At some point, you’ve woken up in the middle of the night in a pool of your own sweat. But keeping cool at night is about more than just turning down the thermostat. You need to consider the right mattress, blankets, comforter, and, most especially, pillows.
If your pillow isn’t properly keeping your head and neck cool, you’re bound to have a rough night’s sleep. But don’t worry, we’re here to help! We’ve researched and tested a ton of cooling pillows to find the ones that work best.
Our expert testers chose the Lagoon Otter Pillow as the overall best pick for a cooling pillow, thanks to its gel infused memory foam interior and adjustable design so you can customize your pillow for your needs.
The Lagoon Otter pillow is one of eight pillows offered by the Minnesota-based pillow company, Lagoon Sleep. The Otter, marketed as a “cooling and supportive” pillow, is an adjustable fill model made with gel-infused memory foam and microfibers. Hot sleepers and those with neck pain may find it to be their perfect match.
Our top pick for the best cooling pillow, the Lagoon Otter Pillow, has a lot going for it. The CertiPUR-US memory foam that comprises its filling has a gel infusion that regulates temperature, meaning instead of absorbing and trapping heat from your head and neck it draws heat away from you and then dissipates it. In addition to its cooling properties, the Otter Pillow has a nifty adjustable design that allows you to modify the loft to suit your specific preferences. And the cherry on top? The Otter’s removable cover is hypoallergenic and machine washable, making it easier to achieve sleep that is free of pesky dust.
What our testers say: “Overall, I think it’s a great option for hot sleepers for two reasons: the shredded fill construction and the gel-infused foam. The shredded fill encourages airflow and prevents body heat from getting trapped inside like you would experience from a solid block of foam. And that gel-infusion plays a part in subsiding any heat retention.” –Becca Fair, Lead Accessories Tester
Check out our dedicated Lagoon Otter Pillow review for more!
The TEMPUR-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling pillow is an excellent cooling pillow option for all kinds of sleepers, especially those who are fond of memory foam.
The Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling pillow is an excellent cooling pillow option for all kinds of sleepers, especially those who are fond of memory foam. This pillow is made of proprietary Tempur material, which carefully adapts to your head’s shape and temperature, ensuring you’re getting a personalized experience with just the right amount of support. The breathable pillow cover is machine-washable and made with soft-knit fabric that encourages air circulation and temperature regulation. The TEMPUR-Cloud Breeze has an extra-soft feel, and features a profile height of approximately 5 inches, making it great for all kinds of sleepers, especially people who like to sleep on their back or sides. The long-lasting shape means your head will be supported all night long.
What our testers say: “Unlike some cooling pillows we come across here at Mattress Nerd, the TEMPUR-Cloud Breeze maintains its cool feel over the course of the night. That consistency is especially important if you experience hot flashes or tend to wake up with night sweats.” –Becca Fair, Lead Accessories Tester
Check out our dedicated TEMPUR-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling Pillow review to learn more!
The Saatva pillow features a pillow-on-pillow design that enables users to easily adjust the height to their needs, leading to a great night’s sleep.
The Saatva Latex Pillow is recognized for being our pick for best latex cooling pillow. This pillow features three primary components that all work together to deliver a supreme cooling sleep experience. The 100% organic cotton sateen cover is breathable, soft, and moisture-wicking, ensuring that sweat is kept away from your head and neck as you rest. The gusseted sides with contrast welting allow the pillow to maintain its shape, meaning no pillow-flattening like some other options.
The plush and down-like microdenier fiber fill is completely hypoallergenic so you don’t need to worry about the effect of allergens, and its breathability further promotes a cool and refreshing sleep. The shredded Talalay latex core is recommended by both orthopedists and chiropractors for head and neck support. Talalay latex is incredibly responsive, hypoallergenic, dust-mite and mildew resistant, and far more breathable than non-natural latex alternatives.
What our testers say: “Overall the pillow sleeps cool for most folks. It’s not cool on contact, hence why it was docked a half point, but it won’t trap heat like memory foam pillows, so we’d say it’s a good choice for hot sleepers.” –Becca Fair, Lead Accessories Tester
Check out our dedicated Saatva Latex Pillow review for more!
