Quick Answer: No memory foam sleeps as cool as innerspring or latex, but cooling technologies do help. Open-cell foam improves airflow most effectively. Copper and graphite infusions conduct heat away from the body. Gel infusion helps initially but the gel equalises to body temperature over time. For truly hot sleepers, a latex or hybrid mattress is a more reliable solution than any all-foam option.
In This Guide
Reading Time: About 7 minutes
Why Standard Memory Foam Runs Hot
To understand how cooling technologies work in memory foam, you first need to understand why the material runs warm in the first place.
Traditional viscoelastic memory foam has a closed-cell structure. The foam is dense, and the individual air pockets within it are largely sealed from one another. This density is precisely what makes memory foam feel like it contours and "remembers" your shape -- the material is thick enough to hold an impression under pressure.
The problem: heat generated by your body does not have an easy path out. In a spring mattress or latex mattress, there is meaningful airflow through and around the material. In dense memory foam, heat is trapped by the closed-cell structure. Your body heat accumulates in the foam around you, and the surface temperature of the sleep environment rises over the course of the night.
Research from sleep laboratories has measured sleep surface temperature increases of 2 to 5 degrees Celsius over the course of a night on traditional memory foam compared to innerspring surfaces. For people who are already warm sleepers or live in warmer climates, this is a meaningful difference that affects sleep quality. Core body temperature naturally drops during sleep, and an overly warm sleep surface impedes this thermoregulation.
The Cooling Technology Landscape
Mattress manufacturers have developed several approaches to address memory foam's heat retention. Understanding what each technology actually does helps you evaluate claims rather than accepting marketing language at face value.
The key question for any cooling technology is: does it prevent heat from building up, or does it just delay it? The best cooling technologies in foam work by either improving airflow (giving heat an escape path) or conducting heat away faster (thermal dissipation). Some technologies do both; many do primarily one.
Gel Infusion: The Most Common, Least Effective Long-Term
Gel-infused memory foam is the most widely marketed cooling technology in mattresses. The gel is integrated into the foam in various forms: as microbeads suspended throughout the foam, as a gel layer poured on top, or as a swirled gel mixed into the foam structure.
How it works in theory: Gel has a higher heat capacity than foam, meaning it can absorb more heat before its temperature rises. The marketing claim is that the gel absorbs body heat, keeping the sleep surface cool.
What actually happens: The gel absorbs heat initially, which creates a cooler initial feel when you first lie down. This is real and noticeable. However, gel has a finite heat absorption capacity. Over the course of a night, the gel equalises to body temperature and can no longer absorb more heat. At that point, the thermal benefit diminishes significantly. Many people find gel foam sleeps cooler initially but similarly warm to regular memory foam after a few hours.
The verdict: Gel infusion is a moderate improvement over standard memory foam. It is not a significant long-term cooling solution but does improve the initial contact feel and provides modest ongoing benefit. Hot sleepers should not expect it to solve the problem completely.
Copper and Graphite Infusion: Thermal Conductivity Approach
Copper and graphite are both thermal conductors, meaning they move heat efficiently. When infused into foam, they create thermal pathways that conduct body heat away from the sleep surface rather than trapping it.
Copper infusion: Copper microparticles are mixed into the foam. Because copper conducts heat, the particles create micro-channels that allow heat to dissipate through the foam structure rather than building up at the sleep surface. Copper also has antimicrobial properties, which is sometimes marketed as an additional benefit.
Graphite infusion: Graphite is similarly an excellent thermal conductor. Graphite-infused foams use similar principles to conduct heat away from the body.
How effective are they? Both copper and graphite infusion provide a more consistent thermal improvement over a full night of sleep compared to gel infusion, because they do not rely on a heat absorption capacity that can be exhausted. The thermal conductivity operates continuously. Studies on copper-infused foam show measurable reductions in peak sleep surface temperature compared to equivalent non-infused foam.
The limitation: The heat conducted away from the sleep surface still has to go somewhere -- usually into the deeper layers of the mattress or the surrounding air. If there is no airflow to carry heat away, it eventually recirculates. Copper and graphite infusion work best when combined with other cooling strategies like better airflow layers.
