Low cost cooling mattress hacks for hot sleepers on a tight budget

A woman lying on her side on specialist cooling bedding in white

(Image credit: Coop Sleep Goods)

Whether you're waking up at the crack of dawn as sunlight spills through the window or tossing and turning in a sweaty fluster come evening, it can be harder to ace your sleep routine in summer.

While we normally recommend shopping a top-rated cooling mattress if you're struggling to sleep in the heat, we understand that a specialist cooling bed may not be within everyone's budget range this summer.

6 ways to cool down your sleep space without breaking the bank

1. Add a cooling topper

A top-rated mattress topper with dedicated cooling technology can add a cushioning, temperature-regulating layer to level up your existing mattress.

What materials should you look out for? Wool, natural latex and cooling gel are all reliable cooling components in mattress toppers. These materials naturally have open-cell structures, allowing greater airflow and preventing heat build-up in your bed.

Memory foam mattresses can be more susceptible to heating up as heat gets trapped in dense foams. Therefore, adding a breathable protector can help regulate the surface of your bed.

2. Add a cooling mattress protector

If you've already invested in the best mattress for your sleep needs and don't want to affect the its comfort levels too much, a sleek temperature-regulating mattress protector is a great shout for keeping it cool.

For cooler sleep in summer, it's important to choose breathable, moisture-wicking mattress protectors over standard waterproof ones. Our expert mattress and sleep accessories testers recommend the Brooklyn Bedding Luxury Cooling Mattress Protector as the best cooling mattress protector you can buy online this summer.

3. Cool down your bedding

How you dress your bed also has a big influence on how cool it stays. Choosing light, breathable bedsheets made from the likes of linen, percale cotton and bamboo allows more airflow through your bed. This results in less moisture and heat build-up, helping you stay cool and comfortable.

Cooling pillow also play a role in chilling your sleep space. Our bedding expert, Becky, loves the Coop EdenCool+ Adjustable Pillow and is confident it can bring hot sleepers a comfortable night's rest.

Those who are always in a rush in the morning may also be glad to hear the "unmade bed" strategy can help cool down your bed. The idea is that delaying bed-making allows bedding to air out and cool down, potentially improving sleep hygiene. This practice can help reduce moisture and heat build-up in the bed, creating a more comfortable sleep environment.

4. Improve under-mattress airflow

Ever thought about how what's beneath your bed affects its temperature? Your bed base, be it directly on the floor or on a box spring, affects airflow and heat retention, therefore impacting the temperature regulation of your mattress.

Dense bed bases should generally be avoided in favor of a slatted base or a platform with good ventilation. This way air can flow under your bed helping to dissipate heat and maintain a comfortable sleep temperature.

Mattress with white sheets is placed directly on the floor against an open window — (Image credit: Getty Images)

That said, there's good news if you like sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Placing your mattress on a wooden or tiled floor can actually improve temperature control as the cold surface beneath the bed essentially sucks heat from your mattress, leaving you comfortably chilled.

However, carpet doesn't have the same effect as it acts as an insulator. Should you put your mattress on carpet, you'll want to be sure to add some climate control base like a Japanese flooring mat. These are breathable mats with a rice straw core and a woven grass cover that can absorb moisture build-up.

5. Invest in active cooling accessories

Besides toppers and protectors, there are other cooling accessories you can buy that will take the hassle out of regulating the temperature of your bed while you snooze peacefully.

While premium active cooling systems like the Eight Sleep Pod 4 smart mattress cover (from $2,449 at Eight Sleep) and BedJet Climate Comfort Sleep System (available from $439 at BedJet) come at an expense, there are more affordable alternatives available at Amazon.

Like the Eight Sleep, this AquaPad Breeze Water Cooling Mattress Pad at Amazon, which will set you back $179 now, cools your bed surface by circulating cool water. It has a 4 out of 5 star rating from customers who call it a "lifesaver" and say it "stays cool all night long".

6. Go caveman

You'll be glad to hear this final cooling hack isn't just cheap, it's completely free. We're big fans of the caveman method at Tom's Guide and have been using it to cool our homes this summer so we can snooze through heatwaves.

This cooling hack involves blocking out the sun's hot rays and warm outside air by closing all windows, curtains and blinds during the day, essentially keeping your bedroom cool and dark like a cave.

This traps the morning cool air in your bedroom rather than allowing it to heat up like outside. A cooler bedroom means a cooler mattress and, therefore, more comfortable ZZZs.

Eve is a sleep tech product tester and writer at Tom's Guide, covering everything from smart beds and sleep trackers, to sleep earbuds and sunrise alarm clocks. Eve is a PPA-accredited journalist with an MA in Magazine Journalism, and has four years’ experience writing features and news. In her role as Sleep Tech Product Tester and Writer for Tom's Guide, Eve is constantly trying out and reviewing the latest sleep products from brands such as Apple, Garmin, Whoop, Hatch, Sleep Number, Eight Sleep, and Oura. A fitness enthusiast who completed the London Marathon earlier this year, Eve loves exploring the relationship between good sleep, overall health, and physical performance, and how great sleep tech can make that relationship even better.

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