As Ideal Home’s sleep editor, I’ve spent the past five years testing the best beds, mattresses and bed linens on the market.
And over the past five summers I’ve tested more cooling bedding products and Ways to stay cool in bed More than I can count.
Some have worked, most haven’t, but faced with a 35°C heatwave and a south-facing dormer bedroom this week, there’s only one thing that’s actually helped cool me enough to sleep.
Don’t get me wrong. Choosing for Cooling bed material Definitely helps me sleep a *lot* cooler.
Before I understood the effect of different fibers, I slept on memory foam mattresses and under microfiber duvets filled with polyester. As a hot sleeper, and as a woman whose temperature fluctuates every month, I didn’t realize how much those synthetic fibers overheated me and, subsequently, disturbed my sleep.
(Image credit: Future plc/James French)
Switching to a pocket spring mattress filled with natural materials and swapping in a breathable wool duvet is a game-changer.
(Now I sleep on Choose a Hypnos pillow top mattressAnd I always recommend Woolroom Deluxe Wool Duvet For anyone looking to swap to a wool duvet, however, there are cheaper options available – My guide to The best duvets There is more information.)
Those natural fibers offer such a great breathability compared to polyester, which many experts dub Hidden sleep thief. Combine a woolen mattress with a woolen duvet and top with a breathable cotton or Linen beddingAnd now I sleep at full temperature at least eleven months of the year.
However, the recent heatwave the UK has faced is a different story. This is extreme Heat, and it’s not a temperature my south-facing dormer bedroom is equipped to deal with.
(Image credit: Future plc/James French)
I have tried cooling pillowsCooling sheets, cooling pads, and, many were lucky enough to test Best fans On the market, I also have a top-of-the-range £150+ Dukes whisper flex fan Which really does wonders in keeping me cool at night most summers.
After testing numerous options for Ideal Home’s buying guide, I have one of those The best portable air conditioning units.
And yet, despite the air con being out of stock this year – ours A live blog keeps you updated on where to find an in-stock air con unit or fan If you’re thinking of shopping around – before I reached for this £500 air con unit, I often found that whenever we’re hit with a heatwave, I opt for the £15 solution to beat the heat and get a cool night’s sleep instead.
(Image credit: Future plc/Chris Snook)
what is it A humble air bed, one of which you can buy Amazon, Argosor any camping stores for under £20.
The reason for this choice is that heat rises, so the top floor of my house – and the level most of us have bedrooms in two-story houses – is always *much* warmer than the ground floor.
I still take all the steps Cool the bedroom – from keeping the blackout blinds closed all day to creating a cross-breeze when the temperature outside is colder than inside – and that helps, but nothing cools it enough to sleep well when the temperature outside is above 35°C.
Instead, instead of fighting an endless battle to cool the upstairs of my house all at once Air conditioning In a unit that’s noisy, expensive to run, heavy to move, and whose energy use makes the climate crisis (and resulting heatwaves) worse, I’ve accepted that in heatwave weather I move to sleep downstairs and camp out on an air mattress in my noticeably cooler living room.
(Image credit: Future plc/Anna Stethaki)
Of course, this solution doesn’t work for everyone. I live in a two story house, so I have downstairs. Not many of us. I also live alone, so it’s just me there, not five family members camped out in mine Small living room. And I’m still anchored enough to get on and off the air bed, which isn’t for everyone.
However, if you too are struggling with the heat in your upstairs this week, I definitely recommend this option if you can. Also, when fans And the air con is almost sold out, this Best air beds (currently) still plenty in stock.
To make things even more comfortable, you can now get a double-height air bed that makes getting in and out of bed easier, plus a camping bed base and folding mattress you can stash under the stairs if you have more space than I do.
Below are some of the best options I’ve discovered and many more – especially if you shop around Air Beds on Amazon And you are one Amazon Prime Member – Deliveries can be made with super-fast delivery. (Although we should be aware that any order currently means delivery drivers have to brave the heat of the day to deliver.)
Amazon
Bestway Single Air Bed
Already very affordable, this budget-friendly under £15 air bed is now down to just £10 if you shop on Amazon. However, it does not come with a foot pump for inflation.
silent night
Single airbed with foot pump and pillow
If you want an affordable air bed *and* a foot pump, this Silentnight model offers both.
silent night
Silentnight Extra High Flocked Air Bed
This double-height air bed lifts you higher off the ground. Also, it is very easy to inflate and deflate thanks to the mains electric pump.
If you want to raise a regular air bed higher off the floor, you can add a camping mattress to a raised camp bed. It folds into a compact carry bag when not in use.
Decathlon
Inflatable Camping Bed Base
Or, if you don’t fancy assembling a camp bed when you’re hot and bothered, this inflatable option will also lift you off the floor.
Argos
Jay-B Rollaway Folding Bed with E-Fiber Mattress
If you have more space to store the bed when not in use, this folding bed with mattress also makes a useful temporary sleeping area.
Plus, if all else fails, you can always sleep on the sofa for a few nights.
In fact, now that heatwaves are becoming more frequent, I’m even considering replacing my sofa. Best sofa beds Or Best chair beds So that a living room camp-out can be more comfortable in hot weather.
