Sure a new mattress can help keep you cool at night and you can even get one of those high-end bed cooling systems. But you don't have to spend a lot of money to make your bed cooler. There are lots of affordable, even free ways you can keep out the heat and sleep more comfortably. 

Here are five ways you can sleep cooler on a budget. By the way, air conditioning is automatically not part of this list, whether it’s central AC, a window unit or a portable AC. Because it costs you everytime you turn it on, it’s not exactly a cheap way to sleep cool. 

1. Change Your Sheets 

Your bedding has the greatest influence on your sleep comfort. A new latex or hybrid mattress would make your bed a lot cooler. But that will cost you. Bed sheets are cheaper to change. 

If you are sleeping on polyester or microfiber bed sheets, that could be one of the reasons you are getting hot at night. These synthetic materials trap more heat compared to natural fabrics. Switching to cooler bed sheets can improve your sleep without having to spend a lot of money on a new mattress.

We recently wrote a post on the best budget bed sheets if you want to look at the complete list. The best affordable sheets that sleep cool are polyester blended sheets such as Poly-cotton, polyester + bamboo and polyester + Tencel. 

100% cotton bed sheets sleep even cooler while still being affordable, especially if you stick to the 200-350 thread count range. 

Semi-synthetic rayon sheets like bamboo, lyocell and Tencel are also cool and breathable. You can get a 4-piece set of good quality rayon sheets for under $100.   

2. Change Your Comforter 

Another piece of bedding you can change to make your bed cooler is the comforter or duvet. Traditional microfiber/down alternative/fiberfill comforters are not very breathable, so they tend to sleep hot. 

Instead, try a lightweight down alternative comforter that has a rayon (bamboo, Tencel, modal or lyocell) or cotton shell. The breathable shell reduces how much heat the fiberfill retains. 

Alternatively, get a bamboo, cotton, silk or linen duvet cover and put your comforter inside. It will help you sleep cooler and wick away sweat. 

Note: 100% natural wool, cotton and down comforters are much cooler but they are pricey with a queen size costing over $100. If you have the budget, get one of these. 

3. Get A Cooling Mattress Pad or Topper 

If your mattress is the main reason your bed turns into a sauna at night (memory foam mattresses are notorious for this), a cooling mattress topper or pad is cheaper than a new mattress. 

Natural mattress pads made from wool, down or latex are the best for cooling. They cost between $100 to $300 for a queen size (1-2” thick). 

If you have a smaller budget, gel memory foam and fiberfill toppers (with a cotton or rayon shell) offer decent cooling performance. 

4. Get a Fan

Cooling your room will also help make your bed cooler. The best way to do that without resorting to AC is turning on a fan. 

A floor or ceiling fan circulates air around the room to keep heat from building up around your bed. To maximize its cooling effect, crack open a window. 

5. Get an Evaporative Cooler (If You Are in a Dry Climate)

An evaporative or swamp cooler is another cheaper alternative to turning on the AC. But it only works in hot and dry climates (under 40% humidity).  

A swamp cooler uses very little electricity and it’s highly effective at lowering room temperature. As a bonus, it also increases humidity, which reduces the negative effects of dry air such as nose bleeds and dry skin.