The Best Cooling Pillows To Keep Even The Hottest Sleepers Comfortable
The best cooling pillows not only help with temperature, they also keep you comfortable all night.
The Tempur-Cloud contains the brand's signature memory foam, which might not appeal to everyone. For that reason, we rounded up six other cooling pillows with different materials, firmnesses and feels to accommodate more sleepers. Read on to find the best match for you.
Tempur-Pedic
Fill material: Tempur foam, cooling gel | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: 6.4 inches | Trial/warranty: No trial, 5-year warranty
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Tempur-Pedic is known for its high-quality proprietary materials, and this Tempur-Cloud pillow is packed with them. The cover is made from 100% cotton, which is a naturally breathable material; it's also removable and machine washable. Then there is a layer of cooling gel on both sides of the pillow, which helps draw heat away from your head. Sandwiched in the middle is a 6.4-inch tall piece of Tempur Material, a proprietary memory foam that offers a hugging sensation and a medium firmness.
'If you overheat at night, the Tempur-Cloud is a great option,' says one of our testers. 'I've slept hot for as long as I can remember. I'd flip my pillow over countless times, trying to find the cool side. With the Tempur-Cloud, I find that the surface stays cool all night.' The Tempur-Cloud doesn't come with a return policy, but it is backed by a five-year warranty against manufacturing defects. Just note that though the brand says it can work for all sleeping positions, we think it's too lofty for most stomach sleepers and is best suited for back and side sleepers.
GhostBed
Fill material: Gel memory foam, phase change material, mesh | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: 6 inches | Trial/warranty: 101-night trial, 5-year warranty
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GhostBed mattresses have impressed us with their cooling abilities, and the brand's Ghost Pillow is no different. It features a cool-to-the-touch cover that protects a memory foam core. Unlike traditional memory foam that's known for trapping heat, this foam is perforated and has phase change material and mesh covering it. The different layers work together to pull heat away from the head and allow for air to pass through.
Mattress and sleep editor McKenzie Dillon says, 'This was the first pillow that made me believe they could truly be cooling. My husband sleeps hot, and the Ghost Pillow has worked wonders for him. The cooling material in the cover has also stood the test of time, as it's still cold to the touch after two years.' Note that you can unzip the outer cover and machine wash it on a delicate, cold cycle (then hang dry).
Coop Sleep Goods
Fill material: Gel-infused memory foam, cooling gel, microfiber | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: Adjustable | Trial/warranty: 100-night trial, 5-year warranty
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Coop Sleep Goods regularly tops our best pillows lists with its adjustable, conforming microfiber fill, but the Cool+ model takes it up a notch with a cool-to-the-touch cover and gel-infused, plus-shaped memory foam. It has a very similar look as the bestselling Original Adjustable Pillow, but with added cooling prowess. The pillow comes with extra fill, so you can plump it up (or down) to your liking. I tested this pillow and found it has a cooling sensation and is a very breathable option. The plus-shaped foam offers a fluffy, contouring memory foam feel without any quicksand tendencies. The cut-out shape also allows for healthy alignment as a side sleeper.
If you switch to your back throughout the night, Coop Sleep Goods also offers a similar crescent version of the pillow for both sleep positions—or if you'd prefer a standard pillow shape, it offers that, too. Regardless of the shape you choose, the brand provides a 100-night trial and five-year warranty, so you can remain confident in your purchasing decision. Just note it takes time to figure out the best level of fill for your individual needs.
Purple
Fill material: Hyper-elastic polymer, ventilated Talalay latex | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: 5.5 (low), 6.5 (medium), 7.5 (tall) inches | Trial/warranty: 100-night trial, 1-year warranty
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I was initially hesitant to try the Purple Harmony Pillow, as it gives a nontraditional feel that seemed far-fetched for comfort, but, wow, was I quick to change my tune. It's been my favorite pillow now for almost a year. Along with a breathable cover made with moisture-wicking mesh, it features Purple's GelFlex Grid (a gel-like, honeycomb-pattern material) wrapped around Talalay latex; the blend does an exceptional job promoting airflow and maintaining a cool sensation. The pillow's supportive yet airy and offers a bouncy feel.