Talalay Copper Latex vs Copper-Infused Memory Foam
An important distinction for Canadian shoppers: copper-infused Talalay latex (available in the Restonic Tiffany Rose) and copper-infused memory foam are not the same product with the same base. Talalay latex is an open-cell material with naturally better airflow than memory foam. Adding copper to Talalay latex starts from a cooler base material, making the result significantly cooler than copper-infused memory foam in most head-to-head comparisons.
8 min read
Open-Cell Foam: Structural Approach to Airflow
Open-cell foam modifies the actual cell structure of the foam. Rather than sealed pockets, open-cell foam has interconnected air channels that allow air to circulate through the foam as you move. This addresses the root cause of memory foam's heat problem: the closed-cell structure that traps air.
How it works: The interconnected cells allow heat to escape through the foam when compressed (body weight pushes warm air out) and allow cooler air to circulate back in when pressure is released. This creates a passive ventilation effect.
The trade-off: Open-cell foam is somewhat less supportive than equivalent-density closed-cell foam because the cell walls are thinner. Manufacturers must use higher-density foam to achieve the same support characteristics, which increases cost. Open-cell foam also typically has a faster response time (less of the "stuck" feeling), which some people prefer.
The verdict: Open-cell foam is among the most effective structural approaches to cooling memory foam. It addresses airflow rather than relying on heat absorption or conductivity alone. Foams marketed as "airflow foam" or "breathable foam" typically use open-cell structures.
Phase Change Material Covers
Phase change material (PCM) technology is applied to mattress covers rather than foam layers. PCM materials absorb heat when they melt (change from solid to liquid phase) and release heat when they solidify. They maintain a relatively stable temperature at their phase change point, typically set around comfortable body temperature.
How it works: When your body heat exceeds the PCM threshold, the material melts and absorbs heat. When the temperature drops, it solidifies and returns stored heat. This creates a temperature-regulating effect at the cover surface.
The limitation: PCM covers work best as a cover surface technology combined with breathable foam beneath. They do not address heat generated deep in the foam layers. They are most effective when paired with naturally cooler foam constructions.
Honest Comparison: Cool Memory Foam vs Other Materials
| Material | Cooling Performance | Pressure Relief | Responsiveness | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard memory foam | Poor | Excellent | Slow | Pressure relief priority over cooling |
| Gel-infused memory foam | Fair (fades over night) | Excellent | Slow | Mild heat sleepers who want foam feel |
| Copper-infused memory foam | Good (consistent) | Excellent | Slow to moderate | Moderate heat sleepers who want foam |
| Open-cell memory foam | Good | Very good | Moderate | Moderate heat sleepers, combination sleepers |
| Talalay copper latex | Very good | Very good | Fast (buoyant) | Hot sleepers who want pressure relief |
| Pocketed coil hybrid | Very good | Good to very good | Fast | Hot sleepers, couples, all positions |
| Traditional innerspring | Excellent | Fair to good | Fast | Coolest sleep, less pressure relief need |
The honest conclusion: if cooling is your top priority, no memory foam matches the cooling of a quality innerspring or latex mattress. If you specifically want the contouring and pressure relief of memory foam and need to minimise heat, copper-infused or open-cell foam options are the best compromise within the foam category.
Talalay Copper Latex at Mattress Miracle
For customers who want excellent pressure relief and significantly better cooling than memory foam, the Restonic Revive Tiffany Rose with Talalay Copper Latex is available in our Brantford showroom. This is the option Dorothy recommends most often to customers who have tried memory foam and found it too warm. You can feel the temperature difference in person on the showroom floor.
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Find Your Perfect Mattress at Mattress Miracle
We are a family-owned mattress store in Brantford, helping our community sleep better since 1997. Come try mattresses in person and get honest, no-pressure advice.
441 1/2 West Street, Brantford, Ontario
Call 519-770-0001Frequently Asked Questions
Does cooling memory foam actually work?
It depends on the technology and how "work" is defined. Gel infusion provides noticeable initial cooling but fades over the night. Copper and graphite infusion provide more consistent thermal improvement throughout the night. Open-cell foam improves airflow structurally. No memory foam cooling technology makes foam as cool as latex or innerspring, but the better technologies do provide meaningful improvement over standard foam.
