Best cooling sheets 2023: tried and tested by a bedding expert and certified hot sleeper

Swapping your bedding for one of the best cooling sheet sets is essential for hot sleepers. Whether it's night sweats, a heatwave, or just how you're built,  waking up in the night due to overheating is one of the most common sleep issues. Before trying a bedding set made of bamboo, linen, or Tencel, it affected me, too.  

Cooling sheets are made from breathable materials that are naturally temperature-regulating, moisture-wicking, and cold to the touch, or use a looser weave that allows air to travel. 

To find only the freshest bed sheets, I tried and tested many of the best bed sheets you can buy online. I trialled sheet sets from big-name sleep brands like Bed Threads and Brooklinen as well as smaller, newer companies that are disrupting the market with bamboo lyocell and eucalyptus bedding. I considered how hot I felt over consecutive nights and compared this against the marketing claims of each sheet set.

If you're in need of some cooling sheets guaranteed to keep you comfortable all night long, I wouldn't hesitate in recommending the Ettitude Signature Sateen Bedding Set. Made from 100% bamboo, its open weave kept me coolest. If that doesn't work for you, these are the best cooling bed sheets you'll be grateful for when it's too hot to sleep. 

Best cooling sheets 2023

There are lots of bedding sets that will claim to have 'cooling effects', but ultimately this will come down to personal experience and why you want a cooling set. Know the sleep issue you face first to decide which of the best cooling sheets below will be right for you. If you're generally a hot sleeper, for example, look for a set that is cool to the touch. But if you're buying and planning ahead for hot weather, a lightweight breezy linen set will help keep your bedroom cool in a heatwave.  

Best cooling sheets

How we test cooling bed sheets

Many cooling bed sheets are marketed as being able to keep your temperature regulated and sweat-free all night. But of course, whether they succeed at this will be down to personal experience. When testing the best cooling sheets, I've taken the time to sleep under them during various weather conditions, including heatwaves, and shared them with friends who are not hot sleepers for their verdict. 

As well as testing these sheets in bed, I've also made sure to launder and dry the bed sheets to see how durable and well they wash. The best-cooling bed sheets on this list will be high in quality and last for years. I also take cost into account, as bed sheets made from bamboo, linen, or eucalyptus often come with a hefty price tag. 

Style and comfort go hand in hand too. As much as cooling bed sheets should do their job in regulation your body temperature, they shouldn't compromise on looks. For more insight into our hands-on review process, refer to our how we test review guidelines. 

What to look for in a breathable bedding set

Material has the biggest part to play in keeping you cool. Polyester, for example, is one of the worst bed sheet materials as it traps heat, making you hot and sweaty in summer. These are the materials with natural cooling properties you should be looking for instead. 

Linen: The best option for summer, linen is lightweight and breathable. I describe it as feeling breezy - you can literally feel the air moving through from the sheets as you sleep. High-quality and ultra-durable, it launders well and gets softer with every wash. Linen may be more expensive, but if you're too hot all year round, they're worth the investment. However, some people find linen a little scratchy.

Bamboo: New to the bedding game but quickly making its way as the most popular material for bed sheets, bamboo has lots to offer. In terms of cooling, bamboo is naturally temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking, keeping you sweat-free. Unlike linen, it's always buttery soft to the touch, and often has a silky finish, making them feel and look quite luxurious. 

Eucalyptus or Tencel: If you can find a Eucalyptus bedding set, I say buy it. Very new to the market, it's quickly becoming one of the best eco-friendly, sustainable bedding choice that also keeps you cool. Naturally lightweight with an open weave, and moisture-wicking while remaining soft and smooth, eucalyptus ticks a lot of comfort boxes. 

Cotton percale: Cotton is generally quite breathable. 'But a percale finish will make cotton bed sheets cold to the touch.' explains Yusuf Ozkanli, founder of luxury bedding brand Beddable, 'meaning they're ideal for hot sleepers and warm temperatures.' Thicker than other materials, but very durable they're usually used in hotel rooms. Best at keeping the whole bed feeling fresh, cotton percale is a bedding fabric you can rely on.  

Generally, when choosing bed sheets, you should also think about how much you're willing to spend, the color and style that will suit your bedroom and the size you need. 

Yusuf Ozkanli

Yusuf Ozkanli is the founder and product manager of luxury bedding brand Beddable and has over 7 years of experience in sourcing home textiles from across the world. 

FAQs

Overheating is one of biggest causes of a bad night's sleep. If you're struggling to get a good night's rest and are often waking up in night sweats you should consider investing in a new mattress with cooling properties, or a cooling mattress topper if your current bed is in good condition. Keep yourself at optimum temperature and never compromise on restful sleep again.