What is a Cooling Blanket?

August 27, 2021 | Casper Editorial Team

You’ve probably heard of heated blankets, those extra-soft pieces of technology designed to keep you warm when you need it most. But, what is a cooling blanket? If you’ve never heard of cooling blankets, you’re truly missing out. Unlike heated blankets, cooling blankets are made for the hot sleeper type. By using advanced cooling technology and special moisture wicking fabrics, cooling blankets provide the chill you need to break the sweat of summer.

Although simple in theory, blankets with this built in cooling effect can be quite technical. That’s why we’re here. 

Below, we’ll cover all you need to know about cooling blankets—from how they work to their benefits for the hot sleeper. We’ll also highlight two of the best lightweight, heat-repelling bed duvets out there: the Lightweight Humidity Fighting Duvet and the Lightweight Duvet (and Duvet Alternative) from Casper.

From breathable duvets to cooling sheets, our Cooling Collection has everything you need to optimize your sleep setup. Say hello to the coolest sleep ever.

How Do Cooling Blankets Work?

Invented by NASA in the 1980s to help keep astronauts cool when passing through high-temperature zones, cooling blankets have a storied (and technical) history. To best understand how a cool blanket works, it’s good to start with what they fight: hot sleeping.

When we sleep, our bodies release heat into our mattresses and bedding, considerably warming the area around us. The problem is that some mattresses and bedding trap this heat and moisture, rather than release it, leading to a night of tossing and turning in the bed equivalent of a sauna. If you have also wondered, “do cooling mattresses work?” or “do cooling sheets work?”, the answer is yes. Yet, if you do not have a mattress specifically designed to keep you cool, cooling blankets can help you achieve a better night’s sleep. Cooling blankets use special fabrics to wick away the moisture. And thermal conduction takes care of the natural body heat that may get trapped.

Let’s break down how cooling blankets work even further by focusing on the two main ways they keep us cool: thermoregulating fabrics and heat-conducting technologies.

Thermoregulating Fabrics

Although the name sounds complex, thermoregulating fabrics are simply materials that help reduce heat. They do this by wicking away moisture from our body, keeping body temperature down and sleep quality up. 

Popular thermoregulating fabrics in cooling blankets include cotton, polyester, acrylic, and wool. Some are even composed of bamboo fabric!

Not only are these fabrics lightweight, they are also extremely breathable. And most contain a mixture of materials with cooling properties specifically designed to wick moisture away. The Lightweight Humidity Fighting Duvet from Casper, for instance, is made from 100% cotton with a layer of merino wool to keep you cool and dry for a more comfortable sleep. Similar to a duvet cover, you will also want to consider the best thread count for cool sheets to optimize your sleeping arrangement.

Heat Conducting Technologies

Cooling blankets also work through thermal conduction. Put simply, thermal conduction involves the transfer of heat from a hot object to a cooler one. Some popular ways to transfer heat include:1

  • Phase Change Materials (PCMs) – PCMs are materials that contain microcapsules that absorb heat from the body and disperse it for a more comfortable sleep.
  • Gel-Based Cooling Blankets Similar to PCM-based cooling blankets, gel-based cooling blankets use gels infused into the fabric to absorb heat.
  • Weighted Blankets – Also called a gravity blanket, a weighted blanket uses both special fabrics and heat-conducting technologies to keep sleepers comfortable. Usually filled with rice, pellets, or glass beads, a gravity cooling blanket conducts heat while helping with anxiety.
  • Air Cooling Blankets An electric blanket built to mimic an air conditioner, an air cooling blanket pumps in cool air to replace the heat shed while sleeping.

Whichever temperature regulating technology you choose, it’s important to know what you’re getting. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered with some breathable bedding options. Read on to learn about some of the best moisture wicking blankets on the market—Casper’s lightweight duvets.

The Lightweight Humidity Fighting Duvet

Made from 100% cotton and including a layer of merino wool, the Lightweight Humidity Fighting Duvet from Casper is a moisture-wicking machine. Not only does the merino wool keep moisture away with its cooling properties, the sewn-in chambers keep the down fluffy and in place, ensuring a relaxing night’s sleep.

While not a cooling blanket in the traditional sense, the Lightweight Humidity Fighting Duvet is perfect for those who sleep hot and are seeking to eliminate night sweats. This cooling duvet cover will help you maintain a cool temperature throughout the night. 

The Lightweight Duvet (and Duvet Alternative)

Similar to the Lightweight Humidity Fighting Duvet, the Lightweight Duvet and Duvet Alternative are exemplary pieces of breathable bedding. The Duvet Alternative is especially effective at keeping temperatures cool. Designed with a TENCEL™ Lyocell fiber shell, this cooling duvet cover keeps you from overheating, and the 100% recycled polyester gives you the lightness of down while being eco-friendly.

Benefits of Cooling Blankets

In addition to keeping things cool while you sleep, cooling blankets come with many benefits. These include:

  • Improved Sleep Quality By helping to keep you cool, cooling blankets have been shown to improve sleep quality. The breathable fabric of these blankets wicks away moisture and absorbs heat.
  • Reducing Night Sweats Night sweats can turn a peaceful night’s sleep into a damp mess in no time at all. Fortunately, a cooling breathable blanket reduces night sweats by absorbing excess heat, significantly lessening the heat under your linen sheets.
  • Lower Air Conditioning Bill By removing excess heat through fabrics and heat-conducting technologies, cooling blankets make you less likely to turn down the A/C for much-needed relief.

Keep Sleep Cool with Casper

The cooling effect of these kinds of blankets are quickly becoming an essential part of the sleep experience. Not only do they wick away moisture, they absorb excess body heat so that you can sleep cooler for longer.  And the best part? By shopping for duvets from Casper, you can have a fantastic heat-repelling duvet at a fraction of the price of other brands.

From the Lightweight Duvet and Duvet Alternative to the Lightweight Humidity Fighting Duvet, Casper has you covered in the coolest way possible. And to truly optimize your sleep setup, learn how to stay cool with the rest of the Casper Cooling Collection.

Source:

  1. Trust Sleep. How Do Cooling Blankets Work? https://www.trustsleep.com/how-do-cooling-blankets-work/