Tired of Waking Up Soaked? The Best DIY Mattress for Hot Sleepers
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Steaming up the Sheets?
(but not in an exciting way 😭)
Are you looking for the best mattress for hot sleepers? Well, we’re glad you’re here!
We’ve got an excellent solution that can save you money while it cools you down so you can get some rest.
What Makes a Mattress Cooler?
improved airflow
Improved airflow in a mattress offers vital benefits, including temperature regulation and moisture control.
A well-ventilated mattress will dissipate body heat efficiently.
It also effectively manages moisture, promoting the evaporation of sweat to avoid creating a damp environment that promotes mold, mildew, and bacterial growth.
moisture-wicking fibers
Natural, moisture-wicking fibers like wool and cotton excel at temperature regulation, absorbing and releasing sweat into the air to maintain a cooler sleep environment.
Additionally, these durable materials increase mattress longevity by preventing moisture-induced degradation.
Finally, as renewable resources, wool and cotton are eco-friendly and align well with many people’s sustainability values.
A Super Cool Bed for Hot Sleepers
Waking up sweating every night, kicking off the covers? Try this mattress that’s cooler than the other side of the pillow.
Materials
Instructions
- Spread out your zippered cover on your slatted bed base, with slats no more than 3″ apart. Slats are 100% the way to go for maximum airflow and cooling ability.
- Unzip and remove or fold back the top of your zippered cover.
- Lay down your 1″ coco coir bottom layer, lining it up carefully with the bottom of the cover.
- Unbox your pocketed coils and spread them out on top of the coco coir mat. The coils have some ability to stretch or contract to fit, so give them a little bit of finesse if needed.
- Stack your first layer of latex on top of the coils, generally the firmer of the two.
- Stack your second layer of latex on top of the coils. generally the softer of the two.
- Roll out your wool batting and layer it evenly across the top of your latex. This will most definitely take a bit of finessing, but we have faith in you! This wool layer is exceptional for wicking away moisture and contributes to airflow, so just do your best. Wool is super forgiving and can be both stretched and compacted.
- Zip up your cover, taking care not to get any wool caught in the zipper.
- Now take a flying leap onto your fabulous new bed. Jump on it again. Invite a friend over. Both of you jump on it.
- Revel in your singular genius and sleep well for the first time in ages.
Notes
This mattress is maximum coolness personified. ❄️❄️❄️
The knit cotton cover allows exceptional airflow through the coco coir, the coils, the wool… heck, even the latex foams come with tons of cooling perforations.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
Coils: If you’d rather have an 8″ coil system instead of the 6″ mentioned, go for it. Lots of DIYers love those taller coils. Just remember, if you get a taller coil system, you’ll also need a deeper zippered cover.
Zippered Cover: You’ll want a knit cover on this mattress build, firstly for max airflow but also because this mattress uses latex foam for the comfort layers. Latex foams all but demand a knit cover as they offer the flexibility & gentle stretch that allows for ideal body contact with the unique properties of latex.
Please keep in mind you’ll need to adjust the height of your mattress cover if you change the combined height of your components. We recommend a 12″ Sleep Like a Bear cover for this build, but you can visit our list of knit cover suppliers if you need a different height that they don’t offer.
Latex: We’ve listed two layers of 2″ latex foam, but that’s entirely up to you. If your BMI is low enough and your sleep style supports it, you could go with just one 3″ layer. It would save some money, although it does limit your options if you ever want to swap around your comfort layers.
The materials list links to two different latex suppliers so you can go with whichever one you want, or someone entirely different on our comfort layer suppliers list. If you’re looking for cool however, sticking with latex is your best bet.
Organic: You can very easily full go organic on this build if you’d like. Most of the components we’ve suggested are organic or have organic options.
*If you’re still too warm on this cool cucumber, an igloo is your only other option.
THE VIDEO ⬇️ is from Ken Hightower demonstrating how to put together a hybrid mattress similar to this one. Our version has the 1″ coco coir base layer underneath the coils and uses two layers of latex foam as comfort layers. We also add wool batting to ours and use a knit cover
Fundamentally though, it’s similar enough that you get the idea.
Recommended Products:
Bedding suggestions for hot sleepers:
Consider Cotton Percale
Cooling cotton percale sheets are a popular choice for those who sleep hot for several key reasons:
- BreathabilityPercale is a type of weave made from both carded and combed yarns. It’s a closely woven plain-weave fabric known for being lightweight and breathable. This allows air to circulate more freely through the fabric, which can help dissipate body heat and keep you cool.
- Moisture-wickingCotton is a natural fiber that is excellent at absorbing moisture. If you tend to sweat during the night, cotton percale sheets can help to wick away moisture from your skin, helping you to feel more comfortable.
- Crisp & CoolPercale sheets are known for their crisp feel, similar to a well-ironed dress shirt. This type of fabric doesn’t stick to the skin as some synthetic materials do, further promoting coolness and comfort.
