Do you often find yourself waking up in the night because you're too warm? If you're spending your time in bed tossing and turning because you're hot or sweaty, not only is it frustrating but you won’t be getting the all-important eight hours of sleep your body needs.

If you struggle to regulate your body temperature whilst in bed then you’re probably eager to find a solution that doesn’t involve turning on a fan or opening all the windows. That’s where cooling pillows come into their own.

But how do they work? In this guide, we'll walk you through exactly what a cooling pillow is, how they manage to keep you from overheating at night, and the additional benefits of choosing one for your bed.

What are cooling pillows?

Cooling pillows are pillows that are specifically designed with breathable components to absorb heat. They work by quickly lowering the temperature around your head, neck, and shoulders to help you fall asleep faster and experience deeper, more restful sleep.

What’s more, investing in a better night's sleep can also help curb feelings of fatigue throughout the day, and thus making you more productive. Of course, sometimes it is just hot, so take a look at our tips for keeping cool at bedtime when it’s warm outside.

How do cooling pillows work?

Cooling pillows can come with either a cooling gel layer, naturally cooling materials, breathable fillings, a cooling foam material, air vents, or even innovative cooling technology. Although their goal is the same, they all work in slightly different ways due to their different cooling properties.

When it comes to pillows with breathable materials, cooling fibres or foam gently draw moisture away from your head to leave you feeling fresh and comfortable as you sleep.

Models with moisture management technology work by absorbing moisture created by body heat and quickly transporting it to the fabric face. The fabric face constantly evaporates the moisture to create a cooling effect on the skin, which happens continually throughout the night.

What are the benefits of cooling pillows?

What’s better than a good night’s sleep, continually, throughout the year? Cooling pillows give you that extra peace of mind when going to bed in the warmer months. Some of their other benefits include:

They can help you to fall asleep faster

A cooling pillow can stabilise your body’s temperature and help you to fall asleep quicker during a hot night, or if you're prone to overheating in bed. The cooling materials and technology allow for a surface to cool the head and lull the body to drift off quickly and stay asleep.

They can alleviate insomnia caused by night sweats

Night sweats can cause insomnia, meaning you might wake up during the night and find it difficult to fall asleep again. Switching to a cooling pillow could help if this happens to you.

Cooling pillows can aid in keeping your head cool during the night, which can help curb excessive night sweats and calm the body down into a more relaxed state.

They can decrease tossing and turning

Lastly, you'll find that cooling pillows help you to sleep better through the night with fewer interruptions. They also don’t deflate or lose shape while you sleep, so you don’t need to wake up to flip or fluff up your pillow. Your head and neck will be fully supported by your cooling pillow.

What types of cooling pillows can you buy?

If you're a hot sleeper, we recommend that you look for pillows made with breathable materials or enhanced cooling technology to keep you comfortable throughout the night.

The Slumberdown Luxury Cool Touch Quilted Medium Support Back Sleeper Pillow features intelligent HYDROCOOL^® moisture management technology. 

It works by absorbing moisture from your skin and the ambient air before quickly transporting it to the pillow's fabric face, where the moisture evaporates. This has a noticeable cooling effect, helping to prevent you from getting too warm in bed. Its delicately piped edging gives it a luxurious finish and its soft-blown filling has a medium support level, which helps gently align the head, neck, and spine.

We also offer the Slumberdown Memory Cool Firm Support Side Sleeper Pillow. This has a memory foam wrap that surrounds a firm hollowfibre filling to provide total support during the night. The pillow cover's cooling material draws moisture away from your head to leave you feeling fresh and comfortable as you sleep. 

The pillow moulds to your head and neck to relieve pressure and help to minimise any neck or back pain.

Explore the range of cooling pillows at Sleepseeker

If you always have to flip your pillow to find the cold side, have night sweats, or sleep with your feet outside the covers, you should consider investing in a cooling pillow.

Cooling pillows not only cool you down and help you drift off to sleep faster; they also offer the support your body needs, minimising aches and pains. With a high-quality cooling pillow like the ones in the Slumberdown pillow range, you can experience a superior dry, cool, and comforting sleep every night, all year round.

FAQs

Do cooling bed pillows really work?

Yes, a cooling pillow designed specifically with breathable components will wick away moisture, dissipate heat, and promote increased airflow to help regulate your body temperature.

How do you activate a cooling pillow?

To activate your new cooling pillow, all you have to do is rest your head on it! The pillow will do the rest of the work.

How long do cooling pillows last?

The characteristics of pillows with cooling properties mean they are constantly working to keep you cool, giving you plenty of time to fall into a relaxed, deep sleep. It's worth noting that you'll be using the pillow every night, so buying better quality means that it is more likely to last.

Do you put cooling gel pillows in the fridge?

Cooling gel pillows don't need refrigerating, as the inner gel reacts to your body temperature to absorb excess heat, drawing it away from your skin to produce a natural cooling effect.

Are cooling pillows the same as climate control pillows?

Like cooling pillows, climate control pillows cleverly regulate your temperature, but they work to make sure you don't get too cold during the night as well as too hot. Cooling pillows only work to bring your body temperature down if you're a notoriously warm sleeper.