Can a blanket cool you down? We tried the best cooling blankets to see if they'd reduce night sweats

Telegraph

8 hours ago

If you often feel too hot at night, cooling blankets and pads can help you sleep more comfortably. Unlike electric blankets, which produce heat, cooling blankets are made from fabrics that draw it away.
'Cooling blankets are designed to transfer heat and sweat away from the skin,' explains Sarah Shah, a certified menopause specialist. 'They can be useful for women who experience night sweats or hot flushes before and during menopause.'
They're also helpful for anyone who overheats at night due to anxiety, low blood sugar, or as a side effect of some medications.
Prices range from £35 for brands like Bedsure and Elegear, through to £100 for rivals such as Oodie, while cooling bed pads start from around £7 at Ikea.
As a women's health journalist who struggles with overheating at night, I've tested the leading cooling blankets to see which are the most effective.
To ensure we're highlighting the best, Telegraph Recommended regularly checks and updates this guide.
The best cooling blankets: At a glance
How to choose the best cooling blanket
First, consider the cooling claims. Most manufacturers don't explain how their fabric technology works, so it is hard to judge effectiveness from the label alone. However, some products come with a Q Max score, which measures how cool a textile feels. Anything below 0.5 suggests it is effective.
'Not all cooling blankets are the same quality and may not be as effective as they claim,' warns Sarah. 'Whether or not they make you feel cooler can depend on how severe your personal symptoms are, or even your bedroom environment.'
Think about how practical the blanket will be to use, especially if it is replacing a duvet. Some come in single or larger sizes, depending on whether you want to use them over the whole bed or just one side. The most user-friendly options are machine washable and have both warm and cool sides, so you can flip them if you get too cold. Also, consider the colour if you want to use it as a throw.
For more help sleeping easy, we've also reviewed cooling pillows, breathable duvet covers and sheets and cooling mattresses.
How we test cooling blankets
Our tests are always carried out in real-life situations, to replicate how you would use products at home. With that in mind, I tried out six leading brands of cooling blankets in bed overnight.
I used them according to the packaging instructions for at least one full night and washed them following the label guidance to assess how easy they were to clean.
I judged the blankets on:
Materials and quality: the thickness and weight of the fabric.
Comfort: how soft the blanket felt against the skin.
Breathability and temperature regulation: how cool it was to touch and how effectively the blanket kept cool during the course of the night.
Design: the colour and size options available and how easy it was to fold and store.
Care: how easy it was to wash and keep clean.
Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended
Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best sleep product. No manufacturer ever sees Telegraph Recommended reviews before publication and we don't accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles.
All reviews are based on independent expert opinion and our hands-on testing. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more.
The best cooling blankets of 2025
1. Best Buy Cooling Blanket: Elegear Arc-Chill Extreme 5
The Elegear Arc-Chill Extreme 5 feels noticeably cool to touch, likely owing to what it calls 'Japanese cooling technology'. While it is unclear exactly what that entails, its cooling side is made from 'Arc-Chill' fabric – a blend of nylon and polyethylene with jade nano-particles, which some research suggests may enhance cooling properties.
During testing, I found the blanket's cooling side too cold to start the night with, but the reverse side is a warmer 100 per cent cotton fabric, which came in handy. Once I overheated during the night, switching to the 'Arc-Chill' side brought instant relief.
Instructions suggest shifting the blanket around at night as the fabric can warm up over time, but I didn't find this necessary during use, unlike with some of the others I tested.
The Elegear blanket is thin and lightweight, making it easy to pack away. However, the shiny finish and marl-effect fabrics, especially in grey, give it a slightly clinical look. It is also available in beige, blue, pink, green and purple and four sizes, ranging from single to queen.
The blanket is machine washable on a gentle 30C cycle but can't be trumble dried and it took a long time to fully dry.
Key specifications
Materials: 80 per cent Arc-Chill nylon, 20 per cent cooling polyethylene (surface), 100 per cent cotton (back)
Washing instructions: Gentle wash up to 30C. Do not tumble dry.
2. Best Value Cooling Pad: Ikea Rexbegonia Cooling Pad
At just £7.50, the Ikea Rexbegonia Cooling Pad is the most budget-friendly option I tested, and it was also the most basic.
Unlike cooling blankets that replace your duvet, this cooling pad is designed to be go underneath you at night. You lie directly on top of it or place it under your sheet. I tried it bare and found the cooling side felt plastic-like and scratchy.
There are no instructions in the packaging, but Ikea's website suggests chilling it in the fridge for an hour before bedtime (it comes in a resealable plastic bag to keep it separate from your dinner). When pre-chilled, it worked well, but I struggled to keep cool when using it without chilling it first.
The pad only comes in an 80 by 80cm size and its blue and white design gives it a hospital-like appearance. Still, it is easy to care for: machine washable at 40C, tumble dryable, and quick to dry on an airer. For £10, it is a solid budget option as long as you chill it first.
Key specifications
Materials: 90 per cent nylon, 10 per cent elastane (cooling side), 100 per cent polyester (reverse), 100 per cent polyester (filling)
Washing instructions: Machine wash at 40C. Can tumble dry.
Available sizes: One size (80 x 80cm)
3. Best Machine-Washable Cooling Blanket: Restore by Silentnight Cooling Lightweight Blanket
