Beat The Heat With These Summer Bedding Ideas

When it comes to your bed linen, what was so warm, comforting and snuggly in winter can turn into a sweatbox over the summer months. Trying to sleep when it's hot is never easy, but when you've got the wrong bedding, it becomes downright impossible! Tossing and turning trying to find a cool spot, excessive sweating and having to drink water throughout the night will all keep you from getting a restful night's sleep, impacting your waking hours by making you tired, irritable and unable to focus. You'll ask yourself 'Should I get cooling bedding in summer?' - and the answer is yes!

That's why you should change your bedding with the seasons so that no matter what the weather, your bed is a retreat that is always welcoming, relaxing and conducive to quality sleep. Summer bedding is designed to help you sleep in hot and humid weather, and at Spotlight we've got a great range of summer quilts, bed sheets and mattress toppers to ensure you're sleeping comfortably no matter how hot it gets overnight.

Here are some simple summer bedding ideas you can implement for a restful night's sleep.

Quick Links

• Peel Back The Layers
• Think About The Fabric Of Your Sheets
• Let There Be Light
• Don't Forget The Mattress Topper

Peel Back The Layers

It goes without saying, you won't want as many layers on the bed in summer. But, depending on where you live, temperatures during traditionally hotter months can vary wildly, particularly at night, so it's best to be prepared for anything.

Some people are happy to just fold back their doona and then pull it up when the temperature plummets, but this technique often fails to accommodate those 'in-between' temperature variations hot nights are so known for. Summer quilts and summer blankets are perfect because, unlike other quilts and blankets usually made from wool or heavy synthetics, they're light enough not to make you sweat but still ward off the chills.

Another benefit of summer quilts, blankets, and even throws is they can be tastefully arranged across the bed or at the base to accentuate a summer design theme and display their textures (most often waffle in varying degrees of chunkiness). A summer quilt or blanket is also perfect for putting across your knee or draping around your shoulders while relaxing in the living room or on the patio at night.

Think About The Fabric Of Your Sheets

Given that your bed sheets are close to your skin, in summer, you'll want to replace heavy winter sheets made from high thread counts and dense, synthetic materials - like flannelette or sateen - with ones in natural fibres that are lightweight, cool to the touch and capable of drawing moisture away from the body.

Accordingly, nothing beats the beautiful, breathable qualities of natural fibres. Cotton is at the top of many people's lists for summer bed sheets, thanks to its softness, light weight and ability to draw moisture away from the skin. Its smooth look is a traditional one that will suit any bedroom.

Linen as a fibre, which is made from flax plants, is another superb choice with its naturally occurring antimicrobial qualities, and it has superiority to cotton in breathability, moisture-wicking and absorbency. The crushed look of linen can also function as an attractive complement to relaxed summer bedroom decor. Linen may feel quite rough at first, but after a few washes (which you will be doing a lot in a hot summer), it will soften up wonderfully.

In recent years, another natural fibre - bamboo - has gained in popularity, particularly for summer bed sheets. Highly durable and eco-renewable, bamboo sheets can vary a lot in style and quality but the right bamboo linen for summer can be even softer than cotton and retain less heat. It is also excellent for wicking moisture away from the skin and into the air. It's worthwhile looking at bamboo blends, such as bamboo cotton, for the qualities that natural fibre combinations offer.

Let There Be Light

Whether in the sheets, cushions, duvet and blankets on your bed - or anywhere else across the bedroom, for that matter - going with white or light colours in the summertime will contribute considerably to a feeling of cool. Not all of us are in a position to change our curtains or floor coverings and furnishings with the seasons, but we can affordably do-over our bed styling by mixing up some key items.

We've already talked about sheets and how the right fabrics will make a world of difference. However, along with the fibre, you need to consider the colours of your sheets. In summer, go for whites, neutrals and soft earthy palettes over anything dark, deep and moody. Coverings over your bed - such as doonas or quilt covers, blankets and throws - should be swapped over to summer shades as well, or they could incorporate a summer-friendly design such as lush rainforest or bright tropical patterning, especially for those who find white and neutrals too bland.

It may just be a matter of changing your sheet sets, doona cover and a well-positioned cushion to complete your summer bed transformation, but you will find that it's an investment in seasonal comfort that will serve you well!

Don't Forget The Mattress Topper

While we normally think about stripping back the bed for summer, there's one bedding item we definitely don't want to remove: the mattress topper or mattress protector. As well as keeping your mattress in its best state all year round, a mattress topper can go a long way to regulating your body temperature, wicking moisture and ensuring you don't drown in your own sweat. In other words, a mattress protector is just as vital in summer as it is in winter.

Mattress toppers and protectors will also help protect your mattress from any excess sweat in summer. By absorbing the sweat and wicking it into the air, toppers and protectors keep your mattress clean, fresh and uninviting to bacteria, mould and dust mites. Make sure to air and/or wash your mattress protector and topper frequently throughout summer - setting them outdoors on a sunny day is a great way to refresh them without washing them!

Your Summer Bedding Checklist

Here's a quick checklist for you to complete when it's time to refresh your bedroom for summer:

• Air out your mattress protector or topper before summer begins. Wash or air out at least once a month during summer.
• Take off flannelette or sateen fitted sheets, flat sheets and pillowcases, and replace them with cotton, linen or bamboo blend summer bed sheets and pillowcases.
• Remove your heavy quilt or doona and replace it with a light coverlet, thin doona or summer blanket. Choose light, summery colours if possible.
• Get in your summer pyjamas! Light cotton, linen or synthetic pyjamas designed to wick sweat away from your body are best.

Sweet Summer Dreams For Everyone

Deciding on how to sleep better in summer is a matter of a few select changes that need not break the bank but can make your bed both feel and look better. Choose your summer bedding ideas wisely and you'll spend your summer evenings sleeping on Cloud Nine, instead of lying awake wishing you had an air conditioner in your bedroom! Browse the full range of bed linen and bedding online, where you can quickly pay and have your summer bedding home delivered, or visit your local Spotlight store to choose your summer quilts, sheets and other bedding in person.

For more helpful bedding tips and information, read our bedroom buying guides on bed linen, quilts, throws and blankets. And for a little inspiration for bedroom styling, check out our blogs on bedding for your sleeping style, guest bedroom ideas and creating a serene haven-styled home!