There are several things you can do to prevent night sweats from ruining your sleep: lowering the thermostat, buying a cooling pad, getting cool linen sheets, using a room cooler and so on.
But if you are looking for a quick and easy solution that won’t cost you much money, I recommend simply changing your duvet.
Maybe your current duvet is actually the one causing night sweats.
In this buying guide, we are going to review the best duvets for night sweats. These duvets have two essential characteristics: they are breathable and they are good at wicking away sweat.
Before we get to the reviews, here are some of the features to look for when shopping for a cooling duvet.
What to Consider When Buying a Duvet for Night Sweats
a. Tog Rating
You may have seen this term when shopping for a new duvet. It’s an indication of how warm the duvet is.
The higher the tog the warmer the duvet will be. So if you are looking for a cooling duvet, you want a lower tog.
Summer duvets have a tog between 1.5 and 4.5. These are the best for night sweats. A duvet with a tog rating higher than 8 will be too warm and is more ideal for winter and autumn.
b. Type of Fill
If you want a duvet with excellent cooling, look for one with natural fill.
Compared to synthetic fill, natural fill such as down is more breathable allowing heat and moisture to escape with ease.
Duvets with synthetic fill are cheaper but tend to trap more heat and moisture. But there are a few good ones that try to replicate the same level of breathability as down.
Our favourites are Hollowfibre and microfiber.
They are not as cool as down but they are great if you are on a budget. They are also the best if you are allergic to natural down filling.
c. Fabric
Don’t just consider the material inside the duvet; the casing is also important especially for wicking away sweat.
Cotton is the standard fabric used on duvets. It is soft, stays fairly cool and absorbs moisture well.
Percale cotton is especially good. It’s very light and airy.
Other good types of cotton fabric include Egyptian, Pima and Supima.
Silk is also good though it does not cool as well as cotton.
Some duvets use special fabric blends with materials like bamboo and rayon to boost cooling.
An affordable option is microfiber. It feels really soft, it’s durable and does a great job keeping you cool and dry.
Avoid flannel, polyester and heavy upholstery grade fabrics. They sleep too warm especially in hot weather. Most will also not let sweat escape.
d. Weight
The weight and feel of a duvet will depend on the type of fill and casing material used.
Generally, you want a lightweight duvet that doesn’t feel too stuffy at night. Even a breathable duvet can get hot if it’s made too heavy.
e. Size
Different brands will offer their own assortment of sizes. Check the available sizes before you start looking at other features.
The most common sizes are twin, double, queen and king and super king.
Because duvets tend to have a shorter overhang compared to comforters, I recommend ordering one size bigger than your bed especially for couples. This ensures you are not having a tug of war over the duvet at night.
f. Cleaning
Finally, check how easy the duvet is to clean and maintain.
If you get a natural fill duvet, it’s essential that you also buy a duvet cover. Such duvets are typically not washable.
Most synthetic fill duvets can be thrown in the washing machine. But there’ll usually be a warning to use a gentle cycle and low heat when washing and drying.
Read the cleaning instructions before buying to know what kind of care is needed.
The Best Duvets for Night Sweats Reviews
1. Lancashire Bedding Premium 2 Tog Spring Summer Cool Breathable Duvet Quilt
This cooling duvet uses hollowfibre filling to provide maximum breathability. The filling is paired with a moisture-wicking cotton blend fabric.
The duvet has a tog rating of 2, making it perfect for those experiencing hot flashes or night sweats. It’s also great for hot summer nights.
Because of the filling used, this duvet is lighter than you expect. It doesn’t feel stuffy at all at night.
The fabric is super soft, which gives your bed a 5-star hotel feel.
The duvet is machine washable so no worries about stains and dirt. You can even manage to use it without an additional duvet cover.
If you don’t like synthetic filling, the company has a natural alternative consisting of 15% goose down and 85% goose feathers. It’s cooler and more breathable than the hollowfibre option.
The duvet is available in 5 sizes: cot, single, double, king, super king.
What we like about it:
- Natural and synthetic options available.
- Cool and breathable fill.
- Moisture-wicking poly-cotton fabric.
- Machine washable.
