I'm a bedding expert — here's why I'm swapping my duvet for a cooling body pillow this summer

If you’re anything like me, you won’t be able to sleep without a comforter or duvet. Even in the height of summer I'd rather get a little bit warm than sacrifice the 'safe-cocoon' feeling I get when sleeping under some kind of cosy barrier.

But when temperatures really soar, this can lead to overheating, nightsweats and broken sleep. Thankfully, as a bedding expert, I've got lots of options at my disposal. Switching to a cooling duvet is one, while another is ditching the duvet entirely — something I've been reluctant to do.

When Sleep Features Editor Lauren recommended a cooling body pillow instead, I decided to give it a go — especially as I can save right now with the Prime Day mattress deals. The results? So far, swapping to a cooling body pillow has helped me fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Here's how...

How can a body pillow help you sleep better?

We often place importance on our posture while sitting and standing for long hours, but what about when we're lying in bed? Good sleep posture not only reduces muscle tension and back pain but can underpin a restorative night's sleep.

While the best pillows support your head, neck and shoulders to bridge the gap between your ears and the mattress, your hips and knees require their pressure relief when lying on your side. Side sleepers (like me) commonly curve their upper body and bend their knees up, with the outside hip and shoulders ultimately falling forwards. While this can feel comfortable, it can also compromise your spinal alignment and even exacerbate existing back aches and pains.

While the best mattresses for side sleepers cradle the touch points of a mattress, hugging a body pillow helps hold your outside shoulders and hips in correct alignment and distribute your weight evenly.

Body pillow fans find that aligning your hips with your spine results in a weightless feeling, conducive to drifting into a deep and peaceful slumber.

My first impression of a cooling body pillow

I've been using the Simba Body Pillow, designed exclusively for side sleepers who need additional support. It came in the brand's reusable storage bag and was all ready to be slept with, straight out of the package.

Made from Simba Renew Bio Clusters, a down-like fill made from recycled PET bottle fibers, the pillow fill is soft, cushioning yet supportive and most importantly, very breathable.

The biggest advantage is, however, the top cotton cover the pillow comes encased in, which incorporates the brand's signature Stratos Cool Tech. This gives it an instant cool-to-touch feeling, which is perfect for hot summer nights.

Simba Body Pillow: from £109 from £92.65 at Simba
You can now save up to £16 on the Simba Body Pillow which drops the price from £109 to £92.65. It is only available in a standard size (120cm x 35cm) and comes with a 14-day free return policy. No warranty or sleep trial included.

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Cool+ Body Pillow: from $169 from $135.20 at Coop Sleep Goods
While this isn't the specific one I tried, the newly launched Coop Cool+ promises cooling comfort and support for side sleepers prone to overheat. It is made from specialized cooling elements like cooling-gel infused memory foam and microfiber fill and a cool-to-touch cover with a heat-wicking inner liner. The biggest highlight is its fully adjustable design, which allows you to customize it according to your sleep preferences. You can now find it at 20% off for the 4th of July sale which drops the MSRP from $169 to $135.20. This also includes a 100-night sleep trial, 5-year warranty and free shipping.

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• Read more: I'm a bedding expert — 3 cooling body pillows I'd buy in the 4th of July sales to beat the heat

How the cooling pillow helped me sleep better

1. I fell asleep faster

The Simba Body Pillow comes entirely covered in Stratos cool fabric, which is cool-to-touch. It felt like hugging a pillow which came straight out of the refrigerator, providing cooling relief on hot stuffy nights.

Being a combination sleeper who usually sleeps on my side, this prevented me from curving myself up into a ball, thereby reducing the pressure on my spine. Within a few nights, I noticed I felt more rested and relaxed and was falling asleep faster. It definitely was a simple change, but one that made a huge difference to my sleep.

2. I didn't wake due to overheating

On certain nights when the temperature went up to 28°C (82.4 F), I woke up abruptly due to overheating and nightsweats. I tried flipping my pillow and moving over to the cooler side of the bed, but nothing helped me to go back to sleep.

As a side sleeper, I also tend to curl up with the duvet, which can trap heat and cause nighttime wakings. However, the Simba body pillow didn't retain heat like traditional ones and provided consistent coolness throughout the night. This meant fewer wake-ups from feeling hot, letting me stay asleep longer and more comfortably.

3. I ditched the duvet and still felt cosy

I'm someone who cannot typically sleep without my comforter or duvet, but the summer heat makes this an impossible task (even with a cooling breathable and lightweight tog.) Enter the cooling body pillow.

This provided the right amount of comfort and coverage, making it easy to ditch my duvet without sacrificing a sense of security or warmth. Its full-body build offered a gentle, cocooning effect that mimicked the comforting pressure of a blanket or duvet— minus the heat.

As a side sleeper, I felt supported and cradled, which helped me sleep faster and at ease. Plus the cooling, skin-friendly fabric felt soft against my skin, so I didn't miss the heaviness of a duvet. It struck the perfect balance between airflow and cozy support, perfect for a summer night sleep.