This Fourth of July weekend, it’s not just fireworks keeping folks awake.
With temperatures hitting the triple digits in New York City, I’ll be one of the estimated 850,000 residents braving the heat without air conditioning.
Honestly, I deal with sweltering nights all year long. I toss and turn like a fish out of water, flipping my pillow to find the cool side, yet I still wake up with my sheets twisted and my pajamas stuck to my skin.
And I know I’m not the only one going through this. A survey revealed that around 14% of American adults frequently find it too hot to sleep well. It’s a striking figure from a Casper and Gallup Study involving about 4,000 participants.
Those of us who struggle to sleep in the heat typically take longer to fall asleep, get poorer quality rest, and, oddly, are nearly twice as likely to face anxiety or depression. Plus, we often feel drained and less productive throughout the day.
As summer rolls in, things seem to worsen.
In my own Astoria apartment, I frequently find myself lying awake in sweaty discomfort, asking, “Should I finally break down and get a window unit?”
Approximately 11% of New Yorkers forgo air conditioning, often due to concerns about the environment, living in older buildings, or the fact that cooling costs have soared by over 50% in the last decade.
Looking ahead, its outlook doesn’t seem very bright. Research suggests that by 2028, NYC could face up to ten heat waves each summer, with six times as many days over 90 degrees.
So, as I contemplate long, sweaty nights ahead, I started to think about alternatives to air conditioning. My fans just aren’t cutting it.
Here are three cooling gadgets that have helped me get through the summer so far.
Embr Wave 2
I must admit, I was doubtful about this one.
Of all the gadgets I tried, this wrist-worn device felt like the biggest risk. Surprisingly, it worked better than I expected, and it’s based on Nobel Prize-winning science.
Marketed as “the world’s first personal thermostat,” the Embr Wave 2 resembles a sleek smartwatch. Instead of telling time, it delivers small blasts of heat or cold to your wrist.
Research from UC Berkeley indicates that users can feel temperature shifts of about 5 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit.
Liz Gazda, the CEO of Embr Labs, explained that the device sends thermal stimulation to the brain to prompt a physical response.
Inside, a tiny thermoelectric heat pump draws heat away or pushes warmth against your skin.
The temperature adjustments stimulate sensitive nerves in your wrist, signaling your brain’s temperature control, making your entire body feel cooler or warmer.
It’s effective, though not a dramatic wave of relief. The cooling sensation is subtle, rather gentle, just enough to note, but not so intense that you feel freezing cold.
I wore the Embr Wave 2 intermittently for a month, and it noticeably lessened the overheated feeling I often have at night.
It comes in both rose gold and black, and the battery lasts over 9 hours on a single charge. It pairs with a free app that offers six temperature modes and over 30 specific heating sessions.
This device isn’t just for those who struggle with heat while sleeping. Many users have found relief from menopausal hot flashes, anxiety, panic attacks, and even multiple sclerosis symptoms.
The Embr Wave 2 costs $239 or $20 per month for rental.
Dagsmejan Stay Cool Pajamas
During summer, I usually opt for comfy shorts and a big T-shirt, which usually end up damp and crumpled on the floor by morning.
That changed with Dagsmejan’s Stay Cool sleepwear.
Wearing their short-sleeved shirt and pants felt like stepping into a luxurious slumber party scene. The fabric is incredibly soft, almost like something out of a high-end catalogue.
Dagsmejan claims its eucalyptus-based “Natkool” fabric is up to eight times more breathable than cotton and dries about a third faster. This open-knit design enhances moisture release by 60%.
Efficient sweat evaporation cools the skin naturally, according to Andreas Lenzhofer, the company’s co-founder and CEO.
After weeks of wear, I noticed I woke up much less clammy than before. The pajamas are lightweight and stay nice and cool against my skin at night.
However, they’re certainly a splurge—definitely pricier than regular pajamas. My set cost $248.
Coop Cool + Bedding
If you’re tired of hearing me talk about my moisture-laden sheets, I get it. But Coop’s Cool+ Bedding finally changed the game for me.
Constructed from a cooling blend of nylon and spandex, these sheets don’t trap as much heat and wick moisture away far better than regular cotton. They have a smooth, silky feel, like high-performance loungewear.
Its only downside? A bit slippery initially—it took some getting used to, but eventually I found it hard to sleep without them. I fell asleep faster and woke up more easily if I stirred during the night.
And the adjustable pillows were a highlight.
I’ve tried many “cooling” pillows before, and they usually start off refreshing but wind up trapping heat. This one’s the exception.
The combination of cooling gel-infused memory foam and microfiber enhances airflow. One side offers plush cushioning while the other delivers a firmer, cooler feel designed to manage heat more effectively.
Plus, the pillow is customizable. You can tweak its height and firmness by adding or removing gel-infused filling to get it just right.
The mattress topper uses a similar memory foam blend and claims to improve airflow by 50%.
While cooling bedding isn’t a substitute for AC in extreme heat, it can help reduce heat buildup, improve airflow, and create a comfortable sleeping surface, according to a product developer at Coop.
The adjustable pillow costs $149, the sheet set $129, and the mattress topper runs $399.
In the end, none of these products turned my apartment into an icebox, but they definitely made the summer nights feel a bit more bearable.
And I’m going to hold off on that window air conditioning unit for as long as I can.
