I'm a hot sleeper *and* there's a heatwave – this Silentnight cooling blanket is the only thing that's helped me sleep better
'It's literally like magic'
As a perimenopausal 46-year-old mum, I struggle with overheating in bed at the best of times, let alone during a heatwave that's seen temperatures in my area reach 30C plus.
Our home doesn’t have air-con, so my kids are often too hot to sleep during the summer, too. As such, staying cool in bed becomes a real battle during hot weather.
As a result, when I came across the Silentnight Restore Cooling Lightweight Blanket for under £40 on Amazon, I hoped it would be the solution I needed to keep us all cool.
Usually costing £45, this cooling blanket is currently reduced on Amazon.
Described by Silentnight as ‘cool to the touch for instant heat relief' and helping 'to regulate body temperature’, it sounded like *exactly* what I needed to beat overheating once and for all.
And, unlike many cooling bedding products I've tested in the past few years, I wasn't disappointed when I unpacked it.
The first thing I noticed when I picked up this blanket was how cold it felt to the touch. One side in particular felt noticeably colder than any other bedding in our house, and its coolness was something that both of my sons immediately commented on.
Sleeping under it the first night of warm weather, I felt instantly cooler. Initially, I missed the weight of my regular duvet, but if, like me and my children, you don’t like the idea of sleeping with no covers at all, this hot-weather duvet alternative offers a perfect in-between solution.
I fell asleep quickly, and I didn’t wake up in the night due to overheating. Plus, in the morning, I didn’t feel sweaty or clammy at all like I sometimes do.
Whether that’s down to the innovative composition of the blanket or the fact that it’s thinner than my usual duvet, I can’t be sure, but my children both noticed that when they slept under this blanket, they felt cooler than when they slept under an empty duvet cover like they usually do when it’s hot.
Possibly the biggest test came from my youngest son, who is the clammiest sleeper I know and always wakes up sweaty! He loved falling asleep under this and slept soundly. When he woke up in the morning, he felt a lot cooler and less clammy than usual.
In fact, the one night I tested this blanket pre-heatwave I had to swap it for my usual quilt because I felt too cold!
And it seems I'm not alone in being impressed by the blanket's cooling powers. One reviewer of the Silentnight Restore Cooling Blanket on the Argos website says, 'what is this wizardry? I bought this for the summer, and I literally can't believe the difference it made to my sleep. How it works, I have no idea, but it remains cool constantly – it's literally like magic. I can definitely recommend this cooling blanket.'
'Surprised how effective this lightweight cooling blanket was,' says another owner. 'I’m at “that age” where I get so hot in the night... my duvet is too hot, but I still need something on me to sleep; this blanket really helped and really worked! It’s lightweight but feels enough weight on you; it’s definitely cooling and quite cool to the touch. I slept so much better.'
Another big bonus is that the Restore blanket is machine washable at 40C, and I've found it fits in the washing machine easily and dries quickly on the line (the care label says it can be tumble dried on low, but I haven't needed to test that in this heat!). It looks as good as new after being washed and didn’t lose its shape at all.
The only downside is that it only comes in one size. On a double bed, it was just big enough to cover two people, although there wasn’t much extra space at the edges if either of us moved around.
Personally, I'd definitely recommend The Silentnight Restore Cooling Blanket for keeping cool on warm nights, as well as for anyone who struggles with hormonal temperature changes during the night.
That said, it's not the only option out there. I've rounded up a few alternatives below, all of which can help you beat the heat on hot, hot summer nights.
Dunelm's Soft & Cooling Blanket is another good option if you're on the hunt for cooling bedding materials. It comes in two sizes, and as of writing, it costs a little less than Silentnight's Restore blanket. However, there are fewer colour options to choose from.
This cooling blanket has a silky texture that's instantly cool to the touch. It feels a lot more luxurious than the Silentnight option, and it comes in more size options. However, comparable sizes are more expensive.
Another hot-weather duvet alternative is opting to sleep under a muslin throw. This cotton fabric has a loose weave that allows for plenty of airflow. Although if your pets share your bed, those threads are easy to pull.
