Best cooling sheets for night sweats: what fabrics really do
No clinical trial has shown that any sheet or mattress topper treats menopause night sweats. Breathable, moisture-wicking bedding may make a sweaty night more comfortable, but the evidence is thin and mostly comes from small studies or brand claims.
See a doctor if night sweats soak your bedding, come with fever, weight loss you cannot explain, or swollen glands, or start after menopause has settled. Also get help for loud snoring or waking up gasping.
Do cooling sheets help night sweats?
No clinical trials have tested cooling bedding in women with menopause night sweats. Most claims come from the brands that sell the sheets.
Keeping cool is still common, low-risk advice. Mayo Clinic suggests a cooler room, a fan and layers you can remove.5 The Sleep Foundation suggests a cool, dark, quiet bedroom.6
The Menopause Society does not recommend cooling techniques as a treatment for hot flashes, because evidence is limited.4 Mayo Clinic notes these steps are not harmful, though.5 Think of cooling sheets as comfort, not treatment.
What fabric properties do: wicking and breathability
Two properties matter most when you sweat. Breathability lets heat and moisture pass through the fabric. Wicking moves sweat away from the skin so it can dry.1
Researchers at the University of Sydney explain that cotton breathes and absorbs sweat but does not wick it well. That can leave it feeling clammy.1
Linen breathes and wicks well but insulates less, so it suits warm weather. Wool absorbs a lot of moisture and wicks it away. Standard polyester absorbs poorly and can trap sweat against the skin, unless it has special treatments.1
As rooms get warmer, wicking and breathability matter more than insulation.1
Cooling bedding fabrics compared
Linen: one study at 29°C and high humidity found less wakefulness on linen sheets than on cotton.1
Wool: a lab study of 17 young adults compared wool and polyester duvets. Bedding type had no effect on sleep. The study was funded by the wool industry.2
Bamboo and lyocell: these are plant fibers processed into smooth fabrics. Brands describe them as breathable and cool to the touch. No published sleep trials have tested them.
Percale: this is a weave, not a fiber. It is a tight, plain weave that brands describe as crisp and airy. No sleep trials have tested percale either.
Wool sleepwear has a little more evidence than wool bedding. In a small warm-room study of adults aged 50 to 70, people fell asleep faster in merino wool pajamas than in cotton.3 See our guide to pajamas for night sweats.
The Sydney researchers note that people differ in body size, metabolism and bedroom climate. You may need to experiment.1
Cooling mattress toppers and powered systems
Some products go beyond fabric. Water-cooled mattress covers and pads, and under-sheet air units, actively cool the bed. Cooling-gel pillows are another option.
These need power to run. No independent trials have tested them in women with menopause night sweats. Any benefit claims are the brands' own.
Simple steps may help too: a fan, a cooler room, lighter layers you can remove, and a cold drink nearby.5,6
Products on our list (brand claims)
Our sleep and cooling page lists these products. Each description is what the brand claims, not a verdict.
- Slumber Cloud Performance TENCEL Sheet Set: lyocell with phase-change viscose, claimed to absorb and release body heat.
- Buffy Breeze Sheet Set: eucalyptus lyocell, claimed to be breathable and cool to the touch.
- ettitude CleanBamboo sheets: bamboo lyocell, claimed to be breathable and moisture-wicking.
- Panda London bamboo bedding (UK and Europe): bamboo viscose, claimed to regulate temperature.
- Eight Sleep Pod 5, Sleepme Chilipad and BedJet 3: powered systems claimed to cool the bed.
- TEMPUR-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling Pillow: cooling gel on both sides.
If night sweats disrupt your sleep, treatments with stronger evidence exist. See night sweats and hormone therapy.
What it is used for: evidence rated
| Option | Evidence | What the research shows |
|---|---|---|
| Non-hormonal prescriptions and CBT | Recommended for hot flashes by The Menopause Society in 2023.4 | |
| Cooler bedroom, fan and removable layers | Advised by Mayo Clinic and the Sleep Foundation; low risk, but few trials, and not endorsed as a treatment by The Menopause Society.4,5,6 | |
| Linen sheets | One study in hot, humid conditions found less wakefulness than on cotton; not tested in menopause.1 | |
| Wool duvet | A small, wool-industry-funded study in young adults found no sleep difference from polyester.2 | |
| Powered cooling covers and pads | Brand data only; no independent trials have tested them in women with menopause night sweats. | |
| Bamboo or lyocell sheets | Brands claim breathability and wicking; no published sleep trials have tested them. | |
| Phase-change fabric sheets | Brand claims about absorbing and releasing heat; no sleep trials have tested them in people with night sweats. |
Ratings explained: how we rate. Always talk to a doctor or pharmacist before starting a medicine or supplement.
Related
Sources
- Why can't I sleep? It could be your sheets or doona, The Conversation
- Shin et al., The effects of fabric for sleepwear and bedding on sleep at ambient temperatures of 17°C and 22°C, Nature and Science of Sleep (2016)
- Chow CM et al. The impact of sleepwear fiber type on sleep quality under warm ambient conditions, Nature and Science of Sleep 11:167-178 (2019)
- Shufelt C et al. The 2023 nonhormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society (The Menopause Society), Menopause 30(6):573-590 (2023)
- Hot flashes: diagnosis and treatment, Mayo Clinic
- Menopause and night sweats, Sleep Foundation