The Best Cooling Mattress Toppers and Pads

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Many of us have fallen in love instantaneously with a mattress, but as soon as the first night of inaugural sleep arrived, the mattress woke us up due to excessive heat. This guide explains why some mattresses feel warm and how a cooling topper can help.

Key Specs Compared

Numbers match the reviews below (tap to jump).

Key specs of the 5 cooling mattress toppers reviewed below

#	Type	Thickness	Cooling feature	Certification	Warranty
1	Foam topper	3"	Cool-to-touch knit cover	Not stated	Not stated
2	Gel memory foam	4"	Gel swirl, ventilation holes	CertiPUR-US	3-yr
3	Gel memory foam	4"	Gel, ventilation channels	CertiPUR-US	3-yr
4	Egg crate gel foam	3"	Gel swirl, egg crate surface	CertiPUR-US	3-yr
5	Quilted pad	Not stated	300TC cotton top	OEKO-TEX	Not stated

✓ yes · ✗ no · – not confirmed · Specs as stated by the maker · Not a treatment for any condition

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Why Does My Mattress Overheat?

Many mattresses today use memory foam and other dense foams. Dense foam lets less air move through it, and memory foam softens with body heat and lets you sink in, so there’s less airflow around your body. That’s why some people feel warm on an all-foam bed. A cool, dark room helps with sleep: the NHLBI advises keeping your bedroom quiet, cool and dark.^[1] If night sweats keep waking you up, see a doctor.

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What Can I Do To Keep Cool At Night?

Here are a few things you can do.

1. Get A Decent Mattress Protector – a breathable protector keeps sweat out of the mattress, and a padded one adds a little comfort. Waterproof protectors are useful if you sweat a lot, though some feel warmer.
2. Keep the Bedroom Cool – Use lighter bedding and breathable sheets, and keep the room cool. Regular exercise also helps sleep, though it’s best not to work out right before bed.^[1]
3. Buy A Cooling Gel Foam Mattress Topper – A simple option is a gel mattress topper. Gel can make the surface feel cooler when you first lie down and may slow how fast heat builds up, but it warms toward body temperature as the night goes on. Airflow, from ventilation holes, egg crate shapes or fiber fill, tends to matter more over a full night.^[2]

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Features of a Good Cooling Mattress Topper

Mattress pads have varying features that you might find interesting before purchasing one to stop overheating at night.

• Talalay Process – Talalay is a way of making latex in a mold. Latex is generally more open and springy than memory foam, and many latex toppers have pinholes for airflow.
• Thickness – thicker toppers change the feel of the bed more. Thick memory foam can also feel warmer, so look for ventilation. Side sleepers often like 3 to 4 inches for the shoulders and hips.
• Gel Memory Foam – memory foam softens with body heat and conforms to your shape. Gel is mixed in, often as blue beads or swirls. It feels cooler at first, but it is not an all-night cooler, so ventilation matters too.^[2]
• Fiber Clusters or Feather Stuffing – If you hold a grudge against foam, especially after all of this overheating business, then you should look at fiber cluster technology. Mattress topper’s come in various forms, some of them being stuffed with what looks like lint balls. The air between these fibers lets heat move out. Feathers and shredded foam work in much the same manner.
• Cotton Cover – what you cover your mattress pad in also makes a huge difference. A cotton cover with a high thread count will feel the softest and allow air to escape easily. Make sure to do yourself a favor and get one with a zipper! A cover can also help keep the mattress pad in place.
• Full Mattress Protection – A mattress pad usually provides a barrier between you and your mattress. A mattress pad that covers all sides of the mattress, with an extra-plush top layer for comfort, will be able to protect your mattress more effectively. These pads help keep the mattress clean.
• Waterproof – A waterproof mattress pad is an excellent idea if you need it for somebody that wets the bed or who is prone to making a mess in bed. A waterproof pad also keeps sweat out of the mattress.
• Motion Transfer Control – Firm foam mattress pads have the ability to control motion transfer. This means that you will not disturb the other when shifting around at night if you or your spouse are restless sleepers.
• Washable Cover – A removable, washable cover makes the topper easier to keep fresh.
• Contoured Ridges – Contoured ridges or quilted pockets add softness and let some air move under you.

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What Are Mattress Pads Used For?

Mattress pads are purchased for a variety of reasons. The primary reason for buying a mattress pad is to increase the mattress’s comfort. Mattress pads are used as interim comfort solutions for a mattress with loose springs or sagging after years of use. Support is another reason you should purchase a mattress pad. If you paid a significant amount for an expensive mattress and it’s a fraction too firm or too soft, a mattress pad can be useful in evening out the support you need. If you have back pain that doesn’t go away, see a doctor.^[3] A cooling mattress pad can make a bed feel less warm by adding airflow or a cooler-feeling surface, though it won’t cool you like air conditioning. With the right cooling mattress pad, it is unnecessary to rebuild your entire bed for overheating problems. Mattress pads also help protect mattresses from sweat and spills.

