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Does A Latex Mattress Sleep Hot?

August 09, 2021

Does A Latex Mattress Sleep Hot?

Getting a perfect night’s sleep is truly essential if you want to live a happy and productive life, and sleeping cooler will help you accomplish this. If you are looking for a new mattress, you should know which mattresses will allow you to sleep comfortably, and which mattresses might cause you to overheat during the night.

Natural latex mattresses are made from 100 percent organic materials, and are very breathable. They do not constrict your body, or block airflow while you sleep. Therefore, natural latex mattresses allow you to sleep cooler than many other mattress types on the market. If you are concerned about whether latex mattresses sleep hot, you do not have to worry.

Natural Latex Mattresses Sleep Cool

Since latex mattresses contour against the body, and provide pain relief to aching joints, many assume a natural latex mattress might make them hot while they sleep. But, how does a latex mattress feel really? Latex mattresses provide all of the comfort and support, while also staying cool and allowing air to circulate.

If you have experienced frequent night sweats in the past that are not due to a health condition, you are probably familiar with sleeping hot. When you wake up covered in sweat, burning up, tossing your blankets off of yourself in search of relief, you know exactly what it means to be a hot sleeper.

Why do People Sleep Hot?

When we fall asleep, our body enters a state of rest. Our core body temperature lowers by a couple of degrees through thermoregulation, allowing our metabolism to slow down while we sleep. This occurs so we can conserve energy during our sleeping hours.

So, if our body temperature decreases, why do some of us get so hot? That is because our body heat has to go somewhere. It leaves our body, and, if the bedding, sheets, and material layers around us trap heat, it is going to hold on to the body heat we lost.

That is why it is so important to dress beds with materials that are designed to let heat escape, rather than trapping it. Breathable latex and other organic cooling materials are great choices for this reason.

Sleeping Temperature

According to the National Sleep Foundation, current research shows that the optimal temperature for adults to get a good night’s sleep is 65 degrees Fahrenheit, give or take a few degrees. While individual people will sleep best at different temperatures, most people tend to sleep better in a cooler environment.

One of the easiest ways to regulate your internal body temperature is to select a mattress that is made from materials that do not absorb your body heat, and trap it next to your body.

Sleeping Cool vs. Sleeping Hot

There are a few reasons why certain mattresses sleep hot or cool. Two of the most important reasons relate to airflow and softness.

In order for a mattress to sleep cool, it must have a good amount of airflow, as this allows the air to circulate through the mattress, instead of getting trapped inside the mattress.

Also, when it comes to softness, the softer a mattress is, the warmer it will sleep. This is due to the body sinking into the mattress, ultimately reducing any airflow. However, that does not mean that mattresses with ventilation are hard and uncomfortable. Mattresses with cooling properties are also comfortable and bouncy.

Sleeping Hot

When a mattress sleeps hot, it does not permit airflow and breathability. Usually, mattresses that sleep hot are thick and dense without cooling components. They trap heat, and raise the temperature around a sleeper’s body, instead of letting heat dissipate.

Sleeping Cool

When a mattress sleeps cool, it has great airflow and breathability to offer sleepers a ventilated sleeping space. These types of mattresses are constructed so that heat dissipates away from a sleeper’s body, and does not linger in the mattress or bedding.

Benefits of Sleeping Cool

Sleeping cooler means sleeping better. But being able to sleep cooler means more than just better comfort at night. There are all kinds of benefits that come along with sleeping cooler in bed every night. Because sleep is so important to one’s health, every factor that goes into improving sleep plays a large role in improving overall health.

When you wake up hot in the middle of the night, your sleep schedule can get out of whack. Lack of sleep can lead to:

  • Increased risk of heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Higher risk of diabetes
  • Weight gain, and a harder time losing weight
  • Accidents caused by poor balance and coordination
  • Memory loss and cognitive disfunction
  • Poor mental health, and increased risk for depression and anxiety
  • Compromised immune system

You will be amazed at how much better sleep can change your life for the better. An important step in improving your sleep quality is ensuring your body is cool enough at night.

Even those who suffer from insomnia can benefit from an adjusted temperature. Experts have concluded that people who have trouble falling asleep, and people who frequently wake in the night, experience disruptions in their body temperature rhythms. A simple change in mattress may make a huge difference.

Why Sleeping Cool is Better for Your Health

Sleeping cool can help boost your metabolism, and increase weight loss. Weight loss can, in turn, lower your risk for heart disease and diabetes.

When you get plenty of sleep at night, you are far more likely to be in a better mood. Lack of sleep increases your stress levels, which causes you to have too much cortisol. Good quality sleep, however, helps your body to regulate the stress hormone cortisol.

Sleeping cool allows your body to produce the important hormones HGH and melatonin.

  • Human growth hormone (HGH): The pituitary gland produces HGH when you sleep, and it reaches peak levels during the REM phase of sleep when your body’s temperature is lowest. HGH aids in repairing your body and brain cells.
  • Melatonin: Melatonin creates a feeling of sleepiness in the brain when it is time for bed. Additionally, it also helps to regulate body temperature. Clearly, melatonin plays a role in this important cycle. Melatonin also aids in keeping menstrual cycles regular.

