How to Create a Cooling Bed to Beat the Summer Heat
Including the best regulating sheets- keeping your body temperature balanced no matter how hot or cold.
As we find ourselves immersed in the most heated nights of the summer months, the natural inclination is to blast the AC to avoid tirelessly tossing throughout the night in discomfort. We sat down with Whitney Thornburg, our in-house Design Director, to turn our attention toward cultivating a bed that is naturally cooling. Whitney shares five tips to integrate into your bedroom for luxurious and energy conserving ways to sleep comfortably throughout any season.
1. Swap your fluffy duvet for lighter layers
“The first step away from a duvet is a cotton comforter, which is lighter weight and more breathable,” Thornburg says. “The Diamond-Stitched Organic Cotton Comforter functions as a duvet but is not as fluffy and not as heavy on top. It can be used by itself or you could throw a duvet cover over it when it’s colder to have an extra layer and take it off in the warm months,” she explains.
If you’re looking for a thinner layer that still maintains some loft, blankets drape nicely while keeping the body cool without too much weight. “The Pismo Organic Blanket and the Cascade Organic Blanket are two good options that work as coverlets that look beautiful on top of the bed but can also be used on top of a duvet for when it gets cooler come Fall,” Thornburg says. “They’re both woven in a matelasse technique using really fine, airy yarns allowing air to move and circulate through the fabric freely.” Both blankets act as great insulators and temperature regulators due to their breathable function.
2. Focus on percale and linen
“Percale, made from 100% organic cotton, is one of your best choices for warmer weather because it has a crispness to it,” Thornburg says. “Percale is a plain weave so it has only one warp yarn over one weft yarn which leaves more opportunity for air to circulate around you.” Crinkled Percale sheeting is lighter weight with a more relaxed look and feel and will wrap your body more whereas 300 Percale holds more of a crispness and cooling feel as you slip into bed each night. Both choices make for a breathable sheet that moves with you.
“Linen is beautiful for year-round sheeting because of its temperature regulating qualities,” Thornburg says. "If you’re sharing a bed with someone and they sleep warm and you sleep cold, you’ll find both are very comfortable in linen making it a great investment for a couple that sleeps differently in each season.” The organic linen sheets are heavier at 185 gsm (grams per square meter) giving it not only a higher-quality but a longer life-span due to its durability over the years. “I find that the properties of linen is a very traditional fabric to wear in the summer,” Thornburg says. “If you think about wearing a long-sleeved linen shirt on a hot humid day you don’t get hot because it moves and allows air to circulate through it. The same thing happens when you sleep in linen.”
3. Incorporate calming neutral tones
If you’re someone who likes darker colors, this point in the year is a perfect time to transition to lighter colors as they make you feel cooler.
“Light grays, like our fog color, help one feel refreshed when walking into a space,” Thornburg says. “If you prefer a warmer tone, moving into undyed gives a mellow feel to relax in after a hot day while an all white bed feels like you’re stepping into this cool, refreshing oasis.” One can create a lush, spa-like experience by going all white in bedding to feel crisp on the warmest of days.
Shop the Collection: Serenity in Neutrals
4. Step away from the polyester
If it has been a while since you’ve replaced your mattress pad this is a great time to do so and to invest in one that is made of 100% organic cotton, like our Organic Cotton Mattress Pad. “Most mattress pads are synthetic or have a poly-fill and they actually make your bed feel warmer,” Thornburg says. “Polyester is a petroleum-based product so even if you have nice new sheets you still might feel like you’re sleeping warm.” Organic makes up every part of what we do. All of our quilts, mattress pads and comforters are made with and filled with 100% organic cotton. These materials will breathe freely with you as you sleep and will protect your mattress from sweat, skin oils, stains and spills for years to come.
5. Sync with nature’s rhythms
“Think about where air can freely flow in your space and position your bed so there’s proper circulation throughout the room,” Thornburg says. “Sleeping with the windows open will help to cool the room naturally overnight and allow fresh air in.”
