Sweat at night? How to find a mattress topper that isn’t too warm

Do you frequently wake up in the night with a bed that is moist from your sweat? You're definitely not alone. Many people struggle with heat-related discomfort or night sweats, both of which can keep you from getting a good night's sleep.

There can be multiple reasons why you feel too warm at night. Your duvet, your bedding and the temperature of your bedroom are the biggest contributors to night sweating, but your mattress topper also plays a role in how well your bed releases excessive heat during the night. 

If you feel too warm at night, you should first and foremost understand that a new mattress topper may not be the solution. It really depends on when you feel warm: 

• If you tend to wake up sweating in the middle of the night, the problem is probably not your mattress topper. In this scenario, it is most often your duvet or bedding that makes you sweat. If this sounds like you, your first step should be to replace your duvet rather than your mattress topper. 
• If you have a hard time falling asleep because you feel too warm, a cooling mattress topper might be the solution to your problem. A mattress topper can help prepare your body for a good night's sleep by lowering your body temperature, but the effect will wear off shortly after you fall asleep. 

"When sleeping, your body temperature is primarily affected by the room temperature and your duvet. If you have a hard time falling asleep because of the warmth, a cooling and breathable mattress topper can help in the initial stage of sleep. But if you wake up sweating in the middle of the night, it's probably the duvet that is the problem."
– Peter, Category Manager, JYSK

A new mattress topper can be the solution if you have a hard time falling asleep because you feel too warm in bed. Not all mattress toppers can help cool you down, however. It depends on what material is used in the mattress topper. Latex is the most breathable mattress topper material on the market, while memory foam is less breathable. 

A mattress topper made of memory foam can actually intensify the feeling of being too warm in bed. With a memory foam mattress topper, you sink into the bed and are almost surrounded by the memory foam. This makes for a very enclosed sleeping environment in which it's hard for heat to escape.  

A latex mattress is firmer than a mattress topper of memory foam. This will give you the feeling of lying on top of the mattress topper rather than "in" it. Additionally heat and air can more freely flow through latex. With a mattress topper made of latex, it's easier for heat to escape and you'll have a more pleasant body temperature. 

Choose a latex mattress topper if you think that your current mattress topper is too warm, or if you want to be sure that a new mattress topper won't make your night sweating problem worse. 

Read more about the differences between a mattress topper made of memory foam and one made of latex.

Even though a mattress topper made of memory foam is a popular choice because it feels so comfortable, memory foam is generally not very good at letting excess heat escape. The same is true for mattress toppers made of polyurethane (PUR) foam.

If you are warm or sweaty during the night, you should in most cases avoid choosing a mattress topper made of memory foam or PUR foam.

Both latex and memory foam mattress toppers can sometimes contain cooling gel or a similar sort of cooling material. A mattress topper with cooling material can help to more effectively cool your body during the initial phase of sleep, but the effect will decrease as your body heat warms up the bed during the night. A cooling mattress topper can also help protecting your mattress from the moisture you release when you sleep. 

Both a mattress topper and a waterproof fitted sheet can protect your mattress against sweat and moisture, but only the mattress topper offers increased comfort.

Our assortment includes a wide variety of mattress toppers, so you can be sure to find one that suits just your needs. To learn how to choose the right one, and if you would like to learn all there is to know about mattress toppers, read our ultimate guide: Which mattress topper should you choose?