Dunelm has just launched a heatwave-busting bed sheet that's only £9 – it will help eliminate hot and sweaty nights during the heatwave

According to weather forecasters, the temperature in parts of Britain is predicted to hit 27°C this week. That's great news for sun worshippers, but less welcome news for those of us who struggle with overheating at night. Dunelm has launched a hot weather-friendly cotton bed sheet to make getting off to sleep easier.

I'm a hot sleeper, and I don't enjoy those hot and sweaty nights mid-heatwave when I was tossing and turning, trying to get to sleep.

However, thankfully, since becoming Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, I've learnt plenty of tricks on how to stay cool in bed. I now know that some simple swaps can instantly cool down a bed, and choosing the right bed sheets is one of them.

The good news? Dunelm has just launched a heatwave-busting bed sheet that's only £9, and it's in the form of the brand's new Pure Cotton Fitted Sheet.

Why is this sheet any different from what might currently be on your bed? Because it's made from 100% cotton, and that makes all the difference in avoiding a hot and sweaty sleep.

No matter whether you prefer fitted or flat sheets, what you might not have realised when you picked up your last pack of bedsheets is that all bedding is not created equal.

The most affordable sheets (and duvet covers and pillowcases) on the market tend to be made from polyester or a cotton and polyester mix.

Unlike cotton or linen, which are natural fibres that come from plants, polyester is a synthetic material that is made from petroleum or oil.

Polyester bedding is affordable – and therefore very popular with shoppers looking for low-cost bedding – and it's also very easy to care for. Polyester or polycotton sheets can usually be washed at high temperatures and dry quickly, so they're particularly popular for kids' bedding.

However, polyester bedding lacks breathability, which can make for a hot and sticky sleep. Not what you need in heatwave weather.

In contrast, cotton or linen sheets are naturally breathable. This means air can flow through them and body heat and humidity can escape rather than being trapped in the bed. The result is a far cooler and more breathable sleep.

Pure cotton sheets will cost more than a polyester or a polycotton mix, but as Dunelm's Pure Cotton Fitted Sheets prove, they can still be budget-friendly if you know where to shop.

Shop pure cotton bed sheets

Swapping to pure cotton bed sheets rather than sheets made from polyester or a polycotton mix is one of the easiest and cheapest tricks to employ if you want a cooler sleep, but, of course, the rest of your bed setup matters too.

Next time you think about where to buy bedding, consider opting for a pure cotton duvet cover as well. Dunelm's matching Pure Cotton Plain Dye Duvet Cover and Pure Cotton Pillowcases are also very affordable and come in 35 matching shades.

The key thing to remember when shopping for this type of cooling bedding is to look for 100% cotton fabric. (You could also invest in the best linen bed sheets, but cotton is usually the far more affordable material of the two).

If a cool sleep is important to you, avoid polyester sheets altogether, but also be wary of polycotton, 'cotton mix', or 'cotton rich' bedding. These tend to be a hybrid of cotton and polyester, which will sleep a little cooler than pure polyester – but not cool enough in this hot sleeper's opinion!