best in class

The 11 Very Best Cooling Sheets

Options for anyone who is always chasing the cool side of the pillow.

Photo: Marcus McDonald
Photo: Marcus McDonald

Jump to section

Sixty-five degrees: That’s the ideal temperature for a good night’s sleep, according to clinical sleep educator Terry Cralle. For folks who run hot, cracking the window or kicking a leg out from under the comforter still may not be enough to maintain that temperature range. As The Strategist’s resident bedding expert, I’ve slept on a lot of different bedding to know that swapping in cooling sheets — whether they’re made of a looser-weave fabric like percale that promotes air circulation or from material like lyocell that’s known to wick away moisture from sweaty sleepers — can help with overheating and lead to more restful nights.

To help you find the best cooling sheets that will combat potential night sweats, I tested options at home myself and also talked to 12 sleep doctors and experts — as well as self-professed hot sleepers — to hear their recommendations about the crispest, coolest sheets out there. And don’t let the colder season fool you — thanks to overzealous heaters and radiators, winter nights can also get too toasty for comfort, making cooling sheets a necessity all year long. For a broader roundup of the best bedsheets out there, check out my guide here, and if you want advice on specific categories like the best linen and Egyptian sheets, I’ve got you covered.

What we’re looking for

Material

Most of the sleep experts I spoke to agreed that sheets made of natural fibers, like cotton and linen, are your best bet for sweaty sleepers because they’re the most breathable (and therefore cooling). When it comes to cotton, the weave of a fabric matters, too. “Specific weaves like cotton percale tend to be more cooling for hot sleepers than sateen,” according to Dr. Shelby Harris, director of sleep health at Sleepopolis. That’s because percale sheets have a tight one-over, one-under weave, which makes them cooler and more lightweight than sateen options, which have a looser (and more dense) three-over-one weave. (Read my in-depth explainer about the difference between the two weaves.)

Sheets made from naturally derived fibers (the material is considered to semi-synthetic) can also be cooling. Lyocell, which also goes by brand name Tencel, is a type of rayon made from eucalyptus trees and is considered a semi-synthetic fiber because of how it’s processed. (Generally speaking, the wood is broken down then dissolved using a chemical process to create a wood pulp, or cellulose, that’s then spun into fibers.) The resulting fabric is soft and lightweight, and it’s known to have good temperature- and moisture-regulating properties. Bamboo is another type of rayon as it’s made from bamboo wood and goes through a similar process as lyocell; it is also considered to be soft to the touch and cooling. (Bamboo-derived materials are also considered sustainable, due to the fast-growing nature of the treelike grass.) A note: Viscose is a type of rayon, but the terms are often used interchangeably.

Moisture wicking

While all these sheets are breathable, if you’re a sweaty sleeper, you’ll want to look for bedding that not only promotes airflow but absorbs moisture and draws it away from your body. However, as Keith Cushner, senior vice-president at Sleep Doctor, points out, some sheets that claim to be cooling can be deceiving. “Calling sheets moisture-wicking doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be breathable,” he explains, which is why he says you should take careful note of the material of any sheets that promise to cool you down before investing in a pair. (All the options shown below, no matter what material they’re made of, are queen size, unless noted otherwise.)

Best cooling cotton sheets overall

Material: Oeko-Tex certified organic long-staple cotton percale, 270 thread count

If breathability is your biggest concern, go for sheets made of a natural fiber like cotton. Within the cotton category, percale sheets are the crispest and most lightweight of all the bedding thanks to its plain weave, and they feel the coolest to me. Percale’s matte finish also contributes to its cooling factor. Seven of our expert panelists agree, including Cralle; Cushner; Dr. Margarita Oks, a pulmonologist at Lenox Hill Hospital; psychotherapist Heather Turgeon, the co-author of The Happy Sleeper; Ben Trapskin, the founder of bedding-review site Yawnder; and Harris.

Quince’s percale sheets are the crispest and most lightweight of all the bedding I have tried over the years. Made from organic long-staple cotton, they have a thread count of 270 and feel almost paperlike in how thin they are. Because of this quality, the top sheet tents up and barely seems to touch your body, making it super-breathable and airy, which I assume would be a welcome sensation for someone who sleeps much hotter than I do. While I’m an average sleeper temperature-wise, I felt cool sleeping in these sheets during a summer heat wave with just the ceiling fan on, no AC. (In cooler months, I pair them with a comforter, and even under an extra layer of warmth, the sheets still feel cool.) Despite how truly crispy this set is, it’s also very smooth and nice to touch, durable, and washes well. Quince’s sheets are priced competitively at $100 for a queen set, making them my overall pick for best cooling sheets.

