Nov 20, 2024 8:12 AM

The Best Cooling Sheets for Hot Sleepers

If you tend to wake up sweating no matter the season, hop under these cooling sheets so that you can, you know, actually sleep.

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Overhead view of green sheets and 2 pillows with green cases on a bed

Ettitude Signature Sateen Bamboo Sheets a stack of wrinkled light peach colored sheets on a wooden surface

Overhead view of crumpled beige bedsheets

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My sleeping sadness is waking up all night because I am too damn hot. Nothing makes me miserable like the heat, especially at night. Hot nights are unfortunately the price I pay for skipping winter down here in Southern California, but some folks are just hot sleepers no matter the temperature or where they live. Heat can adversely affect your sleep quality, which can affect your health, so it's important to stay cool at night; if you're not about to splurge on a cooling mattress, it might be worth considering cooling sheets.

But what makes a good cooling sheet? What exactly is a cooling sheet? These bedsheets typically improve airflow, allowing your body heat to dissipate better than with traditional cotton sheets. Linen is a popular choice and is quite breathable, whereas other materials have moisture-wicking and temperature-regulation properties. After sleeping on nearly every sheet there is for weeks, I've concluded that linen and cotton percale make some of the best cooling sheets. But if you want a softer material (or hate percale like me), there are other options too.

Looking for more bedding gear? Read our Best Cooling Mattresses, Best Pillows, Best Linen Sheets, Best Sheets, and Best Mattresses guides. All the prices in this guide are for queen size.

Updated November 2024: We've added three new picks—The Citizenry's Percale Sheets, Thuma's Linen Sheets, and Nuzzie's Forever Chill Bamboo Sheets—plus more sheets to Honorable Mentions.

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What Are Cooling Sheets?

There's a lot of terminology thrown around in the world of cooling sheets and cooling mattresses. Temperature regulating! Airflow! Moisture wicking! Phase-change material! Most of the time, these features come back to how breathable the sheets are. Breathability means moisture can better evaporate, and “temperature-regulating” usually means the sheets are breathable enough to release the heat and moisture from your body.

What makes sheets breathable? Cotton, flax linen, and bamboo have great breathability, but not all sheets are made equally, so material alone isn't a guarantee. Weave, as in percale's one-over-one threads versus sateen's three-over-one, and weight (including thread count) of the bedding comes into play. Higher thread counts are less breathable, and tighter weaves will be less breathable too. The yarn within the fabric is also important, as well as how twisted it is—a higher twist makes for a smoother, cooler feel to the fabric, while a loose twist isn't as smooth and can trap heat.

Some companies treat sheets with something called phase-change materials, or PCMs, which are substances that absorb and release energy to either heat or cool an area. “PCMs create a microclimate,” says Karen Leonas, a professor of textile sciences at the Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University. Excess body heat is absorbed by these materials and then released to the body when it's cool.

These treatments can raise the price of cooling sheets, but they're not super popular yet, and it's hard to determine how well incorporated it is into the fabric. “PCMs go through thermal cyclic testing and have shown to last a long time," Leonas says. “If this is a surface treatment, there is the possibility that some of the microcapsules will be lost due to abrasion.” Parima Ijaz, CEO of Pure Parima, agrees and says these treatments sometimes only last up to 10 washes. There are only a handful of sheets on the market that tout their use of PCMs, and our guide focuses on breathable materials and weaves rather than these treatments. It's worth noting that PCMs will last much longer on a foam mattress, according to Leonas. If you're still sweating at night after switching to cooling sheets, try a cooling mattress.

Photograph: Nena Farrell
Best Breathable Linen Sheets
Pottery Barn Belgian Flax Linen Sheet Set
These Pottery Barn linen bedsheets are the best breathable linen I've tried. While these sheets have a medium weight—linen is primarily graded by weight (grams/square inch) rather than thread count—of 160 g/sm, they still have a more breathable design than other linen I've tried of the same weight. Pottery Barn also shared that the thread count for these sheets is 107, making them one of the lightest thread counts I've ever slept on. The slightly stiff structure of these sheets make them feel like they're floating around my body, rather than draping close and trapping heat in. I also love that there are more than 30 colors you can choose from.
If you aren’t used to linen sheets, you might be surprised by how rough it feels compared to cotton or other kinds of sheets—that’s because it’s made with flax, a rougher material. The upside is breathability, and as flax fibers are thicker than cotton, and the sheets are more durable. The linen here is prewashed, but it will get softer after each wash. They're a little thinner than pricier sheet sets, but that makes them a great summer sheet rather than the thicker all-season linen sheets. Pottery Barn's set is Oeko-Tex-certified, so there are no harmful substances in the material, and it's also made in a Fair Trade Certified factory.
Includes flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases.
$299 at Pottery Barn
Photograph: The Citizenry
Best Lightweight Percale
The Citizenry Organic Stonewashed Percale Sheet Set
Percale is not my go-to when it comes to sheets. I added three sets of sateen to my wedding registry, and even though I test sheets for a living, I regularly gravitate toward my linen and bamboo sets when I'm not actively testing something new. Still, when it comes to staying cool, I admit that percale is fantastic for breathability, thanks to its one-over-one thread design that allows for plenty of airflow. Other sheets, like sateen, have heavier three-over-one weaves that make them softer but not as breathable to keep you cool at night.
The Citizenry already makes my favorite linen sheets, so it's no surprise I loved its brand-new percale sheets just as much. These organic cotton sheets have a 300 thread count, which makes them a little softer than other percale I've tried, but still light enough to keep me cool all night long. I was impressed that these sheets didn't feel like standard percale, but still had all the bonuses: a lighter sheet, cooler temperatures, and deeper sleep for me and my husband.
Includes flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases.
★ More great percale: If you want something extra light, Saatva's Percale Sheet Set ($205) is a little more expensive but has only a 200 thread count, making these an extralight percale set. Even with such a light sheet, it's still soft and comfortable to sleep on.
$179 at The Citizenry

