The Mattress Myth: Why Gel Foam Cools You Down Only to Let You Down
Published on 09/23/2026 at 05:31 | Editorial boerse-global.de
Anyone who has ever flipped a pillow to the cool side knows the relief is temporary. The same principle, it turns out, applies to an entire category of sleep products marketed on their cooling properties.
A report dated 23 September 2026 concludes that gel and PCM (phase change material) foams deliver only short-lived temperature relief, because the material gradually absorbs body heat and adjusts to it after several hours. For sustained airflow, open-cell cold foam, perforated latex and pocket-spring cores are considered the better options.
The finding matters most for buyers of cooling mattresses in the standard 180x200 cm size, where the durability of the cooling effect is treated as a central quality marker. Structural properties of the core and cover — rather than add-on cooling technology — are increasingly the focus of ergonomic advice.
Covers, washing and the quick fix
Fabric choice carries much of the load. Cotton, lyocell and purpose-made functional fibres all support breathability, and these components are generally washable at 40 °C, sometimes at 60 °C.
For people who want to improve a bed they already own, a mattress topper is presented as a short-term answer. One example is the NÄSTABERG topper from IKEA Austria, sized 180x200 cm and priced at 310 euros, which holds an average of 3.9 out of 5 stars from 163 reviews. Toppers are available faster, but if the base underneath is already sagging, a new mattress is judged the more sustainable investment.
Matching firmness to the sleeper
Mechanical support is the other half of the equation, and firmness should follow body weight. Guidance published for RAVENSBERGER mattresses, among others, assigns H1/2 to users up to 65 kg, H2 to about 80 kg, H3 to the 80–110 kg range and H4 from roughly 110 kg upward.
Those labels are not standardised, so figures shift slightly between manufacturers — other classifications put H2 up to 60 kg and H3 up to 100 kg.
Sleeping position then determines what the lying zones need to do. Side sleepers require more give at the shoulder and hip, back sleepers want broad support, and stomach sleepers need a particularly stable surface. Models with 5 or 7 zones are common for this purpose.
Adjusting to a new system usually takes around two weeks. RAVENSBERGER and similar providers offer a 30-day trial period along with warranties of up to 10 years. A high-quality mattress, often certified under OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100, lasts between eight and ten years.
Air the room before you make the bed
Hygiene and indoor air quality round out the picture. Experts advise ventilating the bedroom before making the bed, to head off moisture damage and mite growth. Bedding should normally be changed every one to two weeks, more often for allergy sufferers or heavy sweaters. Germany's Umweltbundesamt recommends a wash temperature of 60 degrees for people with allergies.
Room conditions shape sleep quality too. Relative humidity indoors should ideally sit between 40 and 60 percent. A CO2 level of up to 1,000 ppm is considered unremarkable, while readings from 1,400 ppm indicate the air has become a burden.
For regulation, burst ventilation is the recommended method: four to six minutes is enough in frosty weather, while in autumn, at around 10 degrees outside, 10 to 15 minutes should be allowed. Leaving windows permanently tilted, by contrast, is rated inefficient.
