Jimsocal, you mentioned that maybe the CuddleBed was part of the cause of my heat issues at night...Perhaps you're right. Last night, the set up was:

6" hd36-hq and Lux-hq
3" eggcrate foam
1" latex
wool blanket (to trap heat)
cuddlebed
fitted sheet (jersey knit--perhaps trapping too much heat?)
light blanket

I awoke, sweating, many times last night. Finally took the cuddlebed off the bed, and slept ok rest of night (but that was early morning--i'll have to give it a real go tonight, without it). And no, i'm not going through menopause (yet)!

of course, I've had the heat issue without the cuddlebed, but...Can heat from the foam layers really make it through a wool blanket, sheet and cuddlebed?

Arggh! Might have to get a real wool topper, but i wish i knew what would work before i bought it...! ;)

I have some experience to share:
1)  jersey sheets feel good but are HOT! I hate them! I always thought that a higher thread count meant a better sheet, but all it really means is a softer - but HOTTER - sheet. Use the lowest thread count that feels soft enough for you.
2) Yes the cuddle bed may make the bed hotter, it also MAY add a bit too much cheap foam to the mix. Probably does not make much diff, but it MIGHT.
3) Get the cheapest wool mattress pad you can get. 100% wool with no synthetic or very very little synthetic in the material holding it, and that will help you a lot, it's almost guaranteed.
4) I don't know about wick-away mattress covers. But I can tell you that I've had wick-away shirts and shorts, and they did not work at all for me, in fact they seemed to be worse than just cotton! I cannot say that the wick-away cover won't work, but let's say I'm very skeptical. Wool on the other hand seems to work.

DIYs are the territory of Jim and others but I can give you some insight into how the top of the mattress affects the temperature at which the bed sleeps.

The material that's in the ticking or top of the mattress has a significant effect on how warm the bed sleeps. Materials such as silk and wool sleep much cooler than poly blends. An easy test is to take your nails and scratch them across the top of your bed. If they make a scritch sound the top is not natural fiber and will probably sleep hot. Cashmere and Silk/Bamboo blends are about the best you can get for temperature moderation in a mattress.

My own bed is cashmere and alpaca loft and sleeps comfortably cool.

-Alex

Alexander wrote:

Thanks for the insight Alex.  If you don't mind me asking, what kind of bed do you sleep on?

A Simmons Black Rosalyn.

It uses individually pocketed triple braided coils (Each coil is actually three smaller wires braided together) for a net guage of 11.75. It's topped in Talalay Latex with silk, cashmere, and alpaca loft woven into the ticking. It has a very soft ontop but firm deep down type of feel that I like. It's the type of bed you can cuddle down into without sinking. It's not perfect for everyone, but it is perfect for me.

My only complaint is that it's not adjustable friendly. One day I may swap it for something that is. I'm not personally a fan of the feel of Tempurpedics except the Allura. If/when I do switch to an adjustable-friendly mattress it will probably be that one.

-Alex

Wow, thank you so much everyone. I got rid of the Cuddlebed and jersey sheets, and slept cooler last night; my next step will probably be a wool topper. Of course, the mattress is less comfortable without the cuddlebed, so i have to tweak the layers. Hmmm. Confusing!

But thank you, again, for your helpful comments!! Will update on the situation.

I'm considering ordering the Snugfleece "good" mattress cover...It's pure wool, 1" thick. Should this be enough to counteract the heat? Might get an x-tra long twin size, see how it does before ordering the king.

(Although, i wonder if a twin-size pad will stay on my king mattress, without moving around...?)

I want this thing http://www.chilitechnology.com/products.php !!!

oh my god, that looks amazing! Cheap, too. ;)

electracat wrote:

Nifty.  You going to get it, electra?

I was kidding about it being cheap!! No, I'm not going to get it. Going to try a wool topper, and then if that fails, i have no idea!