Summer Bedding Guide: Cooling, Comfort, and Sustainability
Sep 15, 2025
Why Transitioning Your Bedding for Summer Matters — And How to Do It Right
Hot nights. Restless sleep. Kicking off the covers, only to wake up sweating again an hour later. For many people, summer heat leads to poor rest, and your bedding could be to blame.
Body temperature plays a key role in sleep cycles. The optimal temperature range for high-quality sleep is 60–67°F (15.6–19.4°C) [source]. Most cold-weather bedding traps heat and moisture. In summer, that works against you.
Use breathable materials, smart layering, and cooling fabric choices. Know what to keep, what to store, and how to create a sleep setup that helps rather than hinders recovery.
Index
- Why You’re Not Sleeping Well This Summer
- How to Build a Summer-Ready Bed
- Top Cooling Materials to Look For
- Smart Storage: What to Do With Winter Bedding
- Sustainable Comfort That Works All Season Long
Why You’re Not Sleeping Well This Summer
At night, the body lowers core temperature to initiate sleep. Heavy insulation or non-breathable synthetics resist this drop, trapping heat and humidity against the skin. If your sheets or comforter are built for warmth rather than airflow, they slow cooling and increase wake-ups.
Even eight hours in bed won’t feel restorative if overheating blocks deep, continuous sleep. Roughly 34% of adults report worse sleep quality in summer—largely due to nighttime overheating [source].
How to Build a Summer-Ready Bed
Optimize the layers closest to your skin for airflow and moisture control. Choose sheets that feel cool to the touch and release heat quickly. Sobel at Home’s Luxury Satin Sheet Collection offers a sleek, cooling hand with a silky glide, ideal for warm nights. For a crisp, hotel-style feel with excellent breathability, see Sobel’s HEIQ Sheets.
Rethink the top layer. Replace thick down duvets or multiple blankets with a lightweight coverlet or quilt. A summer-weight duvet preserves comfort without trapping heat. Keep a breathable throw within reach for late-night temperature dips.
- Use open-weave or waffle blankets to increase convective airflow.
- Select mattress toppers and protectors made from natural fibers that breathe.
- Reduce decorative pillow layers; dense fills retain heat and moisture.
These swaps create a sleep surface that stays fresh, dry, and cooler—even when temperatures rise.
Top Cooling Materials to Look For
Composition and weave matter. Favor fibers and constructions that release heat quickly, wick moisture, and maintain a dry microclimate.
- Cotton percale — Crisp, matte, and breathable; tends to feel cool to the touch.
- Linen — Lightweight with excellent moisture transport and airflow. Explore the Acacia Linen Collection for Four Seasons for a luxury reference.
- Bamboo-derived viscose — Silky hand, naturally antimicrobial, strong moisture wicking.
- TENCEL™ lyocell — Wood-pulp origin, soft hand with reliable moisture management.
For a luxurious blend of Bamboo and TENCEL™, review the Travel & Leisure Santorini Collection, available in summer-ready colorways.
Smart Storage: What to Do With Winter Bedding
Preserve loft and longevity by storing cold-weather layers properly. Clean items before storage, then protect from moisture and compression.
- Wash or professionally clean duvets, heavy blankets, and flannel sheets before packing to prevent set-in odors and residue.
- Use breathable storage (cotton bags or bins with ventilation). Avoid airtight plastic for natural fills; trapped humidity can lead to mildew.
- Store loosely to maintain loft. Do not vacuum-compress down; it fatigues clusters over time.
- Add cedar or silica packets to deter pests and manage humidity.
- Label by weight and season to streamline your fall transition.
Rotate pillows as well. If you keep warm, dense pillows for winter, store them clean and dry, and switch to lower-loft or cooling fills for summer.
Sustainable Comfort That Works All Season Long
Cooling bedding supports comfort and efficiency. When your sleep surface stays cool naturally, you can rely less on mechanical cooling.
- Raising your thermostat by 7–10°F for 8 hours a day can reduce cooling costs by up to 10% [source].
- Breathable, moisture-managing fabrics help you stay comfortable at a higher room temperature.
Materials matter for sustainability. TENCEL™ and OEKO-TEX® certified cotton are produced with lower chemical inputs and tighter standards. High-quality fibers retain softness and performance longer, reducing replacement frequency and waste.
See Sobel at Home’s Resorts Collection and its eco-friendly policies for hotel-quality options designed for performance and comfort.
