It’s not a miracle cure, but this cooling bamboo bedding is the only way I get any sleep in a heatwave

In true British fashion, the weather is all any of us can talk about right now. And for good reason: the heat is causing serious disruption to our daily lives. Travel is chaos, schools are closing, and with temperatures sitting as high as 26°C at night, sleep is nigh-on impossible.

Naturally, everyone is looking for ways to stay cool in a heatwave, especially overnight. From cooling fans and blackout blinds to switching up bedding, it all feeds into the same goal: how to keep your bedroom cool when the temperature refuses to drop. Two of our go-to tools for getting sleep in the heat are cooling fans and the best cooling bed sheets, which together can make a noticeable difference to nighttime comfort.

I’ve been testing cooling sleep solutions extensively, and while nothing is a true miracle cure in extreme heat, Panda London’s bamboo bedding is one of the most effective options I’ve tried. It’s naturally breathable, moisture-wicking, and impressively soft against hot, irritated skin, making it a helpful addition when you’re trying to sleep through a heatwave.

Panda London Bedding

Panda London’s bedding was initially recommended to me by our Homes eCommerce Editor, Laura Honey, as a potential solution for managing hot flushes and overheating at night. On first inspection, I was slightly underwhelmed: it wasn’t as instantly soft or cool to the touch as I had expected straight out of the packaging, and it felt quite slippery in a way that didn’t immediately read as “comfort”. But first impressions don’t do this bedding justice.

After just a few nights, I could place complete confidence in these sheets. Sleeping in them is a joy - I mean, being excited to go to bed and doing a silent 'ahhh' every time I lie down sort of delight.

That initial slipperiness does take a bit of getting used to, but once you adjust, it becomes part of what makes it so comfortable and fluid to sleep in. No matter how warm the room gets, the sheets and duvet covers consistently feel cool against the skin, so getting into bed is instantly calming rather than sticky or stifling.

No matter how hot my bedroom might be, the sheets and covers are always cool to the touch, so it's instantly comfortable to climb into bed. And no matter how hot I am, the bedding never accentuates this or makes me feel trapped in heat. The clever material allows air to move freely, and draws sweat away from my skin. And while the latter might seem off-putting, it's brilliant, for two reasons.

Firstly, it keeps me cool, and secondly, this material gets softer with every wash. It is soft out of the packet, but after washing this bedding a few times and the difference in softness was undeniable. Combined, this makes for the most comfortable sleep I'm likely to get in a heatwave.

Laura says: 'As someone who has tested a wide range of cooling sleep products and ways to keep your bedroom cool, Panda London’s bamboo bedding consistently stands out. The fibre is naturally moisture-wicking, helping to draw sweat away from the skin, while its open weave structure allows air to circulate rather than trapping heat close to the body. Together, these properties make bamboo one of the most effective natural materials for supporting temperature regulation during a heatwave.

'Personally, what I notice most is how soothing the bamboo bedding feels. In extreme heat, my skin doesn’t just feel warm, it can become inflamed and itchy, and this is where bamboo bedding really excels. It feels exceptionally soft, calming and non-irritating against hot, sensitive skin, which makes a noticeable difference to sleep comfort on very warm nights. For me, it’s one of the most reliable options for improving sleep when temperatures rise.”

Who would the Panda London Bedding suit?

• Hot sleepers and heatwave sufferers: this bedding is ideal if you regularly wake up overheating or struggle most on warm, still nights. Its breathable, moisture-wicking properties help regulate temperature and reduce that “trapped heat” feeling that can build up with standard cotton or synthetic bedding.
• Anyone looking for a natural cooling alternative: if you want to avoid gimmicky cooling tech or heavy synthetic fabrics, bamboo is a strong natural option. It works with airflow rather than against it, helping your body stay more comfortable without relying on artificial cooling treatments or overly engineered finishes.
• Sensitive or reactive skin types: this is a particularly good choice if your skin feels irritated, itchy, or inflamed in the heat. The fabric is exceptionally smooth and gentle, which can help reduce friction and create a calmer, more soothing sleep environment when your skin is already feeling overstimulated.

Panda London’s bamboo bedding really comes into its own when comfort is compromised by heat, sensitivity, or disrupted sleep. It won’t actively cool the room, but it does a very good job of managing how your body experiences warmth, keeping airflow moving, moisture under control, and the surface feel soft rather than sticky or abrasive. For anyone who finds summer nights uncomfortable, or who simply wants bedding that feels more breathable and skin-friendly than standard cotton, it’s a reliable, low-fuss upgrade that makes a noticeable difference in how well you sleep when temperatures rise.

Alternatives to Panda London Bamboo Bedding

We've tested plenty of other sets of cooling sheets to find the best ones to help you in the heat. Here are three of our favourites:

Panda London’s bamboo bedding isn’t a gimmicky “instant cooling” fix, and it won’t magically teach you how to stay cool in summer all of the time, but it does make a noticeable, practical difference to how comfortable you feel in bed when temperatures rise. What stands out most is the balance it strikes: breathable, moisture-managing fabric combined with a soft, skin-soothing feel that makes hot, sticky nights easier to tolerate. For hot sleepers, sensitive skin, or anyone trying to get through summer nights with a bit more ease, it’s one of the most dependable bedding upgrades you can make.