Hard sleeping surfaces?

June 27, 2016 6:33 PM

My room gets really hot at night, and my mattress doesn't help! I'd love a surface to sleep on that doesn't retain heat as much. I'm not sure what keywords to use to search for this online - everything seems to loop back to nonscientific woo, and all I want is a good sleep. What should I look for? Am I approaching this right?

(I have a hammock and it's nice and cool but I would prefer a more firm surface for sleeping on.)

posted by LSK to Health & Fitness (16 answers total)

Honestly, I just sleep on a hard cool floor. Pillow for my head, sometimes a thin pillow for my elbows and knees.

You could also try an inflatable camping mat, army cot or old-fashioned canvas medical stretcher.
posted by fritillary at 6:39 PM on June 27, 2016

If you're open to a second piece of furniture during hot season in Peace Corps in West Africa I would sleep on a "lit picot" which was basically a cross between a cot and a lawn chair. The woven strings allowed air to move below and above me making it much cooler than sleeping on a mattress (or even a mat on the cement floor and was comfier to boot).
posted by raccoon409 at 6:39 PM on June 27, 2016

I've never tried this, but I bookmarked it because I am starting to get hot flashes: ChiliPad.
posted by OrangeDisk at 6:48 PM on June 27, 2016

A lot of people who might otherwise really like memory foam hate how hot it is. There have been a lot of "cool gel" toppers made in response. I do not use them personally but it might be worth poking around at some of those. The googleable term I'd also consider is shikibuton which is a Japanese style futon (thinner than what you'd normally see in the US) which can go on the floor or on a platform frame.
posted by jessamyn at 7:04 PM on June 27, 2016

I slept on an inflatable mattress for a while and I found it hard to stay warm even though I'm usually hot sleeper. I had the air mattress on a bed frame so it looked like a regular bed, sort of.
posted by mskyle at 7:16 PM on June 27, 2016

Air mattresses are notoriously cold. Bonus: stores compactly when you're not using it.
posted by amtho at 7:21 PM on June 27, 2016

I've been told by friends that a bamboo pillow (as in the material is made of bamboo, not a literal wooden mat) keeps them super cool. Another friend has a bamboo mattress and LORD sleeping on that sucker just cools me right off. I don't even sweat in the night and they don't have an AC.
posted by buttonedup at 8:20 PM on June 27, 2016

The cheapest IKEA spring mattress is just a mattress-shaped frame with a spring grid on one side and a thin layer of padding over that, with air in the middle like an inflatable mattress but no inconvenient mid-sleep deflation. Even with a mattress pad and egg crate under the fitted sheet, I still get a little chilly (it's our guest bed).

I do know someone who puts an air mattress on top of their bed on the worst nights.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:29 PM on June 27, 2016

A futon frame.
posted by brujita at 9:33 PM on June 27, 2016

wool mattress pads are most frequently recommended (a wool blanket will suffice); alternately, i find that layering an old down duvet under my bottom sheet makes a HUGE difference on my memory foam. then, use a linen sheet-- that's the best choice for hot sleepers.
posted by acidic at 10:05 PM on June 27, 2016

I lived in Nice for a while, we'd get nights between 30-35°C. Cheap Ikea spring mattress all the way. They last forever to boot.

Also nthing air mattresses, even cheap camping ones will do the trick. Bonus: you can put it on the floor and cold will seep up through it.

I can't sleep on memory foam, makes me feel like I'm in a slow cooker.
posted by fraula at 12:59 AM on June 28, 2016

Try this site.
posted by Susan PG at 1:31 AM on June 28, 2016

We have a memory foam mattress that is crazy hot. We use a combo of: bamboo sheets from Bed, Bath and Beyond; egg-carton style foam topper, wool mattress pad. It mostly helps.
posted by getawaysticks at 7:12 AM on June 28, 2016

“HyperVent is a special material that consists of a white spun polymer woven into a large open configuration that is bonded to a breathable white fabric layer. This light mesh of polymer does not compress, allowing an open layer of air to form. It is 3/4″ thick, allowing plenty of dry air to circulate.”

This is used in RVs and on boats to prevent condensation and mold and mildew. It also provides airflow so it should be cooler under any mattress but esp. memory foam or high-density foam. I was going to put it in my RV but I'm selling it, so I didn't. It's not cheap but worth it for the air circulation alone.
posted by MovableBookLady at 9:09 AM on June 28, 2016

Bamboo wood sleeping mat on top of your regular mattress. I've also seen mattresses in homes in China that are basically just box springs with a straw mat on top.
posted by yeahlikethat at 9:21 AM on June 28, 2016

2nd for the bamboo wood sleeping mat. It sounds weird but it's fantastic.

Also, when I moved alone, I didn't realize that growing up, people turn down the air at night to 65* or so from the typical 72*. Might just try turning down your ac at night.
posted by bbqturtle at 11:40 AM on June 28, 2016