2. Lancashire Textiles 4.5 Tog Peached Microfibre Duvet Cool Hollowfibre Filled Summer Quilt
With a tog rating of 4.5, this duvet will keep you cool and dry during the hottest months. It uses a special channel construction technique and breathable fill and casing to ensure there’s no heat trapped within the duvet.
The duvet is filled with hollowfibre, a synthetic down alternative that feels just as soft and luxurious.
The cover is microfiber, giving it an extra-soft and plush feel.
Overall, the duvet feels very lightweight and airy. It’s great for unusually hot nights or if you have serious night sweats or hot flashes.
There are four size options to choose from: single, double, king and super king.
What we like about it:
- Machine washable.
- Lightweight and breathable – better cooling performance than most duvets.
- Microfiber cover easily absorbs sweat.
- Hypoallergenic – ideal for those who are allergic to natural down.
3. The Bettersleep Company Cool Summer Weight Microfibre Duvet 2 Tog
This is our top recommendation if you are looking for a budget double size duvet for night sweats.
Like almost all other duvets we have reviewed, this one also uses a microfiber feeling. It has the soft feel and excellent cooling performance of natural down.
But unlike down, it is completely safe for people with allergies. The synthetic filling is itself hypoallergenic. In addition, it is resistant to dust mites and other common household allergens.
The cover is also microfiber. It stays cool and wicks away excess moisture to prevent any uncomfortable clamminess.
It has a 233-thread count that balances perfectly between cosy and airy.
The full duvet has a tog rating of 2. It’s great for those who need extra cooling power especially during the summer.
What we like about it:
- Machine washable.
- Extra-cool.
- Ideal for those with allergies and sensitive skin.
4. Slumberdown Anti Allergy Summer Cool 4.5 Tog Duvet
If you have serious allergies, this is the best duvet for night sweats.
It is certified anti-allergy, making it perfect if you are sensitive to dust mites, natural down filling, mould and other allergens.
The duvet has a tog rating of 4.5. It’s great for warm nights or if you have frequent hot flashes.
The hollowfibre filling is super soft and allows air and mouisture through easily.
The microfiber cover also helps keep the duvet cool and get sweat off your body.
The duvet is available in a king size (225 cm x 200). It works great with both king and queen sized beds.
You can wash the duvet in a washing machine at 40C. It’s also safe to tumble dry it on low.
What we like about it:
- Anti-allergy filling and cover.
- Cool and breathable.
- Ultra-soft.
5. 1 Tog Single Duvet – A Slight Second from Fogarty
This duvet is a slight second directly from Fogarty, a popular bedding brand.
By ‘slight second’ it means the duvets failed the factory inspection because of minor aesthetic issues. The duvet may have an uneven seam here and there or some other imperfection but it’s perfectly okay.
One advantage of buying a slight second is that it cheaper than the recommended retail price.
This particular duvet is a single size and rated at 1 tog. That means it has extra cooling power and is especially good for hot summers and those who get frequent hot flashes.
What we like about it:
- Affordable.
- Extra-cool.
- Machine washable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can bedding cause night sweats?
Yes, bedding can cause night sweats. If your bedding (including sheets, blanket and duvet) is not breathable, it’ll trap heat, causing you to overheat and sweat a lot.
Q: Why does my duvet make me sweat?
The TOG rating may be too high. Duvets are classified based on their TOG rating, with a lower number indicating that they sleep cooler.
If you have night sweats or are a hot sleeper, you need a duvet with a TOG between 1.5 and 4.5.
The type of fill used in the duvet could also be a problem. Duvets with synthetic feel are cheaper but they sleep hotter.
Natural fill is more breathable, which reduces the amount of heat trapped under the duvet.
Also check the outer fabric. The best duvet fabrics to reduce sweating are percale cotton, Egyptian cotton, Pima cotton, silk, microfiber and bamboo.
Fabrics to avoid include polyester and flannel.
Q: When should I be concerned about night sweats?
If switching to a cool duvet and bedding doesn’t help with night sweats, they may be an underlying health problem making you sweat. Visit your doctor for a diagnosis.
It’s also important to see a doctor if your night sweats are accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, loss of appetite and fatigue.