It comes in three different heights designed for different sleeping positions and body frames. The low is recommended for smaller body types along with stomach and back sleepers, while the medium and tall are recommended for side and combination sleepers or folks with medium to larger frames. Purple offers a 100-night trial and a one-year warranty. Similar to others on this list, only the cover is machine washable on a cold cycle and should be air dried.
Plufl
Fill material: Memory foam, microfiber | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: 9 inches | Trial/warranty: 100-night trial, 1-year warranty
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Foreshadowed by its name, the Hugl is a body pillow you can comfortably hug, and feel hugged in return (thanks to its ergonomic shape). It's a cozy hug but not a warm one—the cover's made with moisture-wicking bamboo and cooling polyethylene fabric, while the fill is adjustable and promotes airflow. One of our testers says the pillow kept her body temperature comfortable during the hottest summer nights in New York City.
But it doesn't just shine in temperature regulation—the memory foam and microfiber fill offer a supportive, medium-firm feel that can keep you comfortable all night. Our tester especially appreciates the contoured shape of the Hugl Body Pillow, saying, 'This makes sinking into it incredibly comfortable, with the bonus of also being comfortable when adjusted against my headboard into a more upright position that's suitable for reading or watching TV.' The cover's also machine washable. You can choose between a standard or large size but, depending on the size and color combination, you may have to pre-order.
Sleep Number
Fill material: Foam | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: 4 to 5 inches | Trial/warranty: 100-night trial, 1-year warranty
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Rather than having removable shredded fill like most adjustable pillows, the True Temp Adapt Pillow (ultimate model) has three removable inserts that you can experiment with to find your best fit. As for its firmness, one of our testers who prefers extra-soft pillows says, 'While this pillow is a tad firmer than I would like, I really appreciate that I can adjust the loft depending on whether I'm sleeping (I use two inserts) or using it under my knees when my lower back sometimes bothers me (in this case I use all three).' She notes it's helped relieve her back tension as a side-back combo sleeper.
On top of its foam inserts, the True Tempt Adapt has a cooling cover made of polyethylene, polyester and spandex, along with interior layers consisting of cotton and lyocell (a material made from wood pulp) that are breathable and moisture wicking. Our tester notes, 'I always sleep hot and wake up sweaty. I like the cool-touch cover because it's true to its name; that said, it is a bit slippery and tends to slide a bit. Luckily, it is still temperature regulating even with the linen pillowcase I put over it.' The cover is also machine washable and can be tumble dried on low.
Bedgear
Fill material: Foam, cooling gel, silklike fibers | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: 4.75, 5.25, 5.75 and 6.5 inches | Trial/warranty: 30-night trial, 1-year warranty
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Every layer of the Bedgear Night Ice Performance Pillow has advanced tech and thoughtful cooling touches in it, from the ventilated cover to the cooling gel foam and silklike fibers inside. Our tester says it delivers a cool-to-the-touch sensation that she compares to leaving your pillow in the car overnight during the winter. And not only does she report that it stays that way while sleeping, she notes that she felt its cooling powers through three different types of pillowcases. (She felt the washable cover was a little scratchy without one.)
The Night Ice Performance Pillow is offered in four different height profiles; you can fill out three questions to get a recommendation from the brand on which one to choose. In general, though, side sleepers do best with a loftier pillow, back sleepers with a medium loft and stomach sleepers with a low profile. If you choose the wrong loft and/or don't like it, you can return the pillow within 30 days. Bedgear also offers a 100-night return window for unopened pillows and a one-year warranty.
Our team of editors is dedicated to providing the best sleep recommendations and advice to help as many people as possible achieve their greatest rest. We've delved into everything sleep, from the best mattresses to sunrise alarm clocks, and we have a robust library of mattress and sleep stories and guides.
