If you’re a hot sleeper or suffer from night sweats, then you should invest in a cooling pillow. These pillows are made with certain materials and air channels to allow better air ventilation. As a result, your head feels cooler and you won’t feel as warm as before.
But with the hundreds of cooling pillows from different brands and materials, which is the best? Read on as I show you helpful tips for choosing the best cooling pillow!
Tips For Choosing the Best Cooling Pillow
Can’t tell which is the best cooling pillow for a good night’s sleep? There are different factors to consider, so be sure to look into these aspects before making your final decision:
1. Types of Cooling Pillows
There are many different types of cooling pillows, all of which have their own pros and cons. Knowing the different cooling pillows can help determine what’s most ideal for you in terms of comfort, cooling properties, and longevity.
Check out these main types of pillow materials for cooling your head and neck:
Water Pillows
Water pillows are comfortable but require a few days of breaking it in. What makes them beneficial is that these pillows are easy to adjust, so you’re able to modify the desired comfort levels by adjusting the water volume. That way, you get both comfort and support.
Some water pillows have extra padding, such as an exterior polyester, foam, or down layer. Inside is its water core protected by a shield to keep body heat away from the pillow’s water. However, the padding may be too thick and won’t cool you down as expected, especially if it’s made of foam or down.
You may want to get a water pillow without padding for its cooling properties. The problem is, it stays cool for only up to half an hour as the water absorbs your body heat. Plus, they are less comfortable compared to padded water pillows for some users.
Memory Foam Pillows
Memory foam pillows are known to be hot, but there is a cooling gel built into it to counteract its heat. They are an awesome option for comfort and support, though it still restricts air movement, absorbing and retaining body heat.
While the cooling gel helps, the gel layer temperatures would climb quickly to match the room temperature. Because of this, it’s great for cooling the first hour or so, but expect the heat to come afterward.
Ventilated Cooling Pillows
Ventilated pillows are memory foam pillows with ventilation channels to keep you cool and comfy. Some pillows have an additional cooling gel layer, while there has gel-infused memory foam material.
They are cooler compared to memory foam pillows with cooling gel, and just as comfortable. Plus, they are allergen-resistant and antimicrobial, making them suitable for back and side sleepers who suffer from allergies!
Bamboo Pillows
Bamboo pillows are one of the more popular cooling pillows because of their hypoallergenic and eco-friendly materials. They feel very comfortable and with a ton of sizes and density, levels to choose from, depending on what you prefer.
As for its cooling, it helps keep your head and neck cool, but would still retain heat in the pillow over time. I highly recommend it for those focusing on eco-friendliness and something cooling for longer.
Buckwheat Hull Pillows
Buckwheat Hull Pillows are similar to bamboo ones, which are eco-friendly and do not retain heat.
They also enable airflow and prevent warm air from building up inside the pillow. Instead, air flows naturally within the pillow’s buckwheat hulls. It also evaporates moisture for a more refreshing effect.
The pillows aren’t cool on its own but simply have low heat retention, which is enough to keep your head and neck free from night sweats.
However, you need to fill it up with a lot of buckwheat hulls, as a pillow without enough hulls feels comfortable as you move around.
Kapok Pillows
Kapok is a great material as it has no chemicals or processing, it’s natural, organic, and hypoallergenic! What helps keep it cool is its water-repellent material, so it won’t absorb sweat or water. Plus, they are soft and breathable, adding to its cooling properties and comfort.
In terms of cooling and heat retention, buckwheat hills are a bit better, but kapok still does a great job for hot sleepers.
Microbead Pillows
Microbead pillows are made up of thousands of polystyrene beads. They are similar to Japanese bead pillows, but an imitation of it for the cheap price.
They are made to allow air flowing smoothly to prevent heat buildup and control evaporation. However, polystyrene material is insulating, trapping warm air, and preventing heat loss. So while air goes around, it has excellent heat retention, which isn’t what you need in a cooling pillow.
Furthermore, they aren’t eco-friendly and when the beads fall out the pillow, it’s a potential choking hazard.
Corma Bead Pillows
Corma bead, or Japanese bead pillows, are similar to Sobagawa buckwheat hulls. They are small and polyethylene hollow sphere fillings, known for their amazing air circulation and breathability. They don’t get warm, allowing your body heat to quickly evacuate your pillow.
While they aren’t cool per se, it prevents your head from getting warmer from your body heat. The only issue is that it takes time to get used to sleeping on beads, which feels much more different than memory foam or your standard pillow.
If your main focus is cooling and less heat retention, then you can get accustomed to Corma Bead pillows. There are different types of Corma beads, depending on what you prefer. All of them have good air circulation, with others contouring to your head shape and/or promoting mobility.
Which Is Best?
In terms of cooling, I believe that buckwheat hills or Corma bead pillows are your best bet. But if you’re looking for comfort with a bit of sacrifice on the heat retention, then you’re better off with bamboo or memory foam pillows.
As for affordability, water pillows are a good choice, though it won’t stay as cool for long and takes time getting used to for comfortable sleep.
2. Price and Warranty
Now that you know the different cooling pillows, their comfort levels, breathability, longevity, among other factors, the next thing is to consider is the price.
You want to make sure that you invest in a cooling pillow that isn’t only cooling and long-lasting, but suitable to your budget. You won’t need to overspend and get the most expensive one, but avoid scrimping and risking getting the lowest-quality one to save a few bucks.
Find out how much you can invest in for a cooling pillow, with good ones ranging between $30 to $100. Most of these come in packs and warranties for better value and long-term use.
If you want to learn more about cooling pillows and how to choose a great one, check out this informative video:
Wrapping It Up
I hope that these tips for choosing the best cooling pillow helped you out! So start looking into these types of cooling pillows and measure the price-to-value ratio to get the suitable one you deserve for a better night’s sleep.
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