Memory foam is known for its contouring comfort and pressure relief, but traditional memory foam also has a reputation for holding onto body heat. Fortunately, modern foam mattresses have come a long way.

Today, the best cooling memory foam mattresses combine the body-hugging benefits of memory foam with materials designed to manage heat, such as cooling infusions, breathable covers, and more airflow-friendly foam constructions.

At Bear, we believe you shouldn't have to choose between the pressure-relieving comfort of memory foam and a comfortable sleep temperature. In this guide, we'll explain what makes a memory foam mattress sleep cooler, which features hot sleepers should prioritize, and how to find the right balance of cooling, comfort, and support.

What Is a Cooling Memory Foam Mattress?

A cooling memory foam mattress is an all-foam mattress designed to reduce some of the heat retention traditionally associated with memory foam.

Memory foam responds to heat and pressure, allowing it to contour closely around your body. That's a big part of what makes it so comfortable, but close contouring can also limit airflow around the body. Traditional dense foams may also absorb and retain heat.

Cooling memory foam mattresses address these issues through materials and construction techniques intended to improve airflow or help move heat away from the sleep surface.

Common cooling features include:

• Gel-infused memory foam designed to absorb and disperse heat

• Breathable mattress covers that allow heat and moisture to escape more easily

• Open-cell foam structures that promote airflow through the comfort layers

• Heat-dissipating materials such as copper or graphite

• Temperature-regulating cover technologies designed to manage warmth at the sleep surface

No mattress can guarantee you'll never sleep hot, and temperature preferences vary considerably from person to person. But these features can make a meaningful difference compared with more traditional, heat-retaining foam constructions.

Why Can Memory Foam Sleep Hot?

The same qualities that make memory foam appealing can sometimes contribute to heat retention.

As memory foam contours around your body, more of your skin comes into contact with the mattress. That close embrace can reduce the amount of air circulating around you.

Foam construction matters, too. Dense, closed structures generally provide fewer pathways for air to move through a mattress than the open coil system found in a hybrid or innerspring bed.

That's why shoppers concerned about temperature shouldn't simply look for a mattress labeled "memory foam." Pay attention to how the entire mattress is constructed and what cooling technologies it uses.

What Should You Look for in a Cooling Memory Foam Mattress?

If sleeping temperature is high on your priority list, here are some of the most important features to consider.

1. Cooling Gel Memory Foam

Gel-infused memory foam is one of the most common ways mattress manufacturers address heat retention.

Cooling gel is incorporated into the foam to help draw heat away from your body and disperse it throughout the material. You still get the contouring and pressure relief associated with memory foam, but with added temperature-management properties.

Both the Bear Original and Bear Pro Foam, for example, incorporate gel swirl memory foam as part of their all-foam constructions.

2. A Breathable or Temperature-Regulating Cover

Cooling shouldn't stop with the foam layers.

Because the mattress cover is closest to your body, it can play an important role in how warm or cool your sleep surface feels. Breathable fabrics can help heat and moisture move away from the body rather than becoming trapped directly beneath you.

More advanced covers may incorporate technologies specifically designed around temperature regulation.

3. Airflow Through the Mattress

When comparing foam mattresses, look beyond individual cooling ingredients and consider the overall construction.

Traditional memory foam can be relatively dense. Modern foam designs may use more breathable structures or combine different types of foam to create a less restrictive sleep environment.

If maximum airflow is your top priority, it's also worth comparing memory foam mattresses with hybrids. A hybrid's coil core generally allows more air to move through the mattress than a solid foam support core. However, sleepers who prefer the close contouring and strong motion isolation of an all-foam bed may still prefer cooling memory foam.

4. The Right Amount of Contouring

A softer mattress isn't automatically a cooler or warmer mattress, but how deeply you sink into your bed can affect how warm it feels.

Deep contouring increases the amount of material surrounding your body, potentially limiting airflow. A more balanced or medium-firm foam mattress can provide pressure relief without creating an excessively deep "hug."

Your ideal firmness should still be based primarily on your sleep position, body type, and comfort preferences, but hot sleepers may want to keep the relationship between contouring and temperature in mind.

5. Pressure Relief and Support

Don't focus so heavily on cooling that you overlook the main job of your mattress: keeping you comfortable and supported.

Memory foam is especially popular because it conforms around the body's curves and helps redistribute pressure. When comparing mattresses, consider whether the comfort layers provide enough cushioning around pressure-sensitive areas while the underlying support layers keep your body stable.

The right balance will depend partly on how you sleep. Side sleepers generally benefit from more cushioning around the shoulders and hips, while back and stomach sleepers often need a more supportive surface to help maintain comfortable alignment.

Cooling Memory Foam vs. Hybrid Mattresses

Hot sleepers frequently find themselves deciding between an all-foam mattress and a hybrid mattress.

