Best cooling mattress toppers – combat overheating and night sweats for a more restful night's sleep

The best cooling mattress toppers can prevent overheating at night by adding breathability and better temperature-regulation to your sleep set-up.

All of our bodies release warmth and humidity as we sleep, and if you're regularly finding yourself waking up hot and sticky at 3am then it's possible your mattress could be the problem.

Whilst the best mattress toppers on the market will add cushioning to a sleep surface that's too firm, the best cooling mattress toppers can add both comfort and a breathable 'breaker layer' between your body and the mattress surface.

This extra air circulation helps to wick heat and moisture away from the body for a cooler and more restful night's sleep, which is great news if you don’t have the budget to invest in one of the best mattresses for hot sleepers right now.

To compile this guide, our product tester Rachael and I (both self-certified hot sleepers who are prone to overheating at night) slept on multiple mattress toppers in our own homes for at least a week each to see which ones delivered a cooler, more breathable night's sleep. Our top recommendations are below.

The quick list

Short on time? This quick list is an overview of the very best cooling mattress toppers. You'll find more information on each topper and why our testers recommend it if you keep on scrolling.

Best cooling mattress toppers

Best cooling mattress topper overall

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The Simba Hybrid Topper is constructed of three main layers – a memory foam top layer, a layer of pocketed micro springs, and a base layer of high density foam. In terms of comfort, during testing we found that memory foam layer did a great job of adding extra cushioning to a firm sleep surface, whilst the pocket springs delivered a good level of support for side and back sleepers.

Springs are something of a rarity in the world of mattress toppers, and make this topper one of the most capable of transforming an uncomfortable mattress. However, they're also good news for breathability. Springs mean increased airflow, and better airflow meant our testers found any excess body heat dissipated away from them rather being reflected back towards them during the night.

Breathability is helped further by Simba's use of open-cell memory foam rather than denser 'old school' memory foam. On the bed, we found that meant better airflow, so you get the cushioning benefits of responsive memory foam without the overheating that denser versions of the material can be prone to. Plus, that open-cell memory foam is infused with graphite, a mineral popular with mattress manufacturers thanks to its ability to conduct heat away from the sleeper. All of these attributes added up to a very cool and breathable night's sleep during testing.

This topper isn't cheap, but all in all our testers felt it was a great buy if you're looking to revive an old mattress that's seen better days, you want to soften up a firm mattress or sofa bed, or you want to add a cooling layer to a mattress that's causing you to overheat.

Our Simba Hybrid mattress topper review has more detail.

Best memory foam cooling mattress topper

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If you have a sleep surface that's too firm for comfort, then a memory foam mattress topper is a great way to add an extra layer of cushioning. Memory foam responds to body heat, which means it moulds around you as you sleep to cushion and support joints. This makes is a particularly good option for side sleepers as it adds a cushioned layer that hips and shoulders can sink into to keep the spine in better alignment.

However, 'old school' memory foam is a dense material that can be prone to making sleepers overheat – not what we want in the seach for a cooling mattress topper! But, Panda combats this by using what it calls '3rd generation, gel-infused memory foam'. This is open-cell memory foam that allows for better airflow, and airflow means our bodies can better regulate their temperature during the night, reducing the risk of overheating.

Our tester was very impressed by this topper's breathability saying she was 'very pleasantly surprised' by how cool she slept, especially considering she'd had unpleasantly hot and sweaty experiences with memory foam in the past.

In fact, this toppers breathability combined with its mid-range price point and wide range of size options (that mean there's likely a size to fit even the most awkwardly dimensioned sofa bed) mean we think that this is one of the best memory foam cooling mattress toppers you can invest in.

Find out more in our Panda mattress topper review.

Most cushioning cooling mattress topper

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If you're trying to nail two sleep problems at once and want deep cushioning for a more comfortable night's rest, and a cooler sleep, then the Emma Premium topper could well be worth the investment.

At 9cm deep – which is almost double the depth of most other mattress toppers – it's one of the most cushioning mattress toppers we've tested. Our side sleeping tester in particular found it did an excellent job of cushioning her hips and shoulders as she slept. She also found it makes a great addition to the bed if you have a sprung mattress and restless partner who tosses and turns during the night. This topper absorbs movement so motion transfer from one side of the bed to the other is greatly reduced.