Best organic cooling cotton sheets

Material: Organic long-staple cotton percale, 300 thread count

If you prefer organic bedding from a smaller shop, these percale sheets from Sol Organics are your best bet. Like the Quince above, these are made from organic long-staple cotton, but they have a slightly higher thread count of 300, making them a tad thicker. They don’t tent up as much as the Quince sheets, but they’re still quite crisp and cool, and I slept comfortably in them over the summer. Trapskin appreciates the fact the cotton is not processed with harsh pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or dyes — which he says “can weaken the cotton fibers” — making these his favorite cooling sheets for hot sleepers. “These sheets are durable and sustainable from an environmental and economic perspective,” he adds.

Best cooling sateen cotton sheets

Material: Long-staple Egyptian cotton sateen, 300 thread count

These sheets are made from 100 percent certified long-staple Egyptian cotton, which is known for its breathability, durability, and softness, and is finished in a sateen weave. Sateen’s three-over-one weave is looser than percale’s and contributes to sateen’s silkier drape, but it’s also a little denser. Still, Egyptian cotton’s qualities make this set from Silk and Snow a good choice for sleepers who prefer sateen but still need bedding that feels cool. The sheets are recommended by Tom Ryan, head of product testing at Sleep Foundation, who calls them “very soft,” with “a beautiful, silk-like sheen” thanks to their construction. “They’re going to be very lightweight and breathable,” he adds, “and the durable Egyptian cotton makes them a sheet that should hold up to everyday use for several years.”

Best cooling linen sheets

Material: European flax linen, Oeko-Tex certified

Linen bedding is also known to have cooling qualities thanks to its looser weave, which promotes air circulation. I personally think linen feels less smooth and cool to the touch than percale sheets, but it’s a great choice for hot sleepers if you prefer a bit more heft in your bedding, as opposed to the cloudlike quality of cotton. Still, many of the sleep experts I spoke to prefer linen sheets. According to Dr. Joshua Tal, a psychologist who specializes in sleep disorders, they are very breathable and “pick up cool air.” Oks says that they can trap less heat than cotton. Cushner agrees that linen is the most breathable of bedding materials but admits it is often pricier than cotton and can feel a little rougher at first. If you’re looking to try a set of linen sheets, Brooklinen’s washed-linen core sheets are The Strategist’s favorite starter sheets for their relative affordability and how light they feel. As former Strategist senior writer Lauren Levy once raved about them, “Instead of waking up in a pool of sweat from heat-locking fabrics, you’ll stay fully temperature-controlled throughout the night.” Cushner, Trapskin, and Oks also recommend them, with Oks saying that many of her sleep-apnea patients have been happy with these sheets.

Best cooling lyocell sheets

Material: Eucalyptus lyocell 

Eucalyptus, or lyocell, is another naturally cool fiber to look for in a set of sheets, according to Oks, who says, “It generally has some natural temperature-regulating properties.” While she notes that the cooling effect of eucalyptus sheets has not been scientifically proven, the fact that it’s a “very breathable” fiber is one reason why she says it feels “so nice on somebody’s skin when they’re sweating at night.” Oks told us her patients are fans of the brand Sheets & Giggles, which specializes in eucalyptus sheets. (If you want to try a eucalyptus-based comforter, former Strategist writer Lori Keong wrote that sleeping under Buffy’s was like “being cocooned in a cold compress.”)

Best cooling Tencel sheets

Material: Tencel-cotton blend, 300 thread count | Moisture wicking: Yes

For sweaty sleepers who want something breathable that’s also moisture-wicking, Harris, Cralle, Tal, Cushner, and Trapskin suggest sheets made of Tencel, a brand of lyocell. The fabric is “better at absorbing moisture than most other fibers, making it great for sweaty sleepers,” according to Trapskin, who adds that Tencel is “naturally wrinkle-resistant and a sustainable material.” Trapskin recommends this set from Molecule that’s made from a Tencel-cotton blend. If you’re unsure about trying pure Tencel sheets, the cotton “will give the sheets a more familiar feel.” Trapskin says Molecule sheets nail the perfect blend — and the brand makes a cooling mattress if sheets alone aren’t doing the job.

