- What Types of Blankets Can You Use for Summer?
- What Features Should You Look For in a Summer Blanket?
- What Is the Best Material for a Summer Blanket?
- How to Sleep Cool During the Summer
- The Layla Down Alternative Comforter
- Wrapping Up: How to Choose the Best Summer Blanket
What Types of Blankets Can You Use for Summer?
Before discussing what to look for in a summer blanket, we’d like to take a moment to talk about the types of blankets you can use in the summer. Of course, you can use just about any blanket. However, here are some of the best blankets for summer to help prevent you from getting too hot while you sleep.
- Comforters: Comforters are popular summer blankets because you can find some that are comfortable year-round, no matter how hot it is outside. For example, you can find a down comforter for hot sleepers or a down alternative comforter if you have allergies.
- Quilts: Quilts are some of the best lightweight summer blankets because they are flatter than comforters and are typically not as warm as duvets, making them an ideal top blanket for summer.
- Weighted Blankets: Weighted blankets also make a comfortable addition to any bedroom. However, you might wonder, “Are weighted blankets hot?” Luckily, you can find a weighted blanket made from quality materials that can keep you cool and comfortable at night.
- Duvets: Duvets are similar to comforters, only they require a duvet cover to keep them soft and safe from crumbs and spills. Depending on your preferences, you can find a duvet of any thickness to help you stay cool in the summer.
- Throw Blankets: Throw blankets make great blankets when you’re sitting around a campfire or in front of the television. While you can bring them into bed with you, they’re typically not large enough to cover your entire body to keep you cozy at night.
- Sheets: You should never forget the rest of your bedding. Believe it or not, the sheets you use can also impact how hot or cool you feel at night. Sleeping with just a sheet is ideal for those who get hot and sweaty at night, but it might not be as comfortable as sleeping with a big blanket you can cuddle.
When it comes to finding the best lightweight summer blanket for you, it’s all a matter of preference. For example, some people prefer sleeping with fluffy comforters year-round but require a change to a lighter material in the summer. Meanwhile, others might prefer a lighter blanket like a quilt to help them stay cool at night.
What Features Should You Look For in a Summer Blanket?
The type of blanket you use in the summer is important, but it’s not the most important factor when deciding on the best cooling blanket for summer. After you’ve chosen your ideal blanket, you should consider the features that improve your comfort on hot nights.
Materials
Different materials can affect how hot a blanket is to sleep with. For example, bamboo is known to be cooling while flannel is warm. So the material you choose will ultimately impact how hot you’ll get under the blanket. Cotton is another breathable fabric that can help keep you cool on warm nights.
Size
Your best summer blanket should be large enough to cover your entire body, whether you prefer to have it draped over you or snuggled tightly around your shoulders. As you already know, you can find a blanket in any size, but if you’re using it to sleep, it should be large enough to fit your bed and share with a partner or pet. Additionally, if you plan to wash your blanket at home, you’ll need to ensure it’s something that will fit in your washing machine.
Breathability
One feature all of the best blankets for summer have is breathability. If your blanket isn’t breathable, it’s not going to keep you cool. Breathability ensures that your body heat doesn’t get trapped under the blanket with you. Instead, your blanket should release your body heat while also wicking moisture to keep your body cool and dry all night long.
Breathable bedding and blankets can ensure that the air around you is circulated while keeping moisture away from your skin. In addition, breathability can improve your sleep quality, so finding a quality material for your bedding is essential.
Price
Typically, the better a blanket, the more you can expect to pay for it. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t find the perfect summer blanket within budget. Luckily, summer blankets aren’t as thick and heavy as winter blankets, so they require less material, making them more affordable. But, of course, the higher the quality of the material, the more you’ll pay for it.
Washing Instructions
Summer blankets should be easy to care for. No one wants to worry about taking their blanket to the dry cleaners, especially when they need it to sleep. Instead, look for blankets that are easier to care for and machine-washable. Of course, you should also aim to keep your blanket clean by keeping food and drinks away from it and using a sheet underneath.
Style
You want your blanket to be comfortable in hot weather, but that doesn’t mean you should forget how it looks in your home. The best summer blanket will not only feel great, but it will also look great no matter where it is in your home, including in your bedroom and on the couch. Luckily, there’s an ideal blanket out there for everyone based on their unique preferences and style.
What Is the Best Material for a Summer Blanket?
As we’ve already mentioned, the material from which your blanket is made will affect how cooling and comfortable it is. Ultimately, blankets with filling will be warmer than those without because they don’t allow for optimum breathability.
Down Alternative
Down alternative blankets are great all-season blankets because they provide warmth without being too warm at night. Down alternative comforters are insulating, so your blanket won’t release too much of your body heat. However, if your down alternative comforter is made with cotton or another breathable fabric, it can help keep you cooler on summer nights.
