The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

Duvalay’s mattress topper is your solution to overheating at night

The brand claims its topper allows up to 30 times better airflow than other memory foam options

Zoe Phillimore
Tuesday 01 March 2022 15:37 GMT
We took this sleep aid for a spin (or lie down)
We took this sleep aid for a spin (or lie down) (iStock/The Independent)

Overheating at night every once in a while can be annoying, but when it’s happening on a regular basis it might pose a problem. One thing that might help prevent you overheating is a cooling mattress topper. So we took one for a spin (or a lie down, we suppose).

There’s quite a lot of factors that might cause a person to overheat at night. Hormones from perimenopausal people, or those who have just given birth, can play games with your temperature regulation. Some medications can cause overheating at night too, as well as anxiety and a variety of other medical conditions (if this is the case for you, though, we recommend speaking to your healthcare professional).

Bedding specialists Duvalay claim to have the answer to night-time overheating and night sweats: its freshtec cooling mattress topper. How does it work? Well, the topper slips over your existing mattress and acts as a second, much thinner mattress for you to lie on. The Duvalay freshtec is foam-based, but is designed to counteract the effect some foam mattresses have of reflecting heat back while you sleep.

The Duvalay freshtec has a cell structure, which allows air to circulate freely. It claims to allow up to 30 times better airflow than other memory foam mattresses. Duvalay also say the mattress provides “moisture management” – a phrase we aren’t overly keen on, but the theory behind it sounds interesting.

But that’s not all. Duvalay claims that its freshtec mattress is also great for bad backs, providing memory foam-style support and smoothing out lumps and bumps in your existing mattress. Sounds like a winning combination – what more could you want?

Read more:

How we tested

We tested the brand’s king-sized mattress topper for a number of weeks. We were looking for if it regulated our temperature, so we used it in a moderately warm room, with a decent winter duvet.

We also recruited a co-tester, who is liable to overheating at night and very discerning about comfort levels, too. Meanwhile we also looked at how comfortable it is, using it on a slightly older mattress that perhaps had seen better days.

Duvalay freshtec cooling mattress topper

duvalay.jpg

Buy now From £252.95, Duvalay.co.uk

  • Sizes available: Single, small double, double, king, super king
  • Type: Foam
  • Depth: 5cm
  • Rating: 8/10

First impressions

The Duvalay mattress topper arrives rolled, like a memory-foam mattress might. Once unleashed from the plastic, it comes up to size pretty quickly.

It doesn’t have elasticated bands on its corners, so we wondered at first if it might slip about our mattress without anything to anchor it. The cover is really soft though, and feels like it has a bit of grip to it, otherwise.

Read more: Naturalmat’s ‘tremendous’ mattress topper review

It’s not as thick as some other toppers we’ve come across, but this helps us squeeze our fitted sheet over the top. We are keen to see how it fares overnight.

Care

While you don’t have to do much in terms of caring for the topper itself (there aren’t instructions to turn or flip it from Duvalay) you can clean it. The cover zips off, and you can chuck it in the washing machine on a 40 degree wash. This is great for those with allergies, as it can help eradicate allergens fairly easily.

Comfort

It does feel more comfortable compared to our existing mattress. We slightly sink into it, in that memory foam way. But it doesn’t feel like we’ve been sucked into it at all, and there’s definite support there. We don’t feel any aches from lying in one position all night, and we feel gently snuggled, as such, by the topper.

Read more: Dusk supreme goose down mattress topper review

Perhaps it’s not quite as thick as other toppers, and therefore not quite as good at papering over the cracks in very tired mattresses. If, for example, you can feel the springs in your mattress then this isn’t the topper for you (and we’d probably gently suggest a new mattress), but if you’re looking for a bit of extra comfort then the Duvalay freshtec is ideal.

Temperature regulation

We are seriously impressed with the freshtec technology. We don’t overheat once under our very cosy duvet, and nor does our aforementioned co-tester. We remained perfectly temperate all night, every night.

In fact, we didn’t wake up sweaty once – perhaps this is also down to that “moisture management” feature. Whatever it was, the Duvalay topper has helped our co-tester sleep better, and worry less about overheating leading to waking up in the night. We are impressed.

The verdict: Duvalay freshtec mattress topper

We were quietly impressed by the Duvalay freshtec mattress topper. It fulfilled both its promises of keeping us temperate at night, and of making our mattress a little more comfortable. We have marked it down slightly as it doesn’t feature straps to hold it in place, and therefore perhaps is not quite as substantial as other toppers out there for the price. However, if you are looking for a solution to night sweats, this could well be it.

Back to top

Voucher codes

Now you’ve got your mattress sorted, up the cosy factor with our edit of the best linen bedding

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in