Best cooling organic bamboo sheets

Material: Bamboo viscose | Moisture wicking: Yes

Like lyocell, bamboo sheets get high marks from sleep doctors. Tal likes how they’re both lightweight and soft, and Harris is a fan because bamboo is “hypoallergenic, ecofriendly, and cool to the touch.” Anishka Clarke, a co-owner of Ishka Designs, told us these sheets made from organically grown bamboo are “softer than you’d imagine. Supersoft. Like, baby soft on your skin” and extremely durable — generally lasting twice as long as cotton.

Best (less expensive) cooling organic bamboo sheets

Material: Organic bamboo viscose | Moisture wicking: Yes

Even less expensive are these sheets from Quince that are also made from organic bamboo. When I tested them, the first thing I noticed was how cool and silky they felt — just like real silk. They’re incredibly soft to the touch, drape well, and still look great after several washes. And sleeping in them feels incredibly luxurious.

Best (even less expensive) cooling bamboo sheets

Material: Bamboo rayon | Moisture-Wicking: Yes

If you don’t mind nonorganic bamboo sheets, you can save a few bucks with this set that Airbnb host Brandon Lee, who identifies as a hot sleeper, calls “extremely breathable.” He says that the 100 percent bamboo-rayon fabric “outperforms almost every other bedsheet fabric I’ve tried including linen, cotton, and Egyptian silk.” Bamboo rayon, he adds, is “not only softer and more lightweight” than other fabrics but moisture wicking too.

Best cooling bamboo-lyocell sheets

Material: Bamboo lyocell

While the two sheets above are made from bamboo viscose, these Ettitude ones are made from bamboo lyocell. Also derived from bamboo, these are spun in a similar but different, close-looped manufacturing process that requires less water and fewer chemicals, making them a slightly more ecoconscious choice. They’re recommended by Strategist contributor and self-proclaimed “sweaty person” Jolie de Feis, who wrote that they’re “softer and stronger” than bamboo viscose as well as noticeably different in “quality, feel, and performance” than the Tencel sheets she’s tried in the past. “As someone who has frequently slept on a towel to avoid changing my sheets multiple times per week, I am genuinely astonished every morning when I wake up sweat free,” she wrote. Not only are they cooling, they also feel “luxurious,” according to de Feis, and come in a range of pleasing colors and patterns.

Best silver-infused cooling sheets

Material: Ionic silver yarn, Supima cotton | Moisture wicking: Yes

These sheets from Silvon are woven with Supima cotton and silver fiber, which is known to have antibacterial properties. While the sheets are designed to help prevent acne breakouts, the silver infusion, along with the crisp blend of Supima cotton, has the added benefit of being naturally thermoregulating, which Strategist deals editor Sam Daly, who lives in Austin, Texas, appreciates. While Daly wouldn’t call herself a hot sleeper, living in Texas “activated” her hot-sleeper tendencies. “I have linen sheets in my lineup and, while those are very nice, they don’t compare to Silvon’s,” she says. “These sheets are so smooth without being slick — a quality in cooling bedding that I can’t stand.” And unlike her linen set, these are moisture wicking as well. “It’s very humid here, and the sheets help with that too. Sometimes linen can feel like it’s just soaking up dampness,” says Daly. “Silvon’s feel more breathable.” They’ve become her go-to sheets and go right back on her bed after doing the laundry. “They’ve been through the washing machine plenty of times with no discernible frays or fading.”

Some more cooling bedding we’ve written about

Our experts

• Anishka Clarke, co-owner of Ishka Designs
Terry Cralle, clinical sleep educator
• Keith Cushner, senior vice-president of Sleep Doctor
• Sam Daly, Strategist deals editor
Dr. Michael Grandner, director of the sleep and health research program at the University of Arizona
Dr. Shelby Harris, director of sleep health at Sleepopolis
Brandon Lee, Airbnb host
Kelly Murray, certified sleep consultant
Dr. Margarita Oks, pulmonologist
• Tom Ryan, head of product testing at Sleep Foundation
Dr. Joshua Tal, sleep-disorder psychologist
• Ben Trapskin, founder of Yawnder
• Heather Turgeon, psychotherapist and author of The Happy Sleeper

Additional reporting by Karen Iorio Adelson and Hilary Reid.

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, ultra-flattering pants, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.

The 11 Very Best Cooling Sheets