Cotton
Cotton is a preferred bedding fabric because it’s breathable yet affordable. It also wicks away moisture and is incredibly soft and gentle on skin. It’s also easy to care for, and most cotton bedding can go right into the washing machine and dryer.
Linen
Linen is another popular choice for summer blankets because it’s breathable and soft. However, it’s typically more expensive than cotton, but it can remove moisture from the body and produce a cooling effect.
Bamboo
Bamboo is a sustainable and breathable fabric that some might argue is softer and cooler than cotton. However, quality bamboo blankets typically cost more than cotton, but they might be worth it for those that want to sleep on something that feels softer than silk but more breathable. Bamboo is thermo-regulating, so it can help you stay cool on warm summer days and warm during cold nights.
How to Sleep Cool During the Summer
The blanket you use during the summer can impact your comfort and ability to get a quality night’s sleep. However, there are other ways you can sleep cooler this summer, so here are a few tips to beat the heat for better sleep.
- Invest in cooling bedding: Your top blanket is an important part of your bed, but you also need sheets. Sheets can be made out of any material, but it’s typically best to look for materials that are breathable, just like your blanket. Cotton and bamboo sheets make ideal choices for hot summers to help wick away moisture and release your body heat to prevent you from getting too hot.
Layla’s bamboo sheets are made from 100% viscose from bamboo and run 3 degrees cooler than cotton sheets. Not only do our breathable and moisture-wicking sheets keep you cool, but they use 200x less water during production than cotton, helping to keep our planet cool, too.
- Sleep on a cooling mattress: Your mattress can also keep you cool. A sleep hot solution, such as Layla’s mattresses, use copper particles within the foam that pull heat away from your body to regulate your body temperature and keep you comfortable all night long.
- Wear lightweight clothing: What you wear to bed can also affect how hot you get at night, so it’s best to wear breathable fabrics to allow your body heat to escape. You may also choose to sleep nude so clothing will not prevent your body from staying cool under the covers.
- Turn on the AC: Everyone’s ideal sleep temperature is different, but you can make sleeping easier in the summer by turning the AC down at night to your ideal temperature and saving a few bucks by turning it up when you’re gone for the day.
- Create a cross breeze: Letting airflow in your home is another great way to keep you cool because it can help circulate warm and cold air while evaporating sweat from the body.
- Use a fan: Sometimes, even with the AC on, you still can’t get cool enough to fall asleep in the summer. However, you can use a fan to help circulate cool air or point the fan towards your bed to help evaporate sweat off your body and keep you cooler at night.
- Freeze your pillowcase: If you’re able to stay asleep at night but falling asleep is hard when you’re hot, consider freezing your pillowcase to keep your head cool for a few minutes, allowing you to fall asleep easier in a warm bedroom.
- Shower before bed: Taking a shower before bed can help lower your body temperature to make it easier to fall asleep. While taking any type of shower can help because the water’s evaporation will help cool your body, it’s typically best to take a cold shower to help yourself stay cool in bed at night.
- Keep your bedroom cool during the day: The easiest way to make your bedroom and sleep environment cool at night is to keep it cool during the day by keeping your shades and blinds shut.
- Drink water: Keeping water close to you at night can help you stay cool, especially if it’s ice water. Sweating too much at night can lead to dehydration, making you feel warmer, so it’s always best to keep a glass of water on your nightstand.
The Layla Down Alternative Comforter
Down alternative comforters are a great, cruelty-free, allergy-free option if you’re looking for the best lightweight summer blanket. The Layla Down Alternative Comforter is an affordable 100% cotton blanket filled with down alternative material. Cotton is the most affordable, breathable material for bedding, making it ideal for summer blankets.
The down alternative comforter is an all-season blanket ideal for any season. So whether you’re looking for something fluffy enough yet cooling for winter or warm enough for cold winter nights, we’ve got you covered. Not only that, but with a 300 thread count, the Layla comforter is soft, fluffy, and cooling to ensure you get quality sleep every night this summer.
Wrapping Up: How to Choose the Best Summer Blanket
Many people get hot when they sleep because they’re sleeping with the wrong bedding and blankets for the season. While there are blankets ideal for all seasons, you may need to switch your bedding every now and then to ensure you’re not making yourself too warm at night. Of course, you can always choose not to sleep with a blanket, but most people prefer to sleep with a blanket at night because it’s comfortable and makes you feel safe and cozy.
However, sleeping with a blanket that’s too hot can leave you unable to get the quality sleep you deserve. Summer is a time when you need to get good sleep because there’s so much to do, and you need your energy. So find yourself a great summer blanket to ensure you get the quality sleep you deserve to help you feel energized the next day.
