Generally, foam is an ideal bedding material because it shapes itself around the body and absorbs and retains body heat, which means it actually warms up through the night as you sleep. Great news for chilly nights, less so for sticky ones.
Not all mattresses that use foam get too hot, though: it depends on the type of foam, where the foam is placed, and whether there is sufficient ventilation and airflow in and around the mattress. Simba use open structure, graphite infused Simbatex® foam, which is designed to draw heat away from the body and maximise air flow.
ARE MEMORY FOAM MATTRESSES HOT TO SLEEP ON?
It’s said that you’re more likely to overheat on a memory foam mattress because it’s a dense, non-breathable, synthetic material that’s effective at trapping heat. Its primary feature is that it compresses around the body, holding onto heat. This means memory foam may be less suitable during the menopause, for people who are prone to feeling warm rather than cold, or during the warmer months of the year.
WHY IS TEMPERATURE IMPORTANT TO SLEEP?
Body temperature helps to control the onset of sleep and the duration spent in different sleep cycles. A colder sleep environment has been shown to increase the time spent in deep sleep, and can help with melatonin production and better sleep quality. Being too hot or cold can interfere with this function.
Higher night temperatures make it more likely that you’ll wake up in a sweat. Unfortunately, nighttime temperatures are warming faster than daytime temperatures, especially during the summer.
Need more tips for when it’s too hot to sleep? Click here.
How to sleep cooler on a memory foam mattress?
These simple methods and accessories for hot sleepers can reduce the temperature in your sleep space and help control your sleep environment;
- Keep a window open. If you’re worried about security, keep it on latch or open behind shutters.
- Turn down the radiators in your bedroom
- Set the bedroom thermostat for 16-18 degrees
- Ditch the polyester sheets for breathable 100% cotton bed linen
- Don’t sleep directly on foam - add a mattress topper or protector with a breathable sleep surface to add a little distance between you and the foam. Try our innovative Simba Hybrid® toppers to see the difference. They come in Single Topper, Double Topper, King Topper and Super King Topper sizes to suit all standard UK mattresses, as well as being easy to fit in just a few minutes.
- Sleep with a Hybrid® duvet or pillow that uses ‘cool-touch’ Stratos® tech and Simba Renew™, which is designed to help dissipate heat away from the body
- Make sure the mattress is raised off the floor and that air can circulate underneath – by using a slatted bed base over a divan.
What is the best mattress for hot sleepers?
Firm mattresses tend to be cooler, as they don’t hug the body in the same way as a softer mattress.
Love the feeling of foam but can’t take the heat? Our Simba Comfort and Deluxe Hybrid® mattresses are made with fresh Simbatex®, which contains open-structure foam designed to encourage air flow through the mattress. It’s also infused with graphite, which can help draw heat away from the body.
At the top of our Deluxe range, our Hybrid® Ultra combines our highest number of Aerocoil® springs (which are designed to gently push air up as they compress) with Simbatex®, plus materials known for their breathable properties like coconut and latex, for a fresher sleep all night long.