When choosing the best cooling pillows, we started by looking at top-rated products from reputable brands.
There are many considerations to take into account when choosing a pillow in general, but even more so when also wanting a cooling option. From what makes the pillow cooling to your own sleep style, here's what to consider.
Most of the pillows on this list feature cooling technology that's either popular in the cooling fabric space, such as Outlast or 37.5, or is a proprietary material from the brand. Fabrics infused with this tech actively work to pull heat away from the body and maintain a cooling sensation. Some of the foam pillows on this list also include gel infusions or perforations to help promote airflow and prevent body heat from trapping.
There are also more natural cooling materials and fibers often used in cooling pillows' covers, such as bamboo, Tencel or cotton. 'Cooler fibers like those found in natural fibers like cotton can be helpful mainly because of their structure," says Bea Ovalle, CEO and founder of O-valle. Cotton's hollow, tubular structure in particular promotes breathability and keeps moisture from trapping.
The fill material is important for cooling, but it's also what provides the necessary support and comfort for your head and neck. There are different types of fills brands use for cooling pillows, with these being some of the most popular:
Sleeping position plays a huge role in the pillow you should choose: 'Depending on your preferred sleep position, the needed support will likely be a little bit different,' says Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell, a board-certified physician and certified sleep specialist. She says back sleepers need medium-firm support, side sleepers need firm, thicker support and stomach sleepers need softer, more compressible support in order to maintain healthy sleep posture. It's important to find the right support and firmness level for your sleeping position to prevent neck or back pain.
Yes, we've tested several cooling pillows that actually work, including the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling Pillow. It features gel cooling layers along with a cool-touch cover.
We think the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling Pillow is a great pillow to keep you cool and is best suited for side and back sleepers. If you're a stomach sleeper, the Purple Harmony in the lowest height is a better option.
A cooling pillow with a low loft, or height, is the best for stomach sleepers, such as the thinnest Purple Harmony Pillow model or the Coop Sleep Goods Cool+ Adjustable Pillow (standard model) with less fill inside.
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Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Tom's Guide
I test all kinds of cooling mattress toppers, but these 3 materials actually help me sleep in the heat
If overheating disrupts your sleep, a cooling mattress topper can immediately transform your bed into a cozy retreat from night sweats and hot flashes. But what materials are actually effective at regulating temperature, and what's just marketing fluff? As a seasoned product reviewer who's tested the best mattress toppers across all budgets, I know firsthand what works (and what doesn't) when it comes to cooler sleep. Below, I'll be sharing the five mattress topper materials that'll keep you cool and dry, plus three types you'll want to approach with caution. Once you're ready to shop, browse our mattress topper deals hub to score cooler sleep at a discount. Plus, with the Labor Day mattress sales fast approaching, I'm expecting to see some even bigger price drops on the luxury cooling mattress toppers I loved testing. A mattress topper is a layer of padding that alters the feel of your bed. A cooling mattress topper, in particular, can increase the breathability of your bed through specialist materials that disperse heat and wick away moisture. Cooling bed toppers are a good choice for sleepers who deal with night sweats and hot flashes due to health reasons. They're also useful for people who live in warmer climates year-round or part of the year. If your current mattress is prone to trapping heat but otherwise comfortable, adding a cooling topper is a relatively quick fix that will save you money versus buying a new mattress altogether. Sometimes, even the best mattresses need a cooling boost. From my experience (and that of my fellow testers), the following five mattress topper materials effectively create a comfortable sleep microclimate. Whether infused into foam as a fine powder or embedded as surface ribbons, graphite is used in mattresses to absorb heat from your body and transfer it to cooler parts of the surface. This natural mineral has high thermal conductivity, so heat passes right through it. Despite its prominence in the best cooling mattresses, graphite appears less common in cooling bed toppers. One of the few such options on the market is the Saatva Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper, which I tested. Memory foam is known to trap heat, but the infusion of graphite in the Saatva bed topper kept me cozy at night, as did its breathable organic cotton cover (more on that below). Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Cotton is a popular material for mattress covers because it's soft, breathable, and moisture-wicking. For added peace of mind, some brands use GOTS-certified cotton derived from sustainably-grown crops that aren't treated with toxic chemicals, heavy metals, artificial dyes, or other harmful substances. The Saatva High Density Memory Foam Mattress Topper has an organic cotton cover. I placed it on top of a Tempur-Pedic mattress that caused me to wake up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat. Despite adding foam on top of foam, the organic cotton cover of the Saatva bed topper introduced much-needed airflow to an otherwise stifling mattress. You'll also find organic cotton covers on bed toppers from eco-forward brands such as Avocado, Naturepedic, and Birch. Adding air holes and/or a cooling gel that absorbs and disperses heat (similar to graphite) is another way to prevent heat buildup in foam mattress toppers. The top comfort layer of the Casper Comfy Mattress Topper is the brand's perforated foam, which Terri, one of my fellow testers, said kept her cool throughout the night. Terri also tried the Molecule CopperWELL Mattress Topper, which features a copper-gel infusion that allowed her to sleep without overheating. (Copper is a natural heat conductor that also adds antibacterial benefits.) Meanwhile, I slept on the budget-friendly Lucid Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper, which is ventilated and infused with cooling gel. I found these elements worked well together to maintain a comfortable temperature. GlacioTex is a heat-absorbing material with a 50/50 blend of polyester and polyethylene (a type of plastic). It's waterproof and hypoallergenic, and has a soothing sensation upon contact. Helix is one brand that's known for using GlacioTex covers on its mattress toppers. My fellow tester, Emily, tried the Helix GlacioTex Premium Mattress Topper and liked how it felt "smooth and cool without being too cold." I had a similar experience with the Helix ErgoAlign Mattress Topper with GlacioTex. My full review of that topper is to come, but I can say that it has served as an oasis during some dreadfully hot summer evenings. Similar to GlacioTex, some brands create their own cooling materials using polyester and polyethylene, phase change materials, and even volcanic particles. For example, I tested the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt + Cooling Mattress Topper, which is wrapped in a 50/48 mix of polyester and polyethylene. This not only gives it a cool-touch feeling, but it also helps the Tempur Material breathe. Microcoils are becoming more prevalent in mattress toppers for supportive pressure relief, but they also add airflow, much like we've seen with the best hybrid mattresses. A natural latex mattress topper can also add some ventilation to your current sleep surface. Not only is natural latex a porous material, but it's usually paired with a cotton or wool cover for extra breathability and moisture-wicking. Whether it's due to marketing gimmicks or a lack of efficacy, you'll want to proceed with caution when shopping for a cooling mattress topper that includes any of the following... As the name suggests, open-cell foam has a structure of interconnected air pockets. This type of mattress foam has a softer, 'squishier' feel compared to closed-cell foam, which is dense and rigid. Some brands will market open-cell memory foam as a defining feature for cooler sleep, but this is somewhat misleading because all memory foam mattress toppers use this type of material — it's just one of the many marketing tricks mattress brands use. And while it's more breathable than closed-cell foam — which is primarily used for insulation — open-cell foam alone won't be as cooling without added features such as air holes, infused cooling particles, or a specialized cover. Tempur Material promises to adapt to your temperature, but does that translate to cooler sleep? No — your body heat merely aids in the material conforming to your shape for that signature "hug." If anything, Tempur Material is notorious for trapping heat. That was an issue when I tested the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Mattress, and reviewer Michele found the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Topper's temperature regulation underwhelming. That said, you don't need to cast aside this pressure-relieving material altogether. A cooling cover, like the one included with the Tempur-Adapt Cooling + Mattress Topper, can increase its breathability. Sometimes, cooling gel is added to a foam layer in a swirl pattern. While this design looks neat, it won't be as efficient at removing heat because some areas of the surface will have a higher concentration of gel than others. A mattress topper with an even layer of cooling gel distributed throughout the foam will deliver more consistent relief.
