they are wrinkle-free and comfortable, more so than the 5,000- and 10,000-thread count sheets that I spend hundreds of dollars on.”
Parachute Percale Cooling Sheets
BEST COTTON SHEETS
Made in Portugal with 100% Egyptian cotton, these soft, comfortable bed sheets are the definition of understated luxury. They’re lightweight and easy to clean in the washing machine—the brand compares their feel to the crisp, clean comfort of the perfect button-down cotton shirt that keeps getting softer over time. Parachute’s sheets come in subtler colors, meaning they’ll fit right in with various home decor themes. “These sheets made such a difference for me. Even if you sleep hot, you wont sweat with the moisture wicking. Just buy them!” writes one customer.
Cariloha Classic “Bamboo” Cooling Sheets
BEST “BAMBOO”-DERIVED SHEETS
There’s a reason why bamboo-derived sheets are so popular: The fabric is so soft and comfortable. The product comes in six sizes and five color options. “So happy we went with these sheets,” one customer writes. “We are sleeping cooler, and they’re so soft! They’re the perfect blend of comfy and cute!”
Slumber Cloud Performance Sheet Set
BEST TEMPERATURE CONTROL
These cooling sheets are designed with NASA-engineered fibers designed to help keep you cool and include TENCEL lyocell. Together they provide you with helpful conditions for a cooler, deeper sleep. In fact, the brand states they’re particularly beneficial for women experiencing menopause-related heat flashes and for couples that are “thermally incompatible” (you know, one person sleeps hot, and the other cold). One customer shares, “If you’re a hot sleeper, especially in the summer, this sheet set is for you. Combine it with the mattress cover and you’ll sleep like you’ve never slept before. You’ll wake up cool and rested.”
PeachSkinSheets Cooling Sheets
BEST MOISTURE WICKING
“Moisture-wicking sheets work by pulling moisture off the surface of the skin,” says Breus. This bestselling option is specifically designed with a SMART fabric that is also stain-resistant, ultra-soft, and breathable. And with tons of luxe color options (more than 20 of them!), everyone should be able to find a sheet set that matches their unique taste.
Sheex Cooling Sheets
BEST SPANDEX SHEETS
A blend of polyester and spandex, these sheets are as soft and smooth as they are functional. Sheex claims that its bedding transfers body heat more effectively than traditional cotton sheets thanks to its proprietary fabric technology which helps keep your body temperature low by wicking away moisture.
Zen “Bamboo” Cooling Sheets
With a combination of microfiber and rayon derived from bamboo, these sheets are both lightweight and wick away moisture at an incredibly affordable price. Plus, they’re stain- and wrinkle-resistant, so they look brand new after every wash.
Luxome Luxury Sheet Set
BEST LUXURY SHEETS
With approval from Cushner and the Sleep Foundation, these luxurious sheets are a bedroom essential. Made from 100% organic viscose, these sheets are OEKO-TEX certified, meaning the whole supply chain is organic from harvesting to production. The fabric contains natural moisture-wicking and thermal-regulating features to help keep you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Brooklinen Linen Core Cooling Sheets
BEST LINEN SHEETS
Linen sheets are great for hot sleepers because reviewers say they’re light and breathable compared to more common fabrics. Although linen isn’t as soft as cotton, it has a cozy, textured look and is quite durable. Brooklinen’s cooling sheets, made with high-quality Belgian and French flax, are stonewashed for a super-soft feel. Plus, each piece is individually pre-washed and dyed. “My fiancé and I just had our first night using these incredible sheets and I cannot believe how soft and amazing they are,” one customer writes. “He sleeps really hot, so we got these sheets initially to minimize that problem. We woke up this morning and he didn’t sweat at all last night! I still can’t believe it. These sheets are so worth it.”
Avocado Organic Superfine Suvin Cotton Sheets
BEST ORGANIC SHEETS
Suvin cotton is considered the “king” of cottons, and Avocado Green’s organic superfine Suvin cotton sheets are about as “king-like” as they come. The breathable fiber is ideal for keeping you cool, plus, in addition to being a GOTS certified organic fiber, the brand has gone above and beyond to make the sheets something you can feel good about—they’ve also been lab-tested and MADE SAFE certified to be free of toxins and harmful substances, and they’re PETA-approved vegan.
“Best sheets I’ve ever owned! They feel so soft and always remain cool to the touch, helping regulate temp. I really look forward to getting into bed every night,” shares one Avocado Green customer.
How to choose the best cooling sheets
✔️ Look for specific materials. “Material and weave are the most important factors when shopping for sheets that are cooling,” says Cushner. “Some materials are more temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking than others, so choosing a material is key. Linen, cotton, and lyocell are some of the best cooling options for sheets. Weave refers to the way the sheets are sewn together. Sateen and percale are typically the best for hot sleepers as they allow for the most airflow.” ✔️ Pick lighter sheets. Although you can’t always change your bedroom’s temperature, you can at least alter how you sleep, opting for light comforters and breathable pillows in addition to cooling sheets. Lighter sheets are also a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly way of keeping your body temperature regulated without having to turn on the AC. 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. ✔️ Look for unique cooling features. The Good Housekeeping Institute recommends looking for sheets that feature specific cooling technologies like Outlast or 37.5, which store and release heat throughout the night to keep your body at a stable temperature.
Which sheets are best for cooling?
Generally speaking, all fibers have pros and cons, but polyester, tencel, lyocell, cotton, linen, and those with specific cooling technologies like Outlast or 37.5 can help you achieve a cooler night’s sleep.
Do cooling sheets work?
In a word, yes, cooling sheets actually work. But they may not work perfectly in every situation. Cooling sheets are ideal for those who struggle to fall asleep because they feel warm, or those who wake up in the middle of the night sweating or feeling hot. They may not work as well for those whose environment is hot (this is why it’s important to keep the room temperature between 60-67 F), or those who share their bed with a person or pet who sleeps hot.
How we chose the best cooling sheets
We consulted Cushner, Michael Breus, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist, diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine, and a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and countless customer reviews to find the best cooling sheets to help you get some restful sleep.
Why trust us
For more than 70 years, Prevention has been a leading provider of trustworthy health information, empowering readers with practical strategies to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Our editors interview medical experts to help guide our health-focused product selections. Prevention also examines hundreds of reviews—and often conducts personal testing done by our staff—to help you make informed decisions.