Photograph: Nena Farrell
Best Soft Bamboo Sheets
Ettitude Signature Sateen Bamboo Sheets
Linen and percale lead in breathability, but they aren't the softest cooling sheets. That's where bamboo comes in. Bamboo sheet sets are soft and often feel akin to silk and satin sheets, but they also stay cool to the touch. Bamboo is a porous material, allowing more airflow. I’ve tried a variety of bamboo sheets, but I love the softness of Ettitude’s Signature Sateen sheets.
These are sateen sheets, which means it’s a three-over-one thread weave, and have a 300 thread count, but these sheets still feel lightweight and airy, even though it's a heavier weave than I'd usually recommend. They’re made with bamboo lyocell, which has a more eco-friendly process (it takes less energy to manufacture than bamboo viscose), and both the bamboo and the weave give these sheets a softer, cool-to-touch feel. Ettitude’s sheets hit a nice sweet spot of soft and breathable, and they're my husband's favorite since he prefers softer sheets. It's Oeko-Tex certified too.
Includes flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases.
$241 at Amazon
$209 at Ettitude
Photograph: Nena Farrell
Great Eucalyptus Sheets
Buffy Breeze Sheet Set
Who needs bamboo when you can try eucalyptus? Buffy's Breeze Sheets are made of eucalyptus lyocell, which is a more eco-friendly process than that of making bamboo viscose or rayon. Buffy's sheets have a similar silky, cooling feeling like bamboo does. These are they're heavier than Ettitude's sheets and similar to classic bamboo and can warm up a bit in the night, but aren't as heavy as other bamboo I've tried. These are often on sale, and we also love Buffy's comforters if you need more cooling bedding in your life. (My favorite is the Cloud Comforter ($TK)
Includes flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases.
★ New from Buffy: Buffy just dropped brand-new Supima Cotton Percale Sheets ($156) that I tested ahead of the launch. They're fantastic percale sheets, and the Supima cotton makes them nice and soft. They're cooling like other percale sheets we like, too.
$156 at Buffy
$175 at Amazon

Photograph: Target
Great Percale for Under $100
Casaluna Washed Supima Percale Solid Sheet Set
Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano has been sleeping on these Casaluna percale sheets for several years because, unlike me, she loves percale. She says they're her favorite of all the percale sheets she’s tried. These 100 percent Supima cotton sheets are crisp without feeling uncomfortably stiff, and she stays cool all night in them, even in Texas summer heat. They're a great price too for percale, or cooling sheets in general, and Medea says they've held up through many machine-washing cycles. Casaluna's percale has a 250 thread count, making it a little heavier than the Saatva percale we recommend above, but still a lightweight sheet.
Includes flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases.
$95 at Target
Photograph: Thuma
Another Linen Option
Thuma Linen Sheet Set
If you want to spend a little less, Thuma's linen sheets felt like a balm after weeks of sleeping on heavier bamboo sheets and wondering why I kept waking up too warm. These sheets are a little stiff to the touch initially, but they don't feel scratchy once you're in bed. I was impressed with how cool they kept both my husband and me, and how much better I slept on these compared to heavier, silkier sheets. They're a little cheaper than the Pottery Barn sheets I love best, though those are a little softer. Still, I was impressed and happy with how cool I stayed on these linen sheets.
Includes a flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases.
$275 at Thuma

Photograph: Nena Farrell
More Affordable Bamboo
Nuzzie Forever Chill Bamboo Sheets
Nuzzie's Forever Chill Bamboo Sheets are a lighter sheet than I usually find when it comes to bamboo. They're not quite as light as Ettitude, but they're the closest I've found for such a low price. Nuzzie's sheets are soft and thin, but not so thin that I don't think they'll last. They're super cool to the touch and keep me cooler than thicker bamboo sheets do throughout the night. Best of all? These sheets are a great price.
Includes flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases.
$129 at Nuzzie
Photograph: Quince
A Bamboo and Linen Combo
Quince Bamboo Linen Sheet Set
Can't decide between breathable linen and cool-to-the-touch bamboo? Or don't want to spend too much? These Quince sheets are your Goldilocks, my friends. They are softer and a little chillier than your usual linen, thanks to the 70 percent rayon bamboo material, but are still breathable and comfy. They're not as breathable as our other linen recommendations, but it's a great middle ground if you want linen benefits without the feel of 100 percent linen. And Quince's sheets are also hard to beat on price.
It's out of stock right now, but Quince says it'll be back in stock soon. Quince also has a full linen set ($170) you can shop in the meantime.
Includes flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases.
$150 at Quince