The Restore by Silentnight Cooling Lightweight Blanket works as a replacement for a summer duvet. It is made from fabric which feels high-quality and is thicker than many of the other cooling designs I tested.
Its colder side is not hugely cool to touch, but the fabrics are soft and comfortable, while the warm side is cosy. This is more like a lightweight comforter than a blanket which actively cools.
It feels well-made but only comes in one size (suitable for a double bed) and colour. The product I tested was blue, but grey is currently the only one available from the Silentnight website.
The cooling blanket is machine washable at 40C and it requires you to wash it before first use. It is possible to tumble dry it on a low setting, which is advisable as the thick fabric takes a long time to line-dry.
Key specifications
Materials: 77 per cent nylon, 23 per cent polyethylene (cooling side), 100 per cent cotton (reverse), 100 per cent polyester (filling)
Washing instructions: Machine washable at 40C. Low tumble dry.
4. Best Cooling Throw: The Oodie Cooling Blanket
The Oodie cooling blanket was by far the most visually appealing product I tried. It comes in seven different designs, including patterns and plain greys as well as blues and pinks. I chose leopard print and it looked fabulous. It felt like a quality product made with thick fabric and it was soft and smooth against the skin.
But it struggled to keep me from overheating while I slept. There is no 'cooling side' on this blanket, as both sides are made from the same nylon and elastane mix. It feels cool on first touch but I found this dissipated within a few minutes and started to heat up instead. Without repeatedly moving the blanket around to expose cooler sections, it is difficult to stay chilled underneath. The Oodie website classifies this as a 'throw' and I agree it would be better used to keep cool on the sofa or to control your temperature outside on summer evenings.
It is also hand wash only, which makes it difficult to keep clean if used as a duvet replacement. Contrary to the label, the website suggests you can machine it wash on a gentle cycle. I tried this and it came out unharmed, but it took a long time to dry.
Key specifications
Materials: 90 per cent nylon, 10 per cent elastane (cover), 100 per cent polyester (filling)
Washing instructions: Hand wash only. Do not tumble dry.
Available sizes: Single or 'queen' (which is actually emperor size 210 x 210 cm)
5. Best Weighted Cooling Blanket: Restore by Silentnight Cooling Weighted Blanket
If you are a fan of weighted blankets but find them too hot for summer, this cooling weighted blanket could be a great alternative. The Restore by Silentnight Cooling Weighted Blanket uses a polyester and glass bead filling to create the weight, which is spread evenly across the blanket.
The cooling side felt industrial and plastic-like. The nylon fabric reminded me of the material used in waterproof raincoats, or even the outer material of tents. It didn't feel natural or comfy against my skin at bedtime.
While it doesn't feel noticeably cool to touch, it does a good job of regulating temperature. I usually overheat and wake several times at night but I slept soundly under this blanket. The soft black outer fabric means it could double as a bed throw, and the materials feel high-quality.
Washing the weighted blanket is problematic though. It is hand wash only which would be difficult to do owing to its weight. It is heavy enough to lift as it is, let alone when wet, so I didn't risk it. The weight also makes it difficult to fold the blanket away for storage.
Key specifications
Materials: 100 per cent polyester (cover), 100 per cent nylon (reverse), 100 per cent polyester with glass beads (filling)
Washing instructions: Hand wash only.
Available sizes: One size (150 x 200cm)
6. Best Budget Cooling Blanket: Bedsure Cooling Blanket
£34.99
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The Bedsure Cooling Blanket feels heavy like a weighted blanket but is thin. Made from a mix of nylon, polyethylene and rayon derived from bamboo, it feels soft against the skin. It is OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, which means it has been tested for harmful substances. Still, I found it had a strong chemical smell, which only faded slightly after use.
The blanket was better at preventing overheating than actively cooling you down. The material doesn't feel that cool to touch but it is designed to wick away sweat.
It is available in four colours (beige, green, blue, and grey) and comes in three sizes (single, queen, and king). Despite its thin fabric, it is heavy and slippery making it surprisingly hard to fold. It is machine washable on a gentle cycle at up to 30C but cannot be tumble dried.
Key specifications
Materials used: 78 per cent nylon, 12 per cent polyethylene, 10 per cent rayon (cooling side), 66 per cent nylon, 34 per cent rayon derived from bamboo (reverse)
Washing instructions: Gentle wash up to 30C. Do not tumble dry.
Available sizes: Single, king and queen
Cooling blanket FAQs
Are cooling blankets effective for night sweats?
Yes. Cooling blankets and pads help draw heat and moisture away from your skin, which has a cooling effect and reduces sweat build-up.
How do cooling blankets actually work?
Unlike electric blankets, cooling blankets don't use power. Instead, man-made fabrics designed to be breathable and moisture-wicking pull heat and sweat from your body and transfer it to the exterior side so it evaporates away.
In testing, I found varying levels of success when it came to cooling properties, and as sleep is so personal, finding what works best for you may require some trial and error.
What are the best cooling blanket materials for consumers?
Blankets often use a combination of different synthetic fabrics, such as nylon, polyethylene, rayon and polyester. Products made solely of polyester are more likely to trap heat than release it.
Do you need to refrigerate cooling blankets?
No. Most blankets use fabric technology to draw heat away from your body automatically. But some (like the Ikea gel pad reviewed above) have the option of being pre-chilled in the fridge for improved performance.
Sometimes. Always check the care label carefully. While some cooling blankets are machine washable, others are hand wash only.