she sells silk sheets suitable for sweaty sleepers

April 26, 2010 12:48 PM

Please recommend sheets for someone who gets very warm in the night.

My partner is happy with cotton, even flannel, sheets in winter but he has mentioned wanting sheets that will keep him cool in summer. Specifically he mentioned wanting to get silk sheets, but he hasn't due to the cost. Are silk sheets a good idea? Aren't they somewhat fragile? What other materials would you recommend? Specific brands are fine too, and these will be a gift so I don't mind spending real money if they meet his needs (although $300+ is beyond my budget and that's what I'm seeing online for silk). Thanks for your thoughts.

posted by anonymous to Shopping (17 answers total)

I believe there's been at least one other time someone asked about bedsheets, so you might want to search.

I'm partial to my bamboo blend sheets that I picked up at Target.
posted by chairface at 1:03 PM on April 26, 2010

I got Modal for summer use, from Bed Bath And Beyond, not expensive but they do keep me cooler than other fabrics. You might also look into bamboo fiber.
posted by The otter lady at 1:04 PM on April 26, 2010

I just bought these sheets from Ikea, which I love. They are made of cotton and lyocell, which is made from cellulose and supposedly wicks away moisture and generally feels cool against the skin.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 1:29 PM on April 26, 2010

Silk is actually a pretty warm fiber. They'd feel cool to touch at first but they'd probably keep you too hot during warm summer nights. Bamboo or cotton are probably your best bet.
posted by pised at 1:34 PM on April 26, 2010

My bamboo sheets keep me pretty cool and I love them. You could also get him a chillow! They really do work.
posted by Kimberly at 1:35 PM on April 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

If you've got a warm mattress (e.g. memory foam), it can really help to have another cool layer between you and the mattress, like a thick cotton blanket used as an undersheet. And now I want bamboo sheets too....
posted by Lebannen at 1:53 PM on April 26, 2010

We have some "Simply Shabby Chic" sheets which are great for this. The ones we have are from the "ditsy flower" line, which may have been discontinued, but poke around and you may be able to find them or similar. They're just cotton but are very cool to touch, and they're very cheap.
posted by LobsterMitten at 2:02 PM on April 26, 2010

I received a set of silk sheets as a gift a number of years ago. Two major downsides: they have a seam straight down the middle and they tore along that seam. I'd definitely suggest getting something more durable.
posted by kbuxton at 2:05 PM on April 26, 2010

Silk is going to be quite warm. My wife and I have linen sheets, and they're nice and cool in the summer. We got ours from Rawganique.
posted by Emanuel at 2:06 PM on April 26, 2010

PS linen is really durable, so the sheets will last a very long time, and they will get softer as time goes on. And I know how warm silk is because I use it for extra warmth when camping in the winter.
posted by Emanuel at 2:08 PM on April 26, 2010

My bamboo-blend sheets have become fairly warm. With use, they've become softer and more like those "jersey" sheets, and they tend to drape over your body in a sweat-inducing way (for me, at least). I think you'd be cooler with some crisp all-cotton ones.
posted by chowflap at 2:14 PM on April 26, 2010

I wanted to join the bamboo train here just because I have some bamboo socks and they are uncannily cooler. I want the sheets now because I'm a furnace in bed.
posted by Askr at 2:59 PM on April 26, 2010

Favorited for summer. So, so warm.
posted by flippant at 3:38 PM on April 26, 2010

The coolest sheets I've ever had were the cheap-ass, 100% cotton ones from Ikea. They are a super low thread count- so low you can practically see through the threads. Which makes them like mesh. Being cheap cotton, they are not very soft to begin with, but get much softer with use.

Probably not what your boyfriend had in mind if he's thinking of silk, but they are very cool.
posted by oneirodynia at 5:03 PM on April 26, 2010

Best answer: These 100% Modal sheets from Bed Bath & Beyond are incredibly cool. You have to be careful though - there are also Modal sheets blended with cotton and ones blended with silk, which are both nice but warmer than the plain Modal.
posted by miscbuff at 7:35 PM on April 26, 2010

Coming in to suggest linen. Linen sheets've been noted for a long time as being the coolest sheets for summer usage.

Second up would be plain cotton.
posted by Ouisch at 7:54 PM on April 26, 2010

I'm also a fan of IKEA's lyocell/cotton blend. I have both super-expensive high-thread-count cotton sheets + duvet covers and IKEA's cheaper lyocell fabrics, and the lyocell is softer, wrinkles less, is lighter weight, and stays cooler and dryer. Definitely a great product.
posted by jrockway at 9:07 AM on August 16, 2010