Are smart cooling and heating mattresses worth it? I test them for a living — here's my opinion

I've slept on some of the best smart beds this year from industry-leading brands, including innovative company Eight Sleep. Besides in-bed sleep tracking, one thing I love about a smart bed is the climate control.

There is no luxury like being able to heat up your bed on chilly winter evenings and, alternatively, cool it down after a sweaty summer day.

With sleeping hot affecting 57% of Americans, no matter the time of year, the precise temperature control offered by a smart bed is unsurprisingly one of their most attractive features, alongside in-bed sleep and health tracking, of course.

Costing thousands of dollars even in live Black Friday mattress sales, a smart bed is no flippant purchase. So, here's what you should know before you buy, from someone who reviews sleep tech and mattresses for a living...

Being too hot or too cold will ruin your sleep

We all know it's difficult to nod off when in a sweaty fluster or freezing cold. But did you know your circadian rhythm, i.e. your internal body clock, is governed by temperature cues?

That's right, your core body temperature naturally decreases in the hours before you go to sleep and this temperature drop tells your brain to release sleep-inducing hormones like melatonin, reduce metabolic rate and prepare your body to rest.

That's why eating and exercising right before bedtime isn't recommended, as these things raise rather than drop your body temperature.

Now this doesn't mean you should go to bed shivering. In fact, experts say the optimal sleep temperature is just ever so slightly below average room temperature laying between 65 to 70 F (18 to 21 °C).

These temperature adjusting smart beds cool down (or heat up) to that exact temperature range at your pre-set bedtime so by the time you climb into bed, you have the best chance of falling asleep fast. Good riddance, tossing and turning.

How smart cooling and heating beds work

From Eight Sleep to Tempur-Pedic, Sleep Number, Sleepme and BedJet, there are many different brands offering smart temperature-regulating bed systems. But most operate with either water or air.

For example, the Eight Sleep Pod and Chilipad by Sleepme are fabric mattress covers lined with water tubes connected to a bedside water tank/control unit, which heats or cools the water running through the tubes, and therefore your bed surface.

On the other hand, Sleep Number use a dynamic airflow system with integrated fans that pull heat away from your body, rather than just blowing cold air.

Smart beds with sleep tracking integration and AI algorithms track your body and environmental temperature through the night and automatically adjust the temperature accordingly to keep hot flashes at bay so you can sleep soundly.

Also note you can adjust each side of the bed independently from the other, making them a great choice for couples with different temperature preferences.

Big benefits, big price

With thousand dollar price tags and even subscription fees attached (we're looking at you, Eight Sleep), a smart bed is quite an investment. Granting you the ability to fine tune the exact temperature of your bed surface, you can't expect anything less, really.

At Eight Sleep, a queen size Pod ranges from $2,649 to $4,649 now depending on how smart you want your bed to be. At Sleep Number, the climate control beds (the ClimateCool and Climate360) are the most premium models available with queen sizes costing $4,499 to $5,499.

How to cool down (or warm up) on a 'normal' bed

While I recommend a heating and cooling bed to anyone who has the cash to splash, I understand these luxury systems are out of budget for many shoppers.

With that in mind, there are cheaper ways to cool down (or warm up, if needed) for quality rest...

• Layer up: You're probably feeling the chill at this time of year, but this doesn't mean fluffy nightwear and thick blankets will help you sleep. In fact, they can have you waking up in a sweat in the middle of the night. Our bedding expert Becky George recommends layering your bedding instead so you can ditch layers if you get too hot.
• Turn off the heating: A warm toasty house may be cosy, but by the time you go to bed, it can get in the way of peaceful slumber as it prevents that natural cooling process mentioned earlier. To save money and your sleep, turn the thermostat down (or off) around bedtime.
• Follow a nighttime routine: A calm body is a cool one. A bedtime routine can help regulate your body temperature by slowing down your heart rate and relaxing your mind ready for sleep.