If you're a hot sleeper shopping the Labor Day mattress sales for a bed you can rely on to keep you cool through the night, you may be wondering how smart sleep technology can help. Well, I've done the research (sleeping) for you.
I’ve slept on both the Eight Sleep smart mattress cover loaded with state-of-the-art cooling tech and specialist cooling mattresses without the fancy tech. After testing, my team and I rate the Eight Sleep Pod 4 as the best smart bed of the year, mainly thanks to its outstanding temperature control system. Yet, we've also slept brilliantly on all of this year's top-rated cooling mattresses.
Essentially, there's benefits and drawbacks to both the smart mattress cover and standard cooling beds. So, here's a breakdown of how they compare and which one I recommend to hot sleepers with different preferences and budgets this Labor Day...
The Eight Sleep Pod I was sleeping on
Until recently, I was sleeping on the Eight Sleep Pod 4 mattress cover to test how smart technology could elevate my sleep.
After the launch of the Pod 5 and Pod 5 Ultra, the Pod 4 is now the entry-model in Eight Sleep's three-piece smart bed suite.
At MSRP, it sets queen-size shoppers back $2,649. For this, you get an intelligent sleep system comprised of a mattress cover lined with sleep tracking sensors and water tubes, and a bedside hub that controls the water-based thermoregulation system.
The hybrid mattresses I've slept on since
Since parting ways with my fancy mattress cover, I first slept on the Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex Pro Hybrid mattress, which we rate as one of the best hybrid mattresses of the year.
The CopperFlex is built with materials geared towards improving temperature regulation. As its name suggests, it has foams infused with copper filaments that are able to conduct heat away from your body while you sleep.
Plus there's a GlacioTex cover with fibers that also help disperse heat, while the coil layer improves breathability so air can flow through the mattress.
3 reasons I miss my Eight Sleep Pod
It comes with unbeatable temperature control
Being able to increase and decrease the temperature of my bed between 13 °C and 44 °C through my phone was a luxury.
The pod automatically cools down at your pre-set bedtime so your bed surface is noticeably cool when you get in. This was a life saver on warm summer evenings, especially in my stuffy attic bedroom.
Come morning, the pod warms up (and vibrates) around the time of your alarm, signalling your circadian rhythm to suppress the sleep hormone melatonin so you feel less groggy on waking.
This kind of precise climate control and cool-to-touch sensation is simply unattainable without smart tech.
It has integrated sleep tracking
Another beauty of an Eight Sleep Pod is that it offers sleep tracking and sleep coaching without you having to wear any tracker in bed.
Admittedly, I love my Oura Ring and find it reasonably comfortable to wear to bed. But I'd always pick tracking my sleep wearable-free if possible.
With the Eight Sleep Pod, there’s never the faff of having to charge a device or the risk of forgetting to put it on before bed.
It provides a personalized sleep experience
The pod has dual control allowing you to adjust each side independently of each other, which is perfect for couples with different sleep temperature preferences.
And particularly useful for women experiencing hot flushes during menopause as you can cool down your side of the bed with Eight Sleep's Hot Flash mode without disrupting your partner.
The pod also tracks your temperature through the night and the Eight Sleep Autopilot system makes adjustments accordingly to keep you sleeping comfortably at an optimal sleep temperature. This automatic, active temperature regulation simply can't be beaten.
3 reason I don't regret swapping to a cooling mattress
I’m more comfortable
Granted, I didn’t have a top-rated mattress beneath my Eight Sleep Pod when I was sleeping on it (it was a standard spring mattress), but upgrading to a well-built hybrid mattress has turned up the comfort dial in my bed.
My body feels more supported through the night on the Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex thanks to its mixture of cushioning foams and responsive coils.
Essentially, while you’re not getting customizable temperature control and the tech-savvy bells and whistles with Eight Sleep, you’re getting the fundamentals of a reliably supportive mattress with the likes of the CopperFlex.
I'm saving money
Cooling mattresses — even including our best luxury option (the GhostBed Luxe mattress) — are much more affordable than an Eight Sleep Pod.
While the full size Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex I've been sleeping on costs $899, the same size Eight Sleep Pod 4 sets you back $2,449 before you consider buying an actual mattress to go underneath it.
Plus I've cut down my monthly bills as the Eight Sleep Pod requires a subscription fee to access all sleep tracking and smart features. This fee starts at $17/month so you have to be willing to invest with Eight Sleep.
I'm still keeping cool at night
Although I occasionally run hot at night, I wouldn’t say sleeping hot is a concerning sleep woe of mine.
So, I’ve found a standard cooling bed, paired with breathable bedding and healthy sleep habits like following a calming bedtime routine and avoiding intense exercise in the evening are enough to help me cool down and relax at night.
Moreover, I found the Eight Sleep Pod could be noisy at times when heating up or cooling down the water-tube system, so sleeping peacefully without a control hub humming at my bedside has been welcome.
Which should you buy this Labor Day?
Buy a smart mattress cover if...
✅ You're a night sweater: In-bed automatic temperature regulation is the most reliable solution you can get if hot flashes or night sweats are ruining your sleep.
✅ You're interested in sleep tech: Packed with technology to improve your sleep quality and teach you more about your rest, the Eight Sleep Pod is a great investment for those who want to invest in tech that can level up their health and performance.
✅ You can't agree with your partner: The dual control offered by the Eight Sleep Pod could save couples with different temperature preferences from sleep divorce.
Buy a standard cooling mattress if...
✅ You're a mild hot sleeper: Breathable, heat conducting materials in specialist cooling mattresses should be enough to keep you cool and comfy.
✅ You're a lower budget shopper: Sporting a high price tag and extra fees (a separate mattress purchase and subscription), an Eight Sleep Pod is beyond many shoppers' budgets.
✅ You need a complete new bed: The Eight Sleep Pod is a smart mattress cover that you must fit over your existing mattress. If your bed is at the end of its recommended 10 year lifespan, buying the pod on top of a new mattress can be hefty.
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