Night sweats not only make you uncomfortable, they can also make your bed smelly and unhygienic. Moisture buildup on bedding provides an environment for bacteria, mold and mildew to thrive. 

Getting the right bedding can help reduce night sweats and their negative effects. Here are our best bedding recommendations. 

Best Bed Sheets for Night Sweats 

Sheets made from natural fibers are the best for dealing with night sweats. Not only do they keep you cooler, thus reducing sweating, they also handle moisture better. 

Natural fabrics are also more resistant to odors, which helps keep your bed smelling fresh. In contrast, polyester sheets smell sweatier and hold onto the smell for longer. 

For even better odor control, you can get antibacterial sheets like the Hercleon Jax sheets that actively fight off odor-causing bacteria. They keep your bed fresher and more hygienic. 

Cotton Sheets  

Cotton sheets are cool and breathable. They also absorb plenty of sweat. Percale cotton sheets with a 250-400 are the most breathable. 

Avoid high thread count (400+) cotton sheets as well as flannel and sateen cotton sheets. These are thicker and tend to be less breathable, meaning sweat doesn't evaporate quickly. They can also make you a bit too warm and worsen the sweating. 

Linen and Silk Sheets 

Our two best sheet recommendations for people with night sweats are linen and silk bed sheets. These natural fabrics are lightweight, super breathable and sweat-wicking. They are a bit pricey, but totally worth it. 

Bamboo, Tencel and Other Semi-synthetic Sheets

Semi-synthetic sheets have gotten increasingly popular as people look for alternatives to cotton and polyester bed sheets. They include bamboo, Tencel and modal bed sheets. 

Many of these semi-synthetic sheets are more breathable and moisture wicking than even cotton. Some of them are also more eco-friendly.  

Best Comforters/Duvets for Night Sweats 

The best comforter or duvet for night sweats is one that absorbs or wicks moisture from the body and allows it to evaporate away. This ensures you and the bed stay dry and comfortable. 

It should also be cooling and breathable to prevent heat buildup, which can worsen night sweats. 

Duvets with a natural filling like down and wool are the best for night sweats. They keep you cool and wick away sweat. 

Microfiber/down alternative comforters, which are the most popular, are not as breathable. If you opt for one, choose one that’s lightweight to maximize air movement. Also, get one that has a cotton or bamboo shell or cover. The breathable cover will improve cooling and sweat evaporation.  

Best Pillows & Pillowcases for Night Sweats

If you sweat a lot from your head and face at night, you need to choose your pillow and pillowcase carefully. 

The last thing you want is a pillow that keeps your face feeling clammy. It’s uncomfortable and can cause skin issues like acne. 

We recommend a pillow that allows plenty of ventilation to keep you cool and allow sweat to escape. Latex, natural down, buckwheat and wool pillows are the best. Shredded memory foam pillows also provide decent breathability, but we recommend combining it with a breathable pillowcase like cotton. 

As for the pillowcase, choose natural materials like cotton, bamboo, silk or linen.  

Best Mattresses for Night Sweats   

A memory foam mattress can worsen night sweats by trapping heat. Because memory foam has relatively poor ventilation, it also keeps sweat on your skin from evaporating. 

Latex, innerspring, and hybrid pocket coil mattresses are the best for people with night sweats. 

If you are not able to get a new mattress right away, you can also get a mattress pad or topper that helps with night sweats. The best ones are latex, wool, cotton and bamboo toppers. 

Other Bedding Accessories for Night Sweats

If you don't already have one, definitely get a waterproof mattress protector. It will keep sweat from seeping into your mattress where it can attract bacteria and mold. 

A pillow protector can also help if you sweat a lot from your head and face. It’ll also keep your pillow from developing unpleasant odors. 

A bed cooling system can also help with night sweats, particularly those caused by overheating. We recommend an air-based system like BedJet. The air blown under the sheets quickly dries sweat off your skin.