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Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Health
- 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.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Bihar: Nitsh Kumar announces fee relief for students appearing for competitive exams
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday announced a uniform fee of ₹100 for preliminary tests of all competitive exams in the state, while no money will be charged for appearing in the mains. Kumar said this decision will benefit lakhs of youth who aspire for government jobs. (PTI photo) The development comes at a time when the state will go to polls later this year for the assembly election. 'Our government has taken several concrete steps to provide more opportunities for government jobs and employment to the youth of the state and to secure their future. Now we have taken another decision in the interest of the youth. I am happy to inform that it has been decided to provide a RELIEF in the examination fee to the candidates by bringing uniformity in the fees of the preliminary (PT) competitive examinations conducted by all the commissions (Bihar Public Service Commission / Bihar Staff Selection Commission / Bihar Technical Service Commission / Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission / Central Constable Selection Board etc.) for state level government jobs', he said in a post on his official X account. 'Now instructions have been given to keep the fee of only ₹100 for the candidates appearing in the preliminary (PT) competitive examination. At the same time, the candidates who pass the preliminary (PT) examination and appear in the main examination (Mains) will no longer have to pay any examination fee. This step of the state government will benefit lakhs of youth,' he said. Also Read: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar releases ₹1,247 crore under increased pension scheme The decision of the state government is expected to directly benefit lakhs of youth especially students from rural and economically weaker families. Addressing a gathering on Independence Day in Patna, the CM said that his government wants the youth to prosper. 'Our government is giving government jobs to the youth. In 2020, in Saat Nischay-2, we decided that 10 lakh jobs and 10 lakh employment will be given, so this has already happened and is increasing. Now it has been decided that in the next 5 years, one crore youth will be given jobs and employment,' he said. 'To promote education, a uniform and bicycle scheme was launched for boys and girls. Girls are being given ₹25,000 on clearing class 12 and ₹50,000 on graduation. Now girls are also studying a lot. The number of boys and girls in schools is becoming equal. Now the total number of government teachers has become five lakh 12 thousand,' Kumar said. Kumar also shed light on the improvement of law and order in the state since 2005. 'Compared to 2005, the number of murders, loot, kidnapping and robbery incidents in the state has reduced a lot. Now there is no atmosphere of fear. People are working in the market till late night. They are coming and going without any fear. Attention has been given to the field of education and health. Earlier there were very few schools. There was a shortage of teachers. Due to this, studies could not be done properly. You all know how much has been done,' he said.