Our testers were also thoroughly impressed by this topper's breathability. One tester who had been struggling with overheating on her existing memory foam mattress found that adding this topper to the bed instantly delivered a cooler night's sleep. Likely this is thanks to the 'ThermoSync' foam layer which is infused with graphite to draw heat away from the body.

This topper is an investment, coming in as the most expensive option in our round-up, but it is the deepest and therefore the most cushioning, so if you're craving comfort as much as a cooler night's sleep, this could be the option for you. You might just have to factor in the addition of some deeper fitted sheets to cater to the additional height once it's on the bed.

See it in action in our Emma Premium mattress topper review.

Best cooling mattress topper for night sweats

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If you're suffering from night sweats then it's particularly important to have breathable bedding materials that allow moisture and humidity to dissipate, and, after much testing, wool is one of the most breathable bedding materials we've come across.

Naturally temperature regulating, unlike many synthetic materials wool does a brilliant job of wicking humidity away from the body as we sleep rather than reflecting our own body heat back towards us during the night. That's great news if you're menopausal or simply a hot sleeper, as it reduces the likelihood of overheating causing you a disturbed sleep.

In fact, Woolroom states its wool-filled bedding 'delivers 25% better sleep than polyester, down and feather through superior moisture management and heat regulation'. That's laregely because research conducted by Leeds University for Woolroom's Clean Sleep Report found that wool allowed '43% more moisture transmission than polyester and a massive 67% more than feather & down'.

On testing this topper, our reviewers agreed, with our hottest sleepers quickly convinced to add this 'breaker layer' to their synthetic mattresses to help reduce night sweats.

This is also one of the most eco-friendly toppers we've come across. OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified, it's made from 100% natural materials and is chemical-free thanks to wool's natural fire retardant properties. Plus, it has the Allergy UK Seal of Approval thanks to wool's naturally hypoallergenic properties.

It's not the most supportive topper we've tested and it won't transform a mattress that's seen better days, but if it's simply extra breathability and a cooler night's sleep that you're after then this topper comes highly recommended.

Discover more in our Woolroom Deluxe Wool Mattress Topper review.

Best budget cooling mattress topper

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According to Silentnight, the Airmax mattress topper 'will revolutionise your sleep with its unbeatable breathability'. It aims to do this by way of its hollowfibre fill and air mesh sides that are designed to provide better air circulation.

Compared to the other mattress toppers we've tested, the Airmax is one of the thinnest, but that does make it very lightweight and easy to get onto the bed. It also means that the entire topper can be put in the washing machine and washed, in contrast to most toppers where it's only the cover that can be cleaned.

Hollowfibre is a polyester fill that's often used in duvets, and that's what this topper most reminded our tester of. It offers a degree of extra comfort on the bed, but because the hollowfibre compresses quite a lot under the body it didn't deliver the same cushioning or comfort levels as the other toppers included in this round-up.

However, our reviewer still found that the hollowfibre layer was enough to add a 'breaker' of breathability between the body and mattress. That's particularly good news if you have a solid foam or memory foam mattress that's causing you to overheat at night. That said, she did find she needed to shake this topper regularly so the hollowfibre didn't become compressed and its breathability compromised.

All in all, Silentnight's Airmax topper isn't the best cooling mattress topper we've tested, but it is the most affordable. So if you're waking up hot and sweaty because of a mattress that lacks breathability, this topper could help you to sleep better without breaking the bank.

Hear our reviewer's thoughts in our Silentnight Airmax mattress topper review.

Best cooling mattress protector

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Most mattress toppers are going to change the feel of your mattress because that's what they're designed to do - whether it's making your mattress surface softer or firmer. If you're happy with the way your mattress feels and simply want to prevent overheating at night, then you don't necessarily need to opt for a topper. Instead, a breathable mattress protector can work wonders.

I tested the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Mattress Protector on a memory foam mattress that was causing me to wake up hot and sticky due to its lack of breathability.

Initially, I wondered how the thin 1-2cm layer of wool quilted into the protector was going to make that much of a difference to my sleep, but I was soon very pleasantly surprised by the added breathability it offered. And even better, it didn't change the feel of the mattress and still allowed the memory foam to do its thing and mould around my joints.

