Are Cooling, Breath, and Moisture Wicking Pillows Worth Buying? Explaining the Technology Behind

One of the leading causes of a poor night’s sleep is an uncomfortable, hot pillow. When a pillow heats up during the night in an unpleasant manner, a person finds herself or himself waking up time and again to flip the pillow to the cool side. This guide is designed to provide you look at the best cooling pillows. You’ll also learn how cooling pillows work and things to look for.

• What are Cooling Pillows?
• How Do Cooling Pillows Work?
• Factors to Consider When Selecting the Best Cooling Pillow for You
• Cooling Pillow FAQs

What are Cooling Pillows?

In their essence, cooling pillows are designed to use one of three primary processes to prevent heat from building up in a pillow. Generally speaking, there are three unique ways in which the most popular cooling pillows on the market work:

• breathable pillows
• pillows containing water or gel
• pillows containing phase-change materials

How cooling pillows work depends upon the design and materials from which a product is crafted.

Cooling Pillow Technologies

• Breathable pillows are designed to permit air to freely flow through a pillow’s inner fill or outer natural fabrics, like bamboo or cotton. How air can flow freely combats a buildup of warm air.
• Pillows that contain water, or gel pillows cool a person’s skin. This cooling occurs due to what is known as the “physics of conduction.” The heat transfers from a person’s body to the water or gel contained within a pillow quickly and consistently, making an individual’s skin feel cooler.
• Finally, some pillows contain what are known as “phase-change materials”. Phase-change materials are the stuff of what some describe as rather complicated physics. Phase-change materials can change from a solid to a liquid and back again. This process permits heat transfer to and from a person’s body.

What things to Consider in a Cooling Pillow

There are a variety of factors that a person needs to bear in mind when considering the purchase of a cooling pillow. On the list of considerations is the material from which a cooling pillow is manufactured.

The primary materials utilized in a cooling pillow are memory foam, gel fiber, or natural materials. The selection of material utilized to craft a cooling pillow generally is a matter of personal preference for a consumer. Depending on the overall design of a pillow, these three primary types of materials used in a cooling pillow are capable of providing comfort for a sleeper.

With that noted, for the cooling propensity of a pillow, a consumer wants to examine the breathability and ventilation capacities of a particular product.

In the final analysis, the breathability of a pillow depends not only on the material used in the filler and covering but also the overall design of the product. This reality is examined with each of the dozen cooling pillows presented for consideration in this guide. In essential terms, the more breathable and better ventilated the filler and casing of a pillow, the more effective it will be at consistently cooling.

The cooling propensities of a specific pillow may be a prime consideration, but other factors are also essential. For example, when selecting a cooling pillow, there can be some pretty significant differences in the thread count of a pillow’s casing. The same thread count rules that apply to sheets are applicable to the covering of a cooling pillow. Thus, if a person wants to optimize the comfort and feel of a cooling pillow, a product with a higher thread count casing is preferable.

You will want to consider maintenance requirements as well. A good many cooling pillows on the market today are machine washable. For most people, this is preferred because it is a convenient and cost-effective way to clean and maintain a cooling pillow.

Cooling Pillow FAQs

How to Clean a Cooling Pillow?
A majority of cooling pillows are machine washable. A pillow should be washed using the gentle cycle. The manufacturer will direct how a cooling pillow should be dried. The manufacturer’s recommendation should be followed in this regard.

Can a Cooling Pillow be Used for Hot Flashes?
There is no reason why a cooling pillow cannot be used as a means of aiding with hot flashes at night. Depending on the severity of a woman’s hot flashes, other strategies might also be needed to address them, in addition to a cooling pillow.

Can a Cooling Pillow be Used for Stomach and Side Sleepers?
A cooling pillow can be used effectively for a back, stomach, and side sleeper.

Can a Cooling Pillow be Used for Neck Pain?
Yes, a cooling pillow can be used by a person who suffers from neck pain. The cooling capacity of such a pillow is apt to make a person struggling with neck pain feel more comfortable at night. In the final analysis, it is the shape and firmness of a cooling pillow that makes the most significant contribution to addressing neck pain.

Can a Cooling Pillow be Used for Migraines?
As is the case with individuals suffering from neck pain, a cooling pillow may aid a person afflicted with migraines in feeling more comfortable when trying to sleep.

Can a Cooling Pillow be Used for Babies?
When it comes to a pillow for a baby, care must be taken to use only a product that is sized and designed specifically for use by a baby. Keep in mind that many physicians recommend avoiding using a pillow for a baby before the age of two.

Can a Cooling Pillow be Used by Dogs and Cats?
There are cooling pillows specifically designed for use by dogs and cats.