Photograph: Nena Farrell
Honorable Mentions
Cool-ish Sheets
We've tested dozens of cooling sheets. Here are a few others we like but not as much as the options above.
Bedsure Bamboo Cooling Sheet Set for $34: These bamboo sheets are some of the best affordable sheets we've found, though not as cooling as our top picks.
Quince Bamboo Sheet Set for $110: These sheets feel much nicer than the price suggests, and they are silky and cool, with a nice weight to them. Not quite as breathable as our top picks, but still excellent.
Luxome Bamboo Luxury Sheet Set for $170: These bamboo sheets are soft and cooling, but are a little heavier than we'd like compared to the rest of our picks. They're still a great bamboo set for the price, though.
Brooklinen Classic Percale Core Sheet Set for $179: These are a great set of cooling percale sheets that have that super crisp feel to them. I prefer softer sets that keep you just as cool, but these are a great option if you like a crisper touch.
Coop Comphy Percale Sheet Set for $179: Like Brooklinen, these are great percale sheets with a more classic, crisp feel—which makes sense, since Coop designs its linens to feel like hotel linens. They're great to sleep on, but you'll have fewer color options than you do with Brooklinen.
My Sheets Rock the Regulator Sheets for $199: These bamboo sheets are cool and silky to the touch. I didn't wake up sweaty, but I woke up feeling a little hotter than I did with my other picks.
Pure Parima Ultra Percale Sheet Set for $230: These Egyptian cotton percale sheets are softer than most other percale, and they are breathable and super comfortable to sleep on. They're more of a splurge, but not the most expensive percale out there.
Parachute Percale Sheet Set for $269: This is another nice percale set, but a little pricey compared to others we've tried and loved. WIRED reviewer Julian Chokkattu says they've held up well against his dog, which is a nice bonus.
Brooklinen Washed Linen Core Sheet Set for $319: These sheets are fine linen, but they start out rougher than other linen we recommend, and I felt cooler sleeping on the picks above.
Riley Percale Sheet Set for $260: These percale sheets are nice and crisp, but expensive. They're good sheets, but we were happier with the cheaper options we recommend, or the Pure Parima sheets above.
The Citizenry Stonewashed Linen Sheet Set for $299: These linen sheets from The Citizenry are my absolute favorite linen. They're breathable and among the softest linen sheets I've tried. They have a slightly heavier feel than Pottery Barn's sheets, even though they both have a weight of 160 grams per square meter.
Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set for $331: These sheets are insanely soft and feel ice cold when you climb into bed, which I love. But these are thicker than Ettitude, above, and they warmed up more after lying in them for more than 10 minutes. They're sheets I'd use year-round, but I still like Ettitude a little better for hotter nights.
Naturepedic Organic Linen Sheet Set for $549: These sheets have a heavier weight while still staying cool and breathable, but they're a big investment and aren't quite as soft as our other recommendations.
Photograph: Target
What Not to Sleep On
Not Cool Enough
When you test so many sheets, there are bound to be duds. Avoid these cooling sheets.
Casaluna Linen Blend Sheet Set for $105: These sheets are warmer than most linen, since they're a blended linen. Honestly, I felt really warm after sitting in them for a few minutes (let alone sleeping!). I like them as a linen option for winter, but I'd skip them for cooling needs.
Casper Hyperlite Sheet Set for $139: These sheets are made with Tencel lyocell, making them cool to the touch. They're super thin too, allowing for good airflow. They are cool to sleep on, but they lost the softness after a couple washes, and they feel too thin to last much longer.
Coop CoolSpa Sheet Set for $199: These nylon sheets are super soft to the touch, but my husband and I both woke up hot when sleeping on these.
Anything with a high thread count: A lot of folks think higher thread count means better sheets, full stop. But a higher thread count makes for heavier, less breathable sheets, so you'll want to skip the thread counting if you're running warm. I usually try to stick to 400 or below for my thread count when I want to stay cool at night. Not all sheets include a thread count, but a missing thread count often means it isn't high enough to brag about (but in this case, that's a good thing!)

Photograph: Nena Farrell
How I Test Cooling Sheets
Sleeping on the Job
I test sheets by sleeping on them. I did side-by-side comparisons of different sets to compare weight and breathability. I also spent time sitting in bed awake. It's not the same as when you sleep, since your body temperature drops at night, and I wanted to see how much the sheets would warm up if you weren't fully asleep. I did all my testing with either Buffy's Cloud Comforter ($195) or Brooklinen's All-Season Comforter ($379) over the top sheet, and all of the recommended sets above stayed cool and breathable.

Nena Farrell is a product writer and reviewer at WIRED, based in San Diego, California. She specializes in smart home gear, parenting, and textiles, and dabbles in a variety of other home and tech beats. Before joining WIRED, she covered smart home gear at The New York Times’ Wirecutter and... Read more

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