Buzz Feed
29-07-2025
- Buzz Feed
Back And Neck Pain Specialist-Approved Pillows
Poor sleep position is the number one cause of neck- and back-related pain, according to what Ben Gruen, lead chiropractor for New York City's Move Well MD and member of the American Chiropractic Association, observes in his practice. It's also largely avoidable with the proper pillow and a little bit of education. When broaching the idea of a 'proper pillow' it's not unrealistic to think of Tempur-Pedic, a well-known mattress and sleep brand that will forever be recognized for its responsive, NASA-developed 'viscoelastic memory foam, which the brand calls Tempur-Material, an open cellular structure that instantly and precisely adapts to factors like body weight and shape.'I myself have been sleeping with different Tempur-Pedic [pillows] for decades,' Gruen told us in an email exchange. According to him, Tempur-Pedic pillow designs are widely known to help support neutral alignment of the neck. This is important because, as Gruen explained, 'a spine that is put in a non-neutral position is putting unnecessary pressure on your neck joints and can cause muscles to compensate as a result of that change.'Gruen reminds us that it's not a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to selecting the right pillow.'For side sleepers, you would want the pillow to be supportive and fill the gap between your head and shoulder,' he said, while back sleepers should choose a thinner down-style pillow that allows your head to sink towards the bed and the pillow to surround your ears. Fortunately, Tempur-Pedic offers several pillow options for every type of sleeper, each one made with some variation of the brand's signature Tempur-Material that promises to be supportive and pressure-relieving. We laid out each of those pillows below, with information on exactly who those pillows are best designed for and the difference between each of them. The most popular "Cloud Pillow" Who it's for: Back and stomach Tempur-Cloud is the brand's most popular pillow option for its adaptive support. It's made with an extra-soft version of Tempur-Pedic's famed memory foam that's ultra-conforming to the neck and face and low profile, which means it allows the head to sink towards the bed in back sleeping positions, a desirable factor for back sleepers according to experts. This plush pillow comes in a removable and machine-washable knit cover and is easily compressed for easy it from Amazon for $67. A two-design pillow for every kind of sleeper Who it's for: All dual-designed pillow is meant to offer support and alignment to every type of sleeper. The contoured side is gently arched to bolster the head and neck in back-lying positions, while the flatter side offers a more neutral level of support for those who sleep on their side or stomach. The Symphony is made with the classic formed Tempur-Pedic material that promises to be adaptive and pressure-relieving and comes zipped inside the brand's signature hypoallergenic knit cover that's removable and machine-washable. This pillow is also currently eligible for Tempur-Pedic's bundle-and-save deal, which offers a savings of $79 when you purchase two pillows. Get it from Tempur-Pedic for $129. A contoured neck pillow Who it's for: Side and back sleepersThis specially designed contoured pillow is made from an extra-firm version of Tempur-Pedic's responsive memory foam material for optimal support for back and side sleepers, depending on which side of the pillow is used. Available in three sizes to best serve your specific anatomy and sleep positioning, this ergonomic pillow is meant to follow the natural curve of the head and neck to offer proper alignment and support and, like most of Tempur-Pedic's pillow offerings, it comes with a removable and machine-washable knit cover. Get it from Tempur-Pedic for $119+. An adjustable version of the "Cloud