A hybrid combines foam comfort layers with a coil support system. The open space surrounding the coils generally provides better airflow than a solid foam core, making hybrids particularly appealing to people who prioritize cooling.

Memory foam mattresses offer a different set of advantages. Their all-foam construction typically provides closer contouring, excellent pressure relief, strong motion isolation, and a quiet sleep surface.

Here's a quick comparison:

Neither construction is inherently right for everyone. If airflow and responsiveness are your biggest priorities, a hybrid may be worth considering. If you prefer a contouring, quiet mattress with strong motion isolation, cooling memory foam may be the better fit.

How to Choose the Best Cooling Memory Foam Mattress for You

There's more to finding the best cooling memory foam mattress than choosing whichever bed advertises the most cooling technology.

Start with your sleep position and preferred firmness. From there, consider how much contouring and pressure relief you like, whether you share your bed, how easily you're disturbed by movement, and how warm you typically sleep.

For hot sleepers, pay particular attention to the combination of the mattress cover and comfort layers. Features like breathable fabrics and gel-infused memory foam can help create a more temperature-conscious all-foam design.

And remember that your entire sleep environment matters. Breathable sheets, lighter bedding, bedroom temperature, pajamas, and even your mattress protector can influence how warm you feel at night.

Bear's Best Cooling Memory Foam Mattresses

At Bear, both of our all-foam mattresses incorporate cooling-focused materials while providing the contouring comfort and pressure relief people expect from memory foam. The biggest difference comes down to what else you want from your mattress.

Here's how we recommend choosing between them.

Best Cooling Memory Foam Mattress for Couples: Bear Pro Foam

Best For: Couples who want cooling comfort, enhanced pressure relief, and strong motion isolation.

The Bear Pro Foam is our pick for couples looking for a cooling memory foam mattress because its thicker all-foam construction combines motion-absorbing comfort with cooling-focused materials.

Its gel swirl memory foam contours around the body while the gel helps draw away and disperse heat. Above and below it, additional foam layers create deeper cushioning and pressure relief while maintaining a supportive, medium-firm feel.

The Pro Foam's all-foam construction also helps absorb movement before it travels across the mattress. If your partner rolls over, changes positions, or gets out of bed during the night, you're less likely to feel that movement on your side of the bed.

The mattress also features a quilted Celliant® infrared cover. Celliant® fibers capture body heat and convert it into infrared energy, and this technology is part of the mattress's sleep recovery and temperature-regulation system.

For couples, that combination checks several important boxes: cooling-focused materials, close-contouring pressure relief, a quiet sleep surface, and strong motion isolation.

Why It's Good for Couples:

• Gel swirl memory foam helps manage heat

• All-foam construction absorbs motion

• Thicker comfort layers provide enhanced pressure relief

• Medium-firm feel balances cushioning and support

• Celliant® infrared cover supports temperature regulation

• High-density foam foundation provides stable support

If you and your partner both prefer the close, cushioning feel of foam—but don't want a traditional memory foam mattress that feels overly warm—the Bear Pro Foam offers a more cooling-focused approach.

Best Cooling Memory Foam Mattress for Value: Bear Original

Best For: Shoppers who want cooling memory foam comfort in a simpler, streamlined design.

The Bear Original focuses on the essentials: cooling comfort, contouring pressure relief, and reliable all-foam support.

At the heart of its comfort system is gel swirl memory foam, which conforms to your body while helping draw heat away and disperse it. Responsive comfort foam underneath helps balance the memory foam's contouring sensation, while a high-density foundation provides stable support.

That streamlined construction makes the Bear Original our pick for shoppers who want the benefits of a cooling memory foam mattress without stepping up to the thicker comfort system of the Pro Foam.

The Original has also earned independent recognition for both cooling and value. Mattress Clarity named the Bear Original its Best Cooling Memory Foam Mattress for 2026, while the NCOA recognized it as its Best Affordable Cooling Mattress.

Why It's Good for Value:

• Gel swirl memory foam provides cooling-focused comfort and pressure relief

• Responsive comfort foam balances cushioning with support

• High-density foam creates a stable foundation

• Medium-firm feel works for a broad range of sleepers

• Celliant® infrared cover supports temperature regulation

• Streamlined construction focuses on essential memory foam benefits

For sleepers who want a straightforward all-foam mattress with cooling technology, the Bear Original offers a practical balance of comfort, support, and temperature management.

Either way, modern memory foam doesn't have to mean sleeping hot. By prioritizing cooling gel foams, thoughtful cover materials, the right firmness, and an overall construction that fits your sleep needs, you can enjoy the contouring comfort of memory foam while creating a cooler, more comfortable environment for rest.

Disclaimer: Bear does not provide medical advice. All resources on the Bear blog, including this article, are informational only and do not replace professional medical counsel. Talk to your doctor about any health, mental health, or sleep-related issues.