Hot Sleeper? 13 Products To Help You Keep Your Cool

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night, kicking off your covers, flipping your pillow to the cool side, neck drenched in sweat? Hi, hello, welcome to the Sweaty Sleeper Club. We don’t have jackets (can you imagine?!), but we do have a strong collective urge to crank the A/C until we can see the crystalline outline of our breath in the air. In fact, I’d do — or buy — pretty much anything to return to the days before my body started acting like I was sleeping in a sauna. But, what’s a “hot sleeper” to do?

This club isn’t exactly exclusive, after all. Being a hot sleeper is more common than you may think, and it can seriously mess with your ability to get a good night’s rest. According to experts, several possible explanations exist for why some people get sweaty when they snooze. It could be tied to hormonal shifts, including those that come with perimenopause… and, yup, that tracks for me.

“Waking up in a pool of sweat isn’t just annoying, it’s exhausting… and for many women, it starts in perimenopause,” Elizabeth Katzman, functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner, FDN-P, tells Scary Mommy. “As estrogen levels begin to fluctuate, the body’s internal thermostat — regulated by the hypothalamus — can become more sensitive. Even a slight shift in core temperature can trigger a hot flash or night sweat, leaving you drenched and wide awake.”

It isn’t always just about hormones, though. “Some people are naturally hot sleepers due to higher baseline metabolism, overactive sympathetic nervous systems, or even certain medications and blood sugar imbalances,” explains Katzman, noting that “managing stress, avoiding alcohol and sugar before bed, and supporting hormone balance can help.” But, she says, so can smart tech and products.

And since we’ve spent a lot of sleepless nights scanning every corner of the internet, Scary Mommy’s editors rounded up some of the best products out there for hot sleepers — whether you’re in the thick of hormonal hell or just naturally run warm.

Members of the Sweaty Sleeper Club have to stick together, right?

Bedsure Duvet Insert King Size

“My husband and I both run hot at night, and I get terrible night sweats (thanks, Lexapro). This duvet insert has been the perfect weight for us year-round,” says Katie McPherson, associate editor of lifestyle and entertainment. “It’s not too hot in the summer but warm enough in the winter. I have lightweight and super affordable duvet cover on it from H&M I also recommend. This pair together is undefeated.”

Cherrydew Cooling Bamboo Viscose PJ Shorts Set

Anything that says “viscose bamboo” signals to me that it’s going to breathe well and feel soft as hell. This cute little contrast-piping PJ shorts set holds true to that, plus it comes in lots of different colors. I sized up because I like a loose fit, and I’m not ashamed to admit that there are days I pretty much live in them.

Dreo Smart Tower Fan Pilot Max S

I’ve had many fans in my life, but this one is hands-down my favorite by far. It’s powerful, it’s pretty quiet, and it’s surprisingly aesthetic for a tower fan (especially with the Star Light finish). I can control it through the app, which is convenient, but it’s also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. The “natural” mode is my favorite — it mimics natural wind patterns!

Beckham Hotel Collection Cooling Gel Pillows

These came highly recommended by one of my close friends, who just so happens to be a total pillow snob. And considering they have over 200k reviews on Amazon, it seems like a lot of people are big fans of how these gel pillows stay cool, hold their shape, and don’t cost a ton.

Leisure Town Queen Fitted Mattress Pad

I feel like mattress pads are just one of those things you don’t think about when you’re racking your brain for cooling products, but people swear it’s a small detail that makes a big difference. “This works surprisingly well for me! And any time I question how well it works, I re-learn when I have to go a night without it…” says Jamie Kenney, Scary Mommy senior staff writer.

Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set

OK, hear me out. I know these are pricey. They’re the most expensive sheets I’ve personally ever owned. But there’s a reason there’s so much hype around them: they’re worth it. Made from 100% viscose from bamboo, they’re naturally cooling and breathable. The best part, though, is that they already feel like butter when you first get them… and then they get softer with every wash. They just feel so luxurious.

Breescape Reversible Cooling Comforter

I was skeptical about the idea of a “cooling” comforter, but I’m happy to say I was so wrong — I had just never felt a comforter like this before. It’s designed to actively pull heat and moisture away from the body, so it’s cooler than bamboo and more breathable than cotton. I’m obsessed with the dual-sided design, especially the cool-to-the-touch side. I’ll definitely be buying another if they expand the color selection.

Vornado Pivot3 Clip Personal Air Circulator Fan

Have you seen the viral TikTok reel of the guy sleeping with a fan, like, two feet from his face when his wife’s water breaks in the middle of the night? That’s the goal, friends. A fan so close it causes your cheeks to flap. This Vornado fan is small but mighty with a 360-degree adjustable axis and three speeds. It’s quiet, which is obviously nice. But a standout feature here is that it clips to just about anything, making it ideal for travel.

A Domani Whisper Criss-Cross Dress

If you can’t sleep naked for fear of traumatizing your kids, a barely-there nightie is often the next best thing. “This slip nightie is made specifically with women going through perimenopause and menopause in mind, and by god, it works!” gushes Sarah Aswell, deputy editor of news and social. “These are my favorite summer pajamas because of how cool they keep me. They also fit the very small category of pajamas that are comfortable and also sexy — the fit is so flattering.”

Mulberry Park 100% Mulberry Silk Pillow Case

We’re all constantly chasing that cool side of the pillow feeling, and one way to achieve it is with silk. “One of the most effective and natural solutions for sleeping cool is pure mulberry silk bedding,” luxury textile expert Zoe Doyle tells me. “Silk isn’t just soft and luxurious — it’s also thermoregulating, meaning it helps keep you cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s chilly. It’s breathable, moisture-wicking, and doesn’t trap heat like cotton or synthetics.”

PeachSkinSheets Extra Soft Cooling Sheet Set

“Where are my perimenopausal and menopausal ladies? I used to ‘sleep cold,’ but now that my hormones are out of whack, I’m sleeping hot for the first time in my life,” says Aswell. “That’s why I was intrigued by these ‘cooling sheets’ — and they absolutely work! I love the rich colors, quality, and softness, too.”

Luxome’s Lightweight Blanket

If you’re the type of hot sleeper who really needs something that feels extra-light, I recommend Luxome’s lightweight blanket. My husband had defaulted to sleeping with just a top sheet because he’s too warm-bodied for a regular comforter, but this is now his go-to blanket at night. Thinner than a traditional comforter, it’s soft and breathable thanks to the naturally thermal-regulating bamboo viscose fabric. Bonus: It’s just pretty!

Sweetnight CoolNest 16-Inch Cooling Gel Memory Foam King Mattress

I hated the mattress we used to have, which stung even more when I thought about how much we’d paid for it. So, I was really excited to find this one by Sweetnight — it’s refreshingly affordable and just a dream to sleep on. It’s designed to sleep eight degrees cooler and be 35% more breathable than regular memory foam mattresses, and I believe it, based on my personal experience. I got the 16-inch, but you could save a few more bucks by getting the 12- or 14-inch version.