The best sheets to keep you cool at night

If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night with your sheets and jammies sweat-soaked or your hair matted to your face, you’ve probably figured it out already: Being too hot can interfere with your sleep.

The temperature of the environment we sleep in matters a lot,” explains Chris Winter MD, medical director of the Sleep Medicine Center at Martha Jefferson Hospital in Virginia and author of The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It . “There’s been a lot of research that shows that 62 to 67 degrees is the ideal for best, most efficient sleep quality,” he says.

“The sheets and bedding you use can make a real huge difference in heat regulation,” says Dr. Winter.

“In the summertime that really affects people because it’s expensive to air-condition a room down to 65 degrees when it’s 90 plus degrees outside,” he says as I nod in agreement. “When you’re overheated, you’re getting a lower-quality, less-efficient sleep.” says Dr. Winter. Which starts a negative chain-reaction: you wake-up exhausted and you’re not recovering as well from your workouts, he explains.

Luckily, you have options beyond cranking the AC: “Whether its choosing a sheet more breathable sleep fabric, or opting for some a little higher-tech, the sheets and bedding you use can make a real huge difference in heat regulation,” says Dr. Winter.

“Linen and cotton are two great fabric choices for summer sheets. Both fabrics, especially linen (which is derived from the flax plant) are “breathable” AKA you can feel air through them and composed of natural fibers that help you stay cool in the heat,” says Vicki Fulop, co-founder of Brooklinen. “Another option is to choose is a percale weave which is known for its crisp, cool-to-the-touch feeling,” she says.