Another important benefit of melatonin is that it can help to fight off cancer. Blood that is rich in the hormone melatonin has been shown to reduce tumor growth.

Getting proper sleep can prevent tale-tell signs of aging, as well. Dark spots, wrinkles, and dull skin are all symptoms of poor sleep. However, with plenty of high-quality sleep in a cool room with a cooling bed, your skin goes through a restoration.

Mattress Materials: Natural Latex vs. Memory Foam

Memory foam mattresses are known for sleeping hot because they are less breathable than other organic materials. Latex mattresses, on the other hand, allow you to sleep cooler. Many people tend to get these two types of mattresses confused. Upon further research, you will find latex mattresses are better than memory foam mattresses, if you are looking to sleep cooler.

Do Memory Foam Mattresses Sleep Hot?

Yes, memory foam mattresses sleep hot. A memory foam mattress is dense, and it does not contain the open cell foam quality that allows it to breathe.

Memory foam mattresses are made from polyurethane foam, which is not an organic material. For particularly hot sleepers, memory foam is not a great choice because the porous material is not connected, so there is no network for airflow.

Additionally, memory foam works best when it holds on to heat because the more body heat it retains, the better the foam is able to contour to your shape. The trade-off with memory foam is the less breathable bed.

Many memory foam mattresses have other layers of synthetic materials that trap moisture, and do not properly absorb the sweat you produce throughout the night. So, mix a memory foam mattress that traps heat, increases night sweating, has very little airflow to ventilate heat, and cannot properly absorb sweat, and you are likely to get a hot mattress pooling unwanted unhygienic moisture.

Natural Latex vs. Synthetic Latex

Latex mattresses are not all the same. Natural latex mattresses and synthetic latex mattresses are made from different materials.

Synthetic latex mattresses include lots of filler that is not made from natural, organic materials. Therefore, synthetic mattresses will sleep hotter than organic latex mattresses will.

Natural latex is more expensive, but you can rest assured that you are getting a product that will keep you cool, and last for over a decade when cared for properly.

Many companies will use blends of natural latex and synthetic latex, so be sure to watch for ingredients when you are shopping for a mattress. Pay attention to the materials that go into mattress covers as well. Natural cotton and linens will allow for even more airflow.

Eco-Terra Natural Talalay Latex Mattresses Sleep Cool

Eco-Terra latex mattresses are made using the Talalay latex method. The Talalay method is an all-natural latex-making method that allows for a more breathable, cooler mattress, and an open-cell structure. This method provides sleepers with the cooler sleeping temperature they need for a perfect and restful night of sleep.

The mattress cover material is made using 100 percent organic cotton, adding even more cooling options for sleepers.

Why Does Eco Terra Use the Talalay Method?

There are several benefits to using the Talalay method when making natural latex mattresses.

Talalay Makes a Breathable Mattress

The coils that are used when creating an Eco Terra mattress allow sleepers to sleep up to an impressive 28 percent cooler when compared to sleeping on memory foam mattresses. It also keeps sleepers sleeping comfortably throughout the entire night.

Talalay Creates an Open-Cell Matrix

 A natural latex mattress utilizes an open cell matrix, which is why this type of mattress is able to breathe so well, and offers a cooler sleeping surface. When air is allowed to circulate through a mattress, it pulls both heat and moisture away from the body, allowing for a cooler night’s sleep.

Talalay Supports Airflow

The latex airflow design is also called pinholes, air holes, or pin core because the mold used to make a latex mattress will create thousands of pinholes in the mattress. These tiny holes allow air to pass through the mattress versus getting trapped inside. The airflow gives you a cooler sleeping surface.

Other Ways to Stay Cool While Asleep

Since the proper temperature is so important during sleep, you should strive to keep your room cool every night. Choosing the right Eco-Terra mattress is a great step, but you should also take other measures to ensure you are improving your sleep quality and overall health as much as you can.

Set the Thermostat

Keep the temperature in your room between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Everyone prefers a slightly different temperature, so you can experiment to find the one your body and mind love best.

Proper Ventilation

Sleep in a room that has proper ventilation. If your room is too stuffy, you will not be able to sleep as well. Airflow is important both in your mattress as well as in your bedroom. Turn on fans if you need to boost airflow in the room where you sleep.

Good Bedding Material

Along with your mattress, choosing the proper material is paramount as well. Natural bedding materials like linens, bamboo, cotton, and other organic, breathable sheets and blankets will prevent body heat from becoming trapped against you while you sleep.

Cooling Mattress Topper

You can make your mattress even cooler by adding a natural latex mattress topper. If you are stuck with an older foam mattress until you can buy a new latex mattress, getting a cooling mattress topper is a great compromise.

Patrick Gunther

Patrick is an accomplished writer. He has been in the retail mattress space for the past 13 years, and more specifically in the natural mattress niche. He blogs on the subjects of natural mattresses, sleep, health, fitness, and green living.