Why Some Mattresses Sleep Hotter Than Others

April 24, 2018

Do you suffer from sleeping hot? Did you know that there are many factors in determining the heat retention of your mattress? That is what I investigated in order to condense the information for you here today! In my research, 3 themes were consistent, join me as I explain how mattress firmness, the weight of the sleeper and the mattress type have an influence on how hot one sleeps. Welcome to the one stop shop for Heat Retention.

Mattress Firmness and Heat Retention

First up is how mattress firmness affects the heat retention. The level of firmness your mattress is directly correlates to how temperature sensitive it will be. Meaning a firmer mattress will sleep cooler. The reason a firmer mattress will sleep cooler is because the temperature of the bed is linked to the airflow capability of the mattress. A firmer mattress is less forgiving to the persons curves. A plush or soft mattress will significantly fold or bend to meet the persons curves. When this happens, the airflow around the person is restricted. When the airflow is restricted the mattress will have a higher degree of heat retention.

Sleeper Weight

Next, we see how the weight of the sleeper is correlated, too. People that are on the heavier side of the spectrum have a tendency to sleep hotter. It has to do with the principle of airflow we looked at earlier. A heavier person is going to sink more into a mattress than a lighter person will. That action of sinking will restrict the airflow thus making the mattress retain heat creating the perfect conditions for a hotter bed. Also, when a heavier person tosses and turns around at night, they require more energy to move than a lighter person does. As we know remember junior high, energy is heat and that heat is transferred to your mattress.

Mattress type: open cell vs closed cell

Lastly the type of material that a mattress is made of is a substantial indicator of how hot the mattress is going to sleep. Traditionally, some mattresses sleep hotter than others. That is dependent on how the material is structured; if it is open or closed cell. Let’s look at the difference between open and closed cell structures.

Open cell vs closed cell

When it comes to open cell vs closed cell materials, the biggest difference comes from how the cells are composed. In open cell materials the cell walls have been broken allowing air to fill up the material, thus conducting airflow through the material that allows the sleeper to sleep cool. Closed cell materials are best used as insulators, as the unbroken cell walls become highly effective in not letting substances pass through it. Meaning the sleeper will sleep hotter.

Summary

All in all, heat retention is caused by a mixture of these three factors: 1. Mattress firmness 2. Sleeper weight 3. Mattress type: Open cell vs closed cell. In learning about these aspects, you’ll be more prepared for your next purchase of a new mattress, or have more insight on your current mattress.

Bonus Tips

As an extra, here are 4 tips you can use today to help you sleep cooler

  1. Use 100% Cotton or Tencel sheets for the summer as they offer greater breathability and moisture wicking.
  2. Use lightweight covers or protectors on your mattress made of natural, breathable fibers, (as opposed to ones made with polyester or other synthetics that retain heat).
  3. Uncover part of your body, as your blood circulates it will cool the rest of you body.
  4. Stick to natural materials in your mattress such as Natural Latex.

If you want to check out some of our coolest mattresses check out our Natural Latex Mattresses 

If you need some cool sheets, find it here by checking out our 100% tencel sheets

 If your starting your mattress shopping journey download our free mattress shopping guide! Just click the image below to download it for free.

Sources

 

Sleep Like the Dead- http://www.sleeplikethedead.com/memory-foam-hot.html

Open cell vs Closed Cell- https://www.thesleepjudge.com/open-cell-vs-closed-cell-foam/

Sleep Junkie- https://www.sleepjunkie.org/bed-too-hot-or-too-cold-find-a-solution/

 

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