If you’re going to use a cooling mattress to make those hot summer nights in bed just a little cooler, you might as well pick up some cooling sheets to ensure you’re creating as cool an environment as possible. What are cooling sheets? Well, they’re bed sheets made from technical fabrics designed to breathe and wick away moisture, which should make it easier for your body to regulate its own temperature throughout your sleeping hours.
The best cooling sheets let heat out instead of absorbing it. That means, it remains cool to the touch, no matter how high the summer temperature rises. This makes it significantly more comfortable to sleep on, especially when combined with a mattress that can deliver similar cooling functions.
What should you look for when it comes to cooling sheets? The fabric material has to be the most important factor every single time. Materials like lyocell, viscose, linen, cotton, polyester, and silk are very popular choices for cooling fabrics. Bamboo-derived fabrics (some call them bamboo sheets) are very good at this, too, especially because they’re usually so lightweight. Aside from the type of fabric, you want to focus on sheets made with lower thread counts as these tend to offer better breathability because of their lower density compared to fabrics with very high thread counts.
Some cooling sheets now add technical cooling technologies, which you’ll usually see heavily promoted on their packaging and marketing materials. While these can certainly help, especially since they tend to do their cooling actively, we see these more as add-ons, with the fabric material really being the most significant part of any product in the category.
These are the best cooling sheets to help you cool down during hot summer nights.
Sleep Philosophy Smart Cool Microfiber Sheet Set
Pros
- Impressive moisture management
- Cool to the touch
- Soft
Cons
- Feels flimsy
First thing you will notice when it comes to the best cooling sheets is they can get pretty pricey. That’s just the reality for many products in the category. If you want to keep costs low while still getting decent cooling, we recommend this affordable set from Sleep Philosophy. Despite their affordable price, the polyester-microfiber blend actually handled cooling very well, even staying cool to the touch after laying on them for extended lengths of time. The polyester in the blend keeps it very breathable, while the microfiber keeps it absorbent while also drying pretty quickly, so sweat doesn’t stick around for long during those particularly hot nights. It’s very soft, too, while having a deep pocket that can stretch up to 16 inches. Do note, it feels flimsier compared to other sheets in the list, but it’s still an excellent value considering its very economical price.
Sijo AiryWeight Eucalyptus Sheet Set
Pros
- Excellent cooling and moisture wicking
- Antimicrobial treatment
- Silky and soft feel
Cons
- A bit shiny for the bedroom
We love the texture of this cooling sheet, which has a silky soft feel that feels like it gets softer the longer you use it. The cooling effect of the lyocell material is immediately apparent here, so it can keep you really comfortable even during the hotter nights, while also wicking sweat effectively, so you don’t even wake up to find yourself a sticky mess. For those who perspire heavily, it also gets silver-ion antimicrobial treatment to ensure it won’t develop bad odors, with the fabric boasting Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification, ensuring it’s free from many common harmful chemicals. We love how lightweight it feels, as well as the fact that it doesn’t bunch even when you use it in a much slimmer mattress than the 16-inch pocket can accommodate.
LL Bean 28Tc Pima Cotton Percale Sheet Set
Pros
- Very durable
- Excellent breathability
- Soft yet crispy feel
Cons
- Bunches a bit on slimmer mattresses
Yes, LL Bean isn’t the first brand that comes up when we think of cooling sheets. However, they do make a superb one with this set made from Pima cotton fabric. Loosely woven with a thread count of just 280, it feels very breathable, allowing air to pass through freely, so heat never stays in one spot. It has a soft yet crisp feel that some might prefer over the silky feel of other cooling materials, while the extra long staple cotton construction feels very durable, ensuring it can hold up even after multiple washes. While 16 inches seem to be the standard pocket depth, this one maxes out at 15 inches, so keep that in mind if you use a thicker mattress. It also bunches a bit when used on slim mattresses, so it won’t look super tidy in those situations.
Rest Evercool Cooling Fitted Sheet
Pros
- Very cool to the touch
- Thin, breathable material
- Stretchy and doesn’t wrinkle
Cons
- Limited color choices
This cooling sheet feels exceptionally cool to the touch, probably more so than others in the list, so you can feel the sensation immediately as soon as you get into bed. It’s very breathable. too, allowing you to feel airflow through the sheets, while quickly wicking and drying sweat away, so you can stay dry all night long. They also gave it an antimicrobial treatment that ensures you can perspire all night without leaving the sheets a stinky mess. We love the softness of the fabric, as well as its stretchy quality, which ensures it doesn’t wrinkle, so your sheets look great even after a long night of tossing and turning. There’s a limited choice in colors compared to other brands, though, but the half dozen choices do look nice enough to make it worthwhile.
Olive + Crate Eucalyptus Sheet Set
Pros
- Silky, soft feel
- Deep pockets
- Excellent temperature regulation
Cons
- No tags to identify ends or sides
If you like your cooling sheets with a soft and silky feel, you’ll love this set made from eucalyptus lyocell fabric that’s super comfortable next to your skin. It has excellent breathability and moisture-wicking properties, while staying cool to the touch all through the night. We also like the 18-inch deep pocket, allowing it to fit snugly into the thickest mattresses, although the lack of labels on the ends and sides make it a bit confusing to put on the bed. They also offer a dozen different color options, so you have a good selection of looks to adorn the bed. Do make sure you follow the prescribed care instructions as eucalyptus fabrics tend to shrink some when not washed the right way.
Slumber Cloud Essential Sheet Set
Pros
- Uses elastic bands to keep the sheet from shifting
- Soft, slightly crisp cotton feel
- Excellent breathability and moisture-wicking properties
Cons
- Limited color options
Made with a blend of cotton and Outlast viscose, this cooling sheet delivers the crisp, soft feel of cotton with the temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking qualities of the fabric famously used in spacesuits. If you love cotton bed sheets, this, basically, gets you the best of both worlds, allowing you to enjoy that familiar cotton feel while enjoying high levels of cooling and moisture-wicking performance. It has a full elastic band that keeps the sheet from shifting, while the fabric blend makes it quite easy to care for without too much special precautions necessary. The fabric is also certified according to Oeko-Tex Standard 100, so it’s free of harmful chemicals.
Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set
Pros
- Extremely breathable and moisture wicking
- Lots of colors to choose from
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Wrinkles a lot
This cooling sheet is very expensive, but well worth it if you’re willing to splurge. Made from 100 percent premium viscose from bamboo, the sheet offers a soft and silky-smooth feel that feels downright luxurious. In fact, the outfit claims, it’s the softest sheets you’ll ever use. It’s also incredibly cool to the touch, while regulating temperature and managing moisture very well. Suffice to say, this is the bedding you want to have if you don’t like waking up in a pool of sweat during the hotter nights of the year. They do wrinkle and stain quite a fair amount, but that’s, pretty much, the deal with many sheets focused on cooling. On the bright side, it comes in a wide selection of colors, including darker hues which can hide those wrinkles and stains just a little better.
