Are Memory Foam Mattresses Hot? - And How You Can Keep Cool at Night
Are you considering a memory foam mattress but aren’t sure if you will be too hot at night? Perhaps you have heard rumors that memory foam mattresses are sweat traps and want to know before you buy them? Or maybe you feel the cold and want to know if a memory foam mattress could be the answer to your prayers? Whatever your reason might be, we have the answer for you!
We know how challenging it can be to buy a new mattress, especially if you have never done it before. In no time, you can get lost in a world of thickness ratings, foam comparisons, and endless reviews that leave you unsure who to trust or where to turn—even trying to find out simple answers like if memory foam mattresses are hot seems like an impossible task.
Well, no more! Today we are here to get you the answers you need! Keep reading to find out if memory foam mattresses run hot, and all you need to know about them before making your purchase today!
What is a memory foam mattress?
Before we get into it, let's have a quick recap for those in the room that need it! A memory foam mattress is a mattress made with a layer of memory foam. It will also include springs or support foam, depending on the mattress you select. The memory foam is designed to soften and mold your shape when it comes into contact with your body heat.
The purpose is to create the perfect cradle for your sleeping position, allowing you to enjoy a good night’s sleep. Once pressure is removed from the mattress, the memory foam will bounce back slowly. Over time (and plenty of sleeping), the foam will remember your body shape and sleeping position, giving it the name, memory.
The technology was designed by NASA back in the 1960s but has since become a staple in many mattress manufacturing! The market is now filled with brands offering memory foam mattresses, pillows, and cushions to help people enjoy a good sleep and even help with back and muscular pain! There are plenty of people out there (experts included) that rave about memory foam mattresses and their benefits.
These mattresses can help provide comfort while you sleep and work to distribute your body weight, reducing pressure on the heaviest parts of your body. Many people have found this helps relieve aches and pains and has even been linked to healthier bloody circulation at night!
Now that we have covered what a memory foam mattress is, let's see if they are hot or not!
Are memory foam mattresses hot?
Let’s get straight into it! Memory foam mattresses can be hot! When memory foam first came to be, there wasn’t technology advanced enough to regulate temperature, which means that these mattresses trapped a great deal of heat during the night. This meant that many users would wake up warm in the night, find themselves sweating more than usual, or overheating. None of this is what you need when you are trying to get a good night's sleep!
Thankfully, technology has advanced since then, and many manufacturers and brands have worked to create memory foam mattresses with more breathable technology. These work to control the temperature throughout the night to help avoid overheating. But do they work?
Well, it depends! We find some users say that their memory foam mattress is perfect for them, and their sleep isn’t disturbed by warm temperatures or feeling sweaty. But we are still seeing a lot of users comment that their memory foam mattresses are hot.
Memory foam mattresses tend to retain body heat, and as they are denser than other mattresses, they struggle to distribute this retained heat. Meaning you can find yourself sweating in bed or wake up by the stuffy feeling of heat. Not what you want while you sleep! As the foam works to cradle your body, more of your body will be covered by the mattress, prohibiting your skin from cooling down. Usually, our skin relies on air-to-skin contact to cool down, but with less access to the air, your body cannot thermoregulate as normal, leaving many people to feel hot in their memory foam mattresses.
For those that enjoy a toasty night's sleep, this is welcome news! But for those that don’t like to be warm at night, this can be an issue. It's worth strongly considering how you will feel being warmer in the nights before purchasing a memory foam mattress. There are many pros to these mattresses, but heat can be a deciding factor for many people, so be sure to make your decision carefully.
How can I keep cool at night?
For those that decide to go through with it or are looking for ways to make their memory foam mattresses cooler, we have some tips we think you will love! Use any of the following (or a combination) to keep cooler in the night! These should help with anyone feeling hot in their memory foam mattresses.
- Opt for breathable sleepwear like cotton or natural fibers. Where possible, forgo clothes entirely!
- Switch to lighter bedding where possible and include throws instead of thick comforters or heavy blankets that promote sweating.
- Keep windows open where possible to increase airflow. If this isn’t suitable, you can use a fan but be mindful of the noise they create.
- Two-way fans can be used to bring cold air into the room. Or you can place frozen water in front of your fan, allowing it to blow cold air around your room.
- Turn off lights and lamps that give off any heat. Do this and turn off electrical devices roughly 20-30 minutes before sleep to allow the room to cool down.
- Keep hydrated with a glass of water before bed. Just don’t forget to visit the toilet! You might also want a cold shower before bed too.
- Wooden or metal bed frames can help improve airflow and keep you cool at night. Opt for these over solid frames.
Using one or a few of these tips can help to keep you cooler in the night when using a memory foam or any kind of mattress!
Final thoughts
And there you have it! For all its fantastic benefits, a memory foam mattress can run hot. These mattresses often leave people feeling sweaty or waking up in the night hot, but there are ways around it. Whether you choose to use fewer blankets or start sleeping in the nude, there are ways to keep cool and enjoy your memory foam mattress today!
