Do cooling pillows actually work? Here's why they're a summer staple

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Summer heat seems to be hitting earlier and earlier each year. It also seems to be lasting longer and creeping into the fall months. That’s why it’s increasingly important to be sure you have all the right bedding to stay cool and comfortable at bedtime as temperatures start to rise. While a lightweight quilt or comforter set helps, perhaps the most useful tool for staying cool in dreamland is a good cooling pillow. 

Not only do cooling pillows help you stay comfortable, but they can also save you money in the long run. With electric rates rising fast, being able to stay cool at bedtime can keep your energy costs down. If you don’t have to run your air conditioning system at full capacity all night long, you can save hundreds of dollars every month on the bill. Although they won’t beat the breeze of a fan or the blast of an AC unit, they can provide a little bit of relief from the heat as you sleep. 

Cooling pillows are available in a few different formats, but some are perennial favorites that never seem to go out of style for shoppers. The two most popular types of cooling pillows are down alternative cooling pillows and gel cooling pillows. While they both deliver cooling comfort for a good night’s sleep, each one does so in a different way. Regardless of which style you prefer, there’s no denying that the right cooling pillow can make staying comfortable on hot summer nights a lot more manageable. 

Down alternative cooling pillows

Down alternative cooling pillows are the most common option for cooling pillows. The reason that these pillows are able to deliver such cooling comfort is because of the breathability of the synthetic filling. Down-alternative filling is far less dense than most other fills. Therefore, it allows for maximum airflow throughout the night. This is especially helpful for those who may sleep with the window open or rely on fans or air circulators to keep the ambient temperature down in lieu of air conditioning.

What’s more, most down alternative cooling pillows also have temperature-regulating covers on the outside as well. These two elements combine to keep you feeling plenty of breeze and cooling action on the surface of the pillow that has contact with your face. Additionally, the cover fabrics also tend to draw sweat away from the face. This helps to avoid the hours-long heat buildup that your body usually sustains with other materials, including traditional down-filled pillows.

Beckham Hotel Collection Cooling Pillow

Courtesy of Amazon

Check price at AmazonNectar Tri-Comfort Cooling Pillow

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Check price at AmazonFcinos Down-Alternative Cooling Pillow

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Check price at WalmartGel cooling pillows

The primary cooling technique for gel cooling pillows is heat dissipation. These pillows have an outside layer with small pods filled with either glycerine gel or water. The gel or liquid maintains a lower temperature than that of the room and of your body. During the night, as you sleep against the pillow, it pulls that combined heat away from your body and toward the surface of the pillow. The gel or water within then evenly distributes that heat throughout so that it continually dissipates as you sleep.  

Many standard pillows, such as those made from memory foam, are highly dense and have the opposite effect on your body heat. Traditional pillows trap that heat against your skin and offer virtually no absorption features. While it’s true that gel cooling pillows will feel much cooler to the touch when you first lie down than they will after hours of sleep, that just confirms that they’re doing their job. The gel is taking on the heat from your body and distributing it evenly. We also can’t forget the age-old trick of flipping the pillow every once in a while to enjoy the cool side. That has an even greater impact when you’re using a gel cooling pillow. As with many time-tested tricks, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

Egohome Cooling Gel Pillow

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Check price at AmazonCookey Cooling Gel Memory Foam Pillow

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Check price at WalmartCool Gel Cooling Memory Foam Pillow

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Check price at Amazon

No matter which cooling pillow you choose, you’re sure to be relieved when you set your weary head down to sleep. Just be sure to read the care instructions carefully before using and before washing. This is especially true for gel cooling pillows, as they may be far different from any pillow you’ve ever used in the past. There’s no need to rush things. These pillows tend to have a variety of construction techniques and materials, so the last thing you want to do is to use them improperly or damage them while trying to wash them. That definitely wouldn’t be cool.

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