The Brooklyn Bedding Luxury Cooling pillow works for a wide range of individuals looking for a hot sleeper-friendly, responsive pillow that's offered in two different height options.
In your search for a new pillow you will likely encounter many that advertise cooling gel incorporated into their construction. While it may sound too good to be true, this unique technology actually can make a difference in the temperature regulating abilities of a pillow—this is certainly the case with the Brooklyn Bedding Luxury Cooling Memory Foam Pillow.
In this pillow, the cooling gel is infused with the surface. This helps to draw heat away from you and then the ventilated foam easily allows the heat to escape. Then, to really drive home the cooling capabilities, this pillow has a cotton-polyester blend cover (polyester is naturally moisture-wicking).
What our testers say: “While it’s not the coolest pillow we’ve ever tested, the cooling capabilities are there for some relief. The memory foam insert gets the job done when it comes to contouring and comfort.” –Becca Fair, Lead Accessories Tester
Brooklyn Bedding Luxury Cooling Pillow review coming soon!
Luxury meets support and functionality with the Cozy Earth Silk pillow. Filled with 100% long-strand mulberry silk and shelled in bamboo viscose, this splurge-worthy pillow will elevate your sleeping experience night after night.
Silk is often associated with luxury, and for good reason. The smooth, shiny material is delightful to the touch, and it’s also wonderful if you’re looking for something that’s naturally cooling. The Cozy Earth Silk Pillow earns a place on this list because it’s an all-around wonderful choice for those looking for a divine night of sleep free of sweat. Made with bamboo viscose and mulberry silk, this great-feeling pillow has naturally breathable properties that keep heat from becoming trapped in its materials. But hey, if you don’t want to take our word for it, maybe you’ll believe Oprah, who named the Cozy Earth products one of her favorite things.
What our testers say: “The combination of materials makes for an ultra-soft, hypoallergenic, and breathable surface to sink into every night. Bamboo is naturally cooling and silky to the touch. After testing, I loved how refreshing the cover felt against my face and appreciated how the silk fill kept its supportive form throughout the night.” –Becca Fair, Lead Accessories Tester
Cozy Earth Silk Pillow review coming soon!
The Sleep Number True Temp pillow is made from memory foam with patented cooling technology. It comes in three shapes: Classic, Contour, and Ultimate, to accommodate all different body types and sleeping positions.
An adjustable pillow is great for combination sleepers and people with fickle sleep. Made with patented technology specifically designed to keep you cool, the Sleep Number True Temp pillow is our choice for the best luxury cooling pillow. The True Temp utilizes what’s called active-particle technology that supposedly draws heat and moisture away from the source and resists humidity buildup—at Mattress Nerd we refer to this as breathability, something this pillow certainly has in spades. Available in Classic, Contour, and Ultimate, each variety of the True Temp pillow will suit a different kid of sleeper. However, if you want a pillow that can accommodate just about anyone, we recommend the customizable Ultimate version of the True Temp pillow.
What our testers say: “Unlike some cooling pillows we come across here at Mattress Nerd, the TEMPUR-Cloud Breeze maintains its cool feel over the course of the night. That consistency is especially important if you experience hot flashes or tend to wake up with night sweats.” –Loren Bullock, Editor & Accessories Tester
Check out our dedicated Sleep Number True Temp Pillow review to learn more!
Memory Foam
Memory foam responds to body heat and pressure, which allows it to mold and conform to the shape of your head. Some memory foam can retain heat, but open-cell foam has optimal air flow, making your sleep feel cooler. In some pillows, shredded memory foam is infused with materials like copper or cooling gel, which assist with drawing heat away from your head and neck.
Latex
Latex is known for providing great pressure relief in addition to excellent breathability, especially in comparison to foam. The latex found in pillows is aerated, allowing it to dissipate heat and promote air flow.
Gel
Gel is a highly conductive material that can pull heat away from your body and absorb it, resulting in a cool-to-the-touch feel.