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Cooling Mattress Pad Materials & Considerations

To understand if your mattress pad is truly a cooling mattress pad, it should include one or more of the following materials or characteristics:

1. Ventilation – This is particularly important in a foam mattress pad. Without ventilation, hot air will remain trapped inside the foam, resulting in the same problem often associated with foam mattresses. Ventilation can be achieved with perforations or with a secondary firm foam layer that allows for pockets of air to escape out the sides of the mattress pad.
2. Cooling Gel – Cooling gel is one of the most common techniques used to keep foam mattress pads cool. Gel and similar heat-absorbing materials soak up some body heat at first, which can feel cooler, but the effect fades as they warm up. In one small lab study, 20 adults lay for 20 minutes on a mattress with phase change material: their skin warmed slightly less than on a regular mattress, but they did not feel any cooler or more comfortable.^[2] Many gel toppers look blue.
3. Graphite – Graphite or activated charcoal is another infusion that manufacturers make in cooling mattress pads. Makers say these help move heat or reduce odors.
4. Natural Materials – Many natural materials are breathable and allow for air to travel through them, which regulates the temperature. Cotton, wool and bamboo-based fabrics are common choices for a breathable pad.
5. Microfiber Clusters – Microfiber clusters are a synthetic alternative to down, so they suit people who avoid feathers. The spaces between the fibers let air move.

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Our Picks: Cooling Mattress Pads & Toppers

Here are five cooling toppers and pads to consider. We hope you love the products we recommend!

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1

• Three inches of TEMPUR-ES material with a medium feel.
• The knit cover feels cool to the touch. “Up to 8° cooler” is Tempur-Pedic’s own claim on the listing; we haven’t tested it, and the listing doesn’t say what it is compared with.^[4]
• The cover is removable and washable.
• The queen measures 79.5 x 59.1 x 2.9 inches.

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2

• A 4-inch memory foam topper with a gel swirl infusion.
• Ventilation holes help airflow, per the listing.
• The foam is CertiPUR-US certified, with a 3-year limited warranty.^[5]
• It also comes in 2 and 3-inch versions; allow 24 to 48 hours to expand.

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3

• Four inches of plush memory foam with a gel infusion.
• Cut ventilation channels help airflow.
• The foam is CertiPUR-US certified, with a 3-year limited warranty.^[5]
• It ships compressed; allow 24 to 48 hours to decompress.

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4

• A 3-inch convoluted (egg crate) memory foam topper with a gel swirl.
• The maker says the egg crate surface reduces heat and moisture buildup.
• The foam is CertiPUR-US certified.^[5]
• It also comes in a 2-inch version and fits under a normal fitted sheet. The listing gives a 3-year limited warranty.^[6]

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5

• A quilted pad with a 300-thread-count cotton top and down alternative fill.
• The listing says it’s OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certified.^[7]
• The deep pocket stretches to fit mattresses up to 21 inches.
• It’s machine washable. The listing calls the fill “moderate thickness” without giving a measurement.

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Index Table: Cooling Mattress Pads & Toppers Compared

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Sources

1. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH). Healthy Sleep Habits. Accessed October 15, 2026.
2. Priego Quesada JI, et al. Assessment of a mattress with phase change materials using a thermal and perception test. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science. 2017;81:358-363. Accessed October 17, 2026.
3. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIH). Back Pain. Accessed October 15, 2026.
4. Online store. Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Adapt + Cooling 3-Inch Topper listing. Accessed October 17, 2026.
5. CertiPUR-US. About Certified Foam. Accessed October 16, 2026.
6. Online store. Linenspa 3 Inch Egg Crate Gel Memory Foam Topper listing. Accessed October 17, 2026.
7. OEKO-TEX. OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100. Accessed October 16, 2026.

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Update History

• Oct 2026: Rechecked all five picks and their stock; rewrote the gel cooling claims to be more accurate, with a study source; marked Tempur-Pedic’s “8° cooler” as the maker’s claim; cited NHLBI for the cool bedroom advice; completed the Key Specs table
• Feb 2022: Added Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Adapt + Cooling Topper, Linenspa Swirl Gel 4-Inch Memory Topper and Linenspa Egg Crate 3-Inch Gel Memory Foam Topper
• Oct 2019: Added Lucid Gel Topper 4-Inch and LEISURE TOWN Quilted Cotton Mattress Pad
• May 2017: First published

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