Pillow" Who it's for: All sleepers, especially if you toss and mentioned earlier that the Cloud Pillow is Tempur-Pedic's best-selling design, however, it's not the best option for side sleepers. This adjustable medium-soft version allows all sleepers to fluff, scrunch and fully customize the amount of fill inside the pillow to suit their positioning needs. Inside the stretchy inner liner is a proprietary blend of loose Tempur-Pedic fill, which contains a mixture of pressure-relieving foam, a pillowy soft material and high-density support foam that won't go flat over time. The brand claims it's the perfect balance of adequate support and cozy comfort, even if you're prone to tossing and turning at night. It's available in two sizes and the removable machine-washable cover is treated with an anti-allergen now, save up to $59 on the adjustable Cloud Pillow when you purchase two at a time with Tempur-Pedic's bundle-and-save deal. Get it from Tempur-Pedic for $69+. A dual cooling version of the "Cloud Pillow" Who it's for: All sleepers, especially anyone who runs hot. This is another iteration of the popular Cloud Pillow, specially meant for those who run hot. This is because of an outer layer of cooling gel that absorbs excess heat on each side of the pillow. Sandwiched in between these layers of gel is Tempur-Pedic's medium-destiny memory foam that the brand considers to be highly adaptive and suitable for all sleep positions. The removable and machine-washable cover is made from 100% cotton for added breathability. It's available in two it from Amazon for $96.99+. A pressure-relieving hybrid pillow Who it's for: All Cloud Hybrid Pillow is an extra-plush design stuffed with not just a solid piece of the brand's signature memory foam at the pillow's center, meant to offer an adaptive and head-cradling feel. It also contains Tempur-Pedic's proprietary fill blend, a mixture of pressure-relieving foam, a pillowy soft material and high-density support foam that won't go flat over time. According to the brand, this combination can relieve aches and pains in areas like the neck and shoulders. Find it in two sizes and save up to $119 when you take advantage of Tempur-Pedic's current bundle-and-save deal. Get it from Tempur-Pedic for $149+. A supportive body pillow for side sleepers Who it's for: Side sleepers and pregnant 48-inch-long body pillow provides flexible support in key areas of side sleepers, like between the knees. Its huggable design is medium firm and filled with shapeable micro-cushions that easily conform to the shape and pressure of the body. It has a removable and machine-washable knit it from Amazon for $124.13. A versatile support pillow Who it's for: Frequent travelers, loungers and sedentary workers. Tempur-Pedic's versatile and travel-friendly pillow has a clever cradling peanut shape, which allows it to offer the perfect dose of support in areas like the lower back, the neck, between the knees or even propping up a book while reading. It's made with the brand's exclusive firm memory foam material and features convenient carrying and a removable machine-washable cover for easy cleaning. Right now you can save $29 whenever you purchase two of these pillows at once. Get it from Tempur-Pedic for $49. A travel neck pillow with Tempur-Pedic material Who it's for: Frequent travelers and who has tried to get some sleep on a flight or long-distance road trip without one of these ergonomic neck pillows handy knows how uncomfortable and pain-inducing it can be. But unlike the traditional horseshoe-shaped neck pillows that are bought at the airport, this one is made with the brand's iconic medium-firm memory foam pillow that can support and cradle the head. It has a removable machine-washable cover for easy cleaning. Right now, you can save $49 whenever you purchase two Tempur-Pedic travel pillows at once. Get it from Tempur-Pedic for $79.