Down Alternative
Down alternative is a polyester or synthetic material that imitates the feel of traditional down pillows, but is more affordable as well as less heat-retentive.
Wool
Wool is a natural fiber and a natural insulator, pulling heat and moisture away from your head and neck. However, during the wintertime, it manages to retain heat in colder areas, making this material great for year-round temperature regulation.
Picking out a pillow may seem like a mundane task, but it’s actually just as important as picking out the right mattress or comforter. You need to take into consideration various factors, or else you’ll be stuck with a pillow that won’t make your night’s sleep any better, and could in fact make it worse. Below are a few of the things to look out for when shopping for cooling pillows.
There are many ways that a pillow manages to stay cool. One way is through breathability. A pillow that isn’t breathable will keep heat trapped within the folds when you lie down, resulting in your head and neck overheating. A pillow with breathable materials allows that heat to properly vent and escape, ensuring you stay properly cooled at night.
Another way pillows stay cool at night is through advanced materials, such as gel memory foam or mesh covers. Since there isn’t a single solution for the ultimate cooling pillow, you will have to look into various pillow cooling technologies and materials to see which ones seem like the best fit for you.
You may see standard pillows at the store going for 15 to 20 dollars. Meanwhile, cooling pillows are often more expensive, ranging from approximately 80 dollars, to as high as 160 dollars.
Although these prices seem steep, you need to remember that you are paying for a much finer sleep experience. These pillows are designed specifically to keep you cool and comfortable at night, which you won’t get from your average pillows at the department store.
Every sleep position has its own sleep style and preferences, and if you’re going to pick a pillow, you need to understand what your position says about you.
If you’re a side sleeper, then you’ll want a plumper or fluffier pillow to keep your head and neck aligned with your spine while you sleep. If you sleep on your back, you may want a flatter pillow that will support your head and neck.
If you’re a stomach sleeper, you need to consider that you’re sleeping with your head turned to the side, so you’ll want a pillow that’s flat but with some support so that you don’t experience any neck pain in the morning.
Some pillows market themselves as “adjustable.” These pillows typically allow sleepers to remove the fill, usually shredded latex or a foam insert, which decreases the overall pillow height. An adjustable pillow can be beneficial for sleepers who alternate sleeping positions each night and thus require different pillow heights.
As with any type of bedding, cooling pillows come with their own set of pros and cons. On the plus side, these pillows are capable of drawing heat away from your head and neck to give you a cool sleep experience. They are also made of durable materials that last a long time so you won’t have to worry about constantly replacing them.
On the negative side, cooling pillows can be quite expensive compared to standard pillows. They can also be somewhat difficult to clean as they require special maintenance and care. Finally, a cooling pillow may not be for everyone, and if you’re not a hot sleeper, then you may not have a reason to own one.
Finding the right cooling pillow can help you stay cool at night, but there are other ways to help you if you find yourself waking up covered in sweat. You can look into using a cooling mattress, cooling mattress topper, cooling mattress pad, cooling pillowcase or even a cooling comforter or cooling weighted blanket.
Other options for staying cool at night include turning down the thermostat (obvious, we know), sleeping with a fan on (also probably obvious), or using lightweight pajamas. For more helpful tips like these, check out our guide on how to not sleep hot.
If you’re someone who wakes up in a sweat, especially around your neck and face, then a cooling pillow might be a good way to help cool down. Of course, your mattress could be the problem, and in that case, you should check out our picks for the best cooling mattresses.
Short answer: yes! The pillows on our list have materials and technology that’s designed to specifically target overheating at night. However, if you try a cooling pillow, cooling sheets, or a cooling mattress, and still consistently wake up with night sweats, make sure it’s not a symptom of an underlying condition.
This depends on the pillow. Most of the time, the cover is at least washable. But since pillows can be made of foam or delicate gels, it’s best to hand-wash or actively search for a pillow that says it can take a ride in the washer.
Usually, no. The technology in cooling pillows is meant to help mediate your body heat, but some recommend putting their pillow in the fridge on an especially hot night to help out.