Another bonus is the fact that this wool mattress protector is machine-washable, whereas most wool toppers and protectors aren't. Plus, Woolroom offers a 30-night sleep trial on this mattress protector. That should be plenty of time to test out whether it also offers you a cooler sleep.

Also tested

Why cooling mattress toppers work

Sleep brand Woolroom recently conducted its Clean Sleep Report, which revealed that 14% of respondents identified being too hot at night as the number one factor disrupting their sleep.

Why does overheating have such an impact on our sleep quality? As Sleep Expert Dave Gibson explains, 'Along with light, temperature is a key cue for regulating our sleep-wake cycle. Our internal core body temperature is designed to drop at night. When we overheat during the night we disrupt our body’s natural cooling process and negatively impact our sleep quality'.

'Research indicates that elevated temperatures can interfere with two crucial sleep stages: Deep Sleep and REM Sleep', Dave continues. 'Deep Sleep is essential for bodily repair and rejuvenation. Overheating can reduce the depth and duration of this stage, hindering the body's restorative processes. REM Sleep is associated with dreaming and memory consolidation. Disruptions caused by overheating can impair cognitive function and emotional regulation'.

Clearly, night time temperature regulation is important. But why might our mattress or bedding be causing us to overheat?

As Woolroom's report discovered, a significant portion of respondents, that's 42% of us, are sleeping with heat-trapping bedding. As Dave explains, the impact of this is that 'bedding that traps moisture can create a warm, humid microclimate, leading to increased wakefulness and decreased sleep quality'.

Traditional sprung mattresses filled with natural materials such as wool or cotton usually have very high breathability, but, modern synthetic mattresses can tend to fall short in this area.

Memory foam mattresses – now hugely popular in the sleep world for their cushioning properties – that use older, standard, memory foam can be especially problematic. That's because 'old-school' memory foam that doesn't have any cooling technologies added is a very dense material that allows for little air circulation. That's why memory foam is renowned for causing overheating.

Even a sprung mattress that utilses polyester wadding for its comfort layer can cause problems for hot sleepers due to polyester's tendency to reflect body heat and humidity back towards the sleeper.

When we realise that these synthetic materials are derived from petrochemicals – with very similar properties to those used to make plastic bags – we can see how having these materials next to our skin might make us hot and sweaty, as the heat and moisture our skin releases during the night gets trapped and bounces back towards us, causing overheating.

A cooling mattress topper can help if it's our mattress that's causing us to overheat at night. That's because it can add a breathable or temperature regulating 'breaker layer' between our body and the mattress.

It can also be important to consider what bedding is on top of us as well as underneath us, and opt for a wool-filled rather than a polyester duvet, and breathable cotton or linen bed linen rather than synthetics.

How to choose a cooling mattress topper

As already discussed, a cooling mattress topper can help to increase the airflow between our bodies and the mattress surface. This in turn allows heat and humidity to dissipate which helps to prevent overheating and leads to a cooler night's sleep.

Therefore it's important to consider the materials the topper is constructed from, and their potential breathability before you invest. We break down some key factors to look out for below.

Materials

When shopping for a cooling mattress topper look out for natural materials, like wool. Wool is naturally thermoregulating, which means it has temperature regulating properties that can help us to stay cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cold. Wool is also naturally absorbent, wicking moisture away from the body and releasing it into the air, therefore creating a breathable sleep surface that's ideal for hot sleepers.

In fact, research conducted by Leeds University for Woolroom's Clean Sleep Report found that wool allowed '43% more moisture transmission than polyester and a massive 67% more than feather & down'. And, as its usually the humidity that our bodies release during the night getting trapped that causes overheating, that's great news for a cooler, and deeper, sleep. No wonder our reviewers were impressed by the breathability of Woolroom's Deluxe Wool Mattress Topper.

However, synthetic mattress toppers can also aid breathability. Many manufacturers infuse graphite or gel into their synthetic mattress toppers, both of which can help to regulate temperature.

If you opt for a cushioning memory foam topper then look for one with an 'open cell' construction. This delivers a cooler sleep as there's space for air to circulate between the fibres for a more breathable night's sleep.

Our testers uncovered several synthetic toppers that have added cooling technology to deliver a cooler night's sleep, such as Simba's Hybrid Topper with its more breathable open-cell memory foam infused with temperature-regulating graphite, Panda's Topper which features open-cell memory foam topper infused with temperature-regulating gel, or Emma's Premium Topper made with graphite-infused foam.

