I tried out mattress toppers and cooling gel pads – and one £10 bargain REALLY helped me sleep in the heatwave
SUMMER has well and truly arrived. And whilst many of us enjoy the soaring temperatures in the day time, for many it can mean sweaty and sleepless nights.
There are however a range of cooling gadgets you can use on your bed to help you drift off on those hot, sticky nights.
But are they worth the cash?
We asked Sun writer and mum-of-three Lynsey Hope to try out some best-sellers.
Here Lynsey, 40, from West Mallling, Kent, shares her findings:
JML Chillmax Cooling Gel Insert For Pillows
- £9.99, jmldirect.com
Lynsey says: “Stick inside or on top of your pillow case to transfer heat away from your body and get a better night’s sleep.
“You can pop them in the fridge first if you like and they can cool you down for up to three hours. I was really impressed by these.
“They did feel a bit plasticky to sleep on but on a hot night they provided instant cooling relief.
TASTE TESTS
“I wish I’d discovered them years ago.”
Comfort: 5/10
Cool factor: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Total score: 35/40
The Fine Bedding Company Smart Temperature Cooling 100 % Cotton Mattress Protector
- £58 for a double, £63 for a king, fine bedding.co.uk
Lynsey says: “This can sense an increase in body temperature and is designed to help you feel cooler before the first sign of moisture.
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“It works by mimicking the body’s natural cooling mechanism and when the body is back at its ideal temperature, it reverts back so you don’t feel a chill. I have to say I was impressed.
“This feels cool to touch and I definitely felt this had a cooling effect, keeping me cool and sweat free on the hottest of nights.
“It was thick and cosy without making me feel hot. I’d buy again.”
Comfort: 9/10
Cool factor: 8/10
Value for money: 7/10
Overall: 8/10
Total score: 32/40
Slumberdown Summer Cool 4.5 Tog Duvet
- £22, argos.co.uk
Lynsey says: “This felt very light on warm nights and even though it’s only 4.5 tog it still has a lovely cosy feel.
“I tried during a heatwave and it definitely felt cooler than others. Great value at Argos too.”
Comfort: 8/10
Cool rating: 7/10
Value for money: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
Total score: 31/40
Dunelm Hydrocool Pillow Protector Pair
- £8, dunelm.com
Lynsey says: “These pillow protectors are designed to absorb moisture so you don’t wake up in a puddle of sweat in the middle of the night.
“I’m not sure they worked to cool me down but they were soft to touch and after testing them on a especially warm night, I didn’t wake up damp.
“I slept quite well on them. Great value from Dunelm too.”
Comfort: 9/10
Cool rating: 5/10
Value for money: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
Total score: 28/40
Ikea Rexbegonia Cooling Pad
- £10, ikea.com
Lynsey says: “This cooling pad can be wrapped around your pillow or placed on your mattress to help you sleep.
“The material is breathable and moisture absorbing to help keep you sweat free during the night. It felt cool to touch but after sleeping on it on a hot night it didn’t make much difference.
“However, for extra cool factor you can put it in a zip lock bag and place it in the fridge for an hour before use. This was amazing and really helped me drift off and the cooling effect lasted long into the night.
“It’s small enough so you can put it on a chair while you’re working or watching telly too if you like. For a tenner, I thought this was pretty good.”
Comfort: 8/10
Cool rating: 8/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
Total score: 25/40
Slumberdown Airstream Memory Cool Mattress Topper
- £85 for a double, £95 for a king at argos.co.uk
Lynsey says: “This topper contains breathable fibres which allow air to flow freely and is cooler to sleep on than memory foam.
“It also promises superior pressure relief to help relieve aches and pains. It’s easy to fit and definitely provided added comfort.
“Was I cooler than I was without it? I didn’t sweat but I still felt warm.”
Comfort: 10/10
Cool factor: 5/10
Value for money: 4/10
Overall: 5/10
Total score: 24/40
Dunelm Cooler Than Memory Foam Mattress Topper
- £90, dunelm.com
Lynsey says: “A special topper which supposedly features special technology to allow air to circulate keeping you cool whilst you sleep.
“I felt it was very soft and yet supportive and it was easy to put on the bed. You do have to lay it out for 48 hours before use. It’s machine washable too.
“Whilst comfortable with a cosy feel, I’m not convinced how much it helped to cool me down on hot night so quite a lot to pay if its cool factor you’re after.”
Comfort: 8/10
Cool rating: 5/10
Value for money: 5/10
Overall: 5/10
Total score: 23/40
UR Choice Blue Cooling Gel Pillow
- £8.99 for two, amazon.co.uk
Lynsey says: “Designed to absorb heat from your pillow giving you cool and comfortable sleep through the night. It did feel cool, especially if you pop in the fridge before you.
“It’s made of soft polyester but I’m afraid I found it quite hard and uncomfortable to sleep on and after an hour, I tossed it out of bed.
“Not for me.”
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Comfort: 1/10
Cool factor: 4/1O
Value for money: 2/10
Overall: 2/10
Total score: 9/40