Forbes
24-07-2025
- Forbes
What Most Healthcare Cloud Migrations Get Wrong (And How To Get It Right)
Sandipan Biswas | MS Computer Sc | MBA | Director of Engineering, Fortune 20 Healthcare | Senior Member - IEEE | Independent Researcher. Cloud adoption in healthcare has seen dramatic acceleration, driven by the promise of scale, efficiency and innovation. But beneath the surface of this progress lies a more complex reality. Migration to the cloud, especially in healthcare, is not just about moving workloads. It is a strategic redefinition of how data, systems and compliance interact. When these migrations fail, the impact can be more than just financial. It can affect clinical care, breach regulatory boundaries and erode patient trust. Healthcare has unique demands that other sectors do not face. Regulations like HIPAA, the importance of data lineage and the mission-critical nature of patient information mean that success is not defined by cloud adoption alone. It is defined by how well organizations adapt their architecture, governance and operations to meet the evolving demands of both technology and care delivery. Across the healthcare technology landscape, certain patterns tend to repeat. These issues don't usually stem from lack of experience. The real problem is a gap in mindset. Many teams approach cloud migration as a technical upgrade, but what's really needed is a shift in how they think about architecture, governance and daily operations. Here are five recurring missteps that often go unnoticed until they create costly setbacks. Each one can be avoided with the right approach. 1. Treating Cloud Migration As A Simple Lift And Shift Many organizations view cloud migration as a way to reduce costs or eliminate on-premise infrastructure. That thinking often leads to a "lift and shift" approach, where legacy systems are rehosted in cloud environments without meaningful architectural changes. While this may meet short-term goals, it frequently results in performance degradation, inflated cloud bills and missed opportunities for modernization. The better approach is to use migration as a moment to redesign. Instead of porting over static workflows, teams should consider modular designs, event-driven architectures and serverless computing where appropriate. Batch jobs designed for monolithic environments can evolve into real-time processing pipelines. A migration that enhances agility, performance and scalability is far more valuable than one that merely replicates old systems in new infrastructure. 2. Overlooking Governance Until It Is Too Late In highly regulated environments, data governance is not optional. Yet in many cloud projects, it is deprioritized or deferred until after deployment. This creates avoidable compliance risks and slows down innovation when teams are forced to retrofit controls later. Healthcare data must be handled with clarity around ownership, access, lineage and lifecycle. Successful governance strategies start before a single workload is moved. This includes defining stewardship roles, data classification schemes, tagging policies and access protocols. Cloud-native tools such as AWS Lake Formation and Google Cloud Data Catalog help automate these tasks, but only when there is a strong governance foundation in place. When governance is embedded into the architecture from day one, compliance becomes a continuous capability rather than a reactive fix. 3. Assuming Security Comes Built In It is easy to assume that major cloud providers offer baked-in security protections. While the platforms are secure by design, the responsibility to configure and maintain those protections lies with the user. Misconfigured identity policies, open storage buckets and unencrypted datasets are some of the most common issues uncovered during security audits. Security in healthcare cloud environments must be intentional. Encryption at rest and in transit should be a default. Identity and access management must follow the principle of least privilege. Logging, anomaly detection and regular policy reviews are essential. The stakes are high. A single security lapse can lead to data breaches that not only incur fines but also undermine trust in care delivery. 4. Ignoring Observability Until A Problem Occurs Without visibility into how systems behave, even minor issues can become major outages. Many teams invest heavily in infrastructure but forget to build in the observability that makes maintenance and improvement possible. In healthcare, the inability to detect performance issues or trace errors can have serious consequences for both operations and compliance. Observability needs to be a design consideration, not an afterthought. Centralized logging, metrics dashboards and distributed tracing allow teams to detect anomalies early, diagnose root causes quickly and meet audit requirements. These capabilities are not only useful for operational uptime but are also vital in meeting the transparency requirements of healthcare regulators and stakeholders. 5. Thinking Migration Ends At Go-Live One of the most persistent myths is that migration is a one-time project. Teams often disband after go-live, with no long-term ownership plan in place. But cloud adoption is not a destination. It is a continuous journey. The needs of users, the growth of data and changes in clinical workflows mean that cloud systems must evolve over time. Organizations that succeed in the long run treat post-migration operations as a critical phase. They establish cloud centers of excellence, create feedback loops with users and maintain governance and security as living practices. Regular audits, performance tuning and architectural updates are part of this phase. Cloud transformation is sustainable only when it is owned beyond the project timeline. Conclusion Migrating to the cloud is a major milestone for any healthcare organization. But it is only one part of a much larger transformation. The cloud offers unprecedented flexibility, but that flexibility can become a liability if not handled with care. Success depends on more than technical execution. It requires foresight, planning and a willingness to treat cloud migration as a long-term strategic investment. By avoiding the common traps of rushed rehosting, delayed governance, weak security, limited observability and short-term thinking, healthcare organizations can build systems that are secure, compliant and ready to support innovation. With the right foundation, the cloud can truly enable the future of connected, data-driven healthcare. 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