What mattress is best for hot sleepers in Canada?
For truly hot sleepers, a Talalay latex mattress or a pocketed coil hybrid provides the most reliable cooling. These materials have structural airflow that memory foam does not. If you prefer the contouring feel of foam, look for copper-infused or open-cell constructions. In Canada, where summer humidity adds to sleeping warmth, the mattress material choice matters more than in drier climates.
Is copper-infused latex better than copper-infused memory foam?
For cooling, yes. Talalay latex is an open-cell material by its natural manufacturing process, meaning it has inherent airflow advantages over memory foam. Adding copper to Talalay latex provides thermal conductivity from a naturally cooler base. The result typically sleeps cooler than copper-infused memory foam, which starts from the disadvantaged base of a closed-cell material.
Can a mattress topper make a hot mattress cooler?
A topper can modify the temperature of your sleep surface, but adding a foam topper to a foam mattress often adds more heat-trapping material. For cooling effect, a natural latex topper over a warm foam mattress is more likely to help than another foam layer. Wool toppers also have natural temperature-regulating properties. However, if the underlying mattress is fundamentally too warm, a topper is often not a complete solution.
What room temperature is best for sleep?
Most sleep research points to 16 to 20 degrees Celsius (60 to 68 Fahrenheit) as the optimal bedroom temperature for sleep. At this range, your body's natural temperature drop during sleep initiation is supported rather than impeded by the environment. A cooler room reduces the temperature challenge placed on your mattress material.
What is a cooling mattress pad for memory foam, and does it actually work?
A cooling mattress pad for memory foam is a thin, fitted pad (usually 0.5 to 1 inch thick) that sits between the mattress and the sheet, using one of three cooling mechanisms: passive gel or phase-change material (PCM) beads that absorb body heat, copper or graphite infusion that conducts heat away from the surface, or active water-cooling systems that pump chilled water through silicone channels. In Canada, passive cooling pads from Mediflow, Sleep Number, and generic Amazon brands run $60 to $150 for queen; active water-cooled systems (the Chili Pad, Cube Sleep, Eight Sleep Pod Cover) run $400 to $2,000. For a standard memory foam mattress that sleeps warm, a passive cooling pad reduces surface temperature by 2 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit - comparable to a gel topper but at lower height addition (no loft change). A copper-infused mattress pad provides faster heat transfer than gel beads and performs well in the $80 to $140 range. Active water-cooled systems are the only technology capable of maintaining a specific sleep temperature through the night, but at a significant cost. Thermoregulation research published in Sleep Medicine Reviews (Lack et al., 2008) established that core body temperature must drop approximately 1 to 2 degrees Celsius during sleep onset for optimal slow-wave sleep - a passive cooling pad assists but does not guarantee this drop. Talia says: "If your memory foam mattress is the problem and you're waking up hot, try the $90 copper-infused pad before spending $200 on a gel topper - it adds no height to the bed and is easier to wash." Browse our mattress toppers collection for cooling pads and gel toppers.
Sources
- Sleep Foundation. "Best Cooling Mattresses." sleepfoundation.org, 2024.
- Okamoto-Mizuno K, Mizuno K. "Effects of thermal environment on sleep and circadian rhythm." Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 2012.
- Better Sleep Council. "Temperature and Sleep Quality." bettersleep.org, 2023.
- Restonic. "Talalay Copper Latex Technology." restonic.com, 2024.
- International Sleep Products Association. "Mattress Material Thermal Properties." sleepproducts.org, 2023.
Visit Our Brantford Showroom
We are located at 441½ West Street in downtown Brantford. Free parking available. Our team does not work on commission, so you get honest advice based on your needs.
Mattress Miracle -- 441½ West Street, Brantford, ON -- (519) 770-0001
Hours: Monday--Wednesday 10am--6pm, Thursday--Friday 10am--7pm, Saturday 10am--5pm, Sunday 12pm--4pm.
If sleeping hot is a persistent problem for you, come in and we can show you the difference between foam options and our Talalay Copper Latex mattress in person. The temperature difference is something you can feel immediately on the showroom floor.