Cushioning and depth

It may be that cooling is the only factor you're interested in, but most toppers also add cushioning to the bed. Mattress toppers tend to range from between 5-10cm deep, so this is an important factor to weigh up before you buy.

Generally speaking, the best topper depth for you depends on your usual sleeping position. Side sleepers will usually be most comfortable on a deeper topper that allows space for the shoulder and hip to sink in, whereas back and front sleepers are better with a thinner topper that doesn't allow the hips to dip too low.

Of course, it also depends what the mattress surface below the topper is like – if your bed is already quite soft, you probably won't want a deeply cushioned topper layered over it.

You may also need to factor in deeper sheets to accomodate the depth of your mattress and the topper combined.

Attaching the topper

None of us want a topper that's going to move around on the bed, so it's also worth considering how the topper attaches to your mattress before buying.

Many toppers feature elasticated straps to hold them in place, whereas some have anti-slip bases that do the trick. The most important thing is that there is some kind of method of securing the topper to your bed, and that it will be a method you find easy to use.

Sizing

Whilst all mattress toppers should be created equal in size, in reality sometimes you get short shrift. You don't want a topper that doesn't fully cover your mattress, or one that overhangs at the side, so check measurements match your bed before you buy.

If you're planning on using the topper on a non-standard sleep surface – such as a sofa bed – then this is especially important, as sofa beds, campervan beds, or caravan beds generally don't match standard sizing.

In this case, a topper that comes in a wide range of sizes – like the Panda Topper – or that offers EU as well as UK sizing could prove a winner.

FAQs

Do cooling mattress toppers really work?

Even the very best cooling mattress toppers aren't going to actively cool down your sleep surface and make it feel like climbing into a fridge – and who hasn't considered that solution mid-heatwave?! (NB. this definitely isn't recommended).

What the best cooling mattress toppers will do is increase airflow and breathability between the body and the mattress, therefore helping to prevent body heat from being reflected back towards the sleeper, and allowing moisture to dissipate which helps to prevent the sleeper from overheating and waking up hot and sticky in the night.

If you want to make sure you understand the basics before you shop, then our guide to what is a mattress topper can help.

Can I clean a mattress topper?

Yes, most mattress toppers can be cleaned – see our guide to how to clean a mattress topper for expert advice – but the best approach is to keep your mattress topper from getting dirty in the first place.

Many mattress toppers have removable covers that can be unzipped and machine washed, but if yours doesn't you can add one of the best mattress protectors over the topper and mattress to keep both clean and fresh.

(Not sure on the difference between a topper and protector? Find out which you need in our guide to mattress toppers vs protectors).

How we test

You'll find full details of the Ideal Home review process on our how we test page. However, when we considered how to test cooling mattress toppers we ummed and ahhed over a couple of different testing protocols.

Should we test each topper under controlled lab conditions where we measure how quickly heat and humidity can dissipate through each mattress topper in order to assess which is most likely to sleep cooler? Or should we rely on real-life subjective experience?

In the end we opted for the latter. We rounded up two reviewers who self-certify as hot sleepers and reliably overheat when sleeping on, or under, any kind of bedding that lacks breathability. For instance, both of these reviewers have found themselves waking up in a hot and sweaty mess when sleeping on standard memory foam mattresses, and both get hot and bothered under a synthetic duvet.

Our sleep experts:

Amy Lockwood

Amy is Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, our Consumer Expert for all things sleep-related, and a certified hot sleeper. She regularly tests out the latest mattresses, duvets and pillows to source the top products on the market for our readers, and is always on the hunt for the most breathable nights sleep.

Rachael Phillips

Rachael is a regular contributor to Ideal Home, specialising in testing mattresses and putting sleep products through their paces. No stranger to overheating on a memory foam sleep surface, Rachael was eager to test out whether the latest technology employed in these toppers would help her sleep cooler.

We tasked these hot sleeping testers with sleeping on each mattress topper for a few weeks and reporting back on whether they found themselves sleeping clammy and overly warm, or whether they stayed cool and fresh all night long.

This shortlist of the best cooling mattress toppers is compiled from the toppers they themselves would choose to sleep on for a cooler, more breathable, and better temperature-regulated night's sleep.