Why Drew Barrymore Calls Cooling Bedding a Sleep Game-Changer

Drew Barrymore told PEOPLE that sleeping in a cool environment and using cooling bedding was a "game-changer" after she became a hot sleeper. That public account lines up with long-standing sleep hygiene guidance: cooler bedrooms help the body settle into sleep, and cooling bedding materials are one practical tool when the mattress nest still feels warm.

This piece sticks to what Barrymore said on record and what major sleep organizations publish about bedroom temperature sleep. It is not a product endorsement, and it is not medical advice.

What sleep challenge did Drew Barrymore describe?

In a PEOPLE exclusive published November 15, 2024, Erin Clements reported that Barrymore, then 49, has faced real challenges to quality sleep. Hormonal shifts left her a hot sleeper, and that heat disrupted overnight rest. She partnered with Rest as a Sleep Wellness Advocate and pointed to two linked habits: keeping the sleep space cool, and choosing cooling bedding.

Barrymore spoke warmly about Rest's Evercool Cooling Comforter, saying she had "never slept better." Bedtime sometimes includes reading. On why rest matters, she put it plainly: "We can't be our best selves without a good night's rest."

For hot sleeper bedding shoppers, the useful takeaway is not a brand loyalty test. It is the pattern she named out loud: cool room air plus bedding that does not trap overnight heat.

Why does a cool bedroom help hot sleepers?

The National Sleep Foundation's sleep tips say the bedroom should be cool because body temperature decreases to help initiate sleep. They advise a bedroom temperature between 60 and 67°F as a range that helps promote sleep.

Sleep Foundation's "Best Temperature for Sleep" guide (Danielle Pacheco, updated July 11, 2025; medically reviewed by David Rosen, MD) narrows the common target further. Many people sleep best near about 65°F (18.3°C). Many doctors suggest a thermostat between 65 and 68°F. The same guide notes that core body temperature typically drops about 2°F overnight, with heat leaving the core through vasodilation toward the extremities. A warm bedroom can reduce restorative slow-wave sleep, and REM sleep is sensitive to ambient heat.

Those numbers are population guidance, not a prescription for every climate or every body. They do explain why a public figure who started waking hot would call cooler air and cooling fabric a turning point.

Bedroom temperature targets at a glance

| Source | Guidance | | --- | --- | | National Sleep Foundation sleep tips | Cool bedroom; 60-67°F promotes sleep | | Sleep Foundation (ideal estimate) | About 65°F (18.3°C) | | Sleep Foundation (common clinician band) | Thermostat often 65-68°F | | Sleep Foundation (overnight physiology) | Core temperature drops about 2°F |

What does cooling bedding add beyond the thermostat?

Air conditioning and fans set the room. Bedding sets the nest against the skin. Sleep Foundation's temperature guide lists investing in cooling bedding materials among practical tips when people still overheat under covers even after they lower the thermostat.

Barrymore's "cooling comforter" example sits in that lane: fabric and fill chosen to dump heat instead of holding it. A cooling comforter will not replace sleep hygiene basics (consistent schedule, dark room, limited late caffeine), but it can reduce the mismatch between a cool thermostat and a stuffy duvet.

Humid climates make that mismatch more common. In Singapore and other tropical cities, bedroom air often sits warmer and stickier than the National Sleep Foundation's 60-67°F band, especially when air conditioning is off or set gently overnight. Humid night sleep tips usually stack three levers: lower the room as far as comfort and cost allow, choose breathable sheets and covers, and avoid heavy, heat-trapping layers that block thermoregulation sleep.

How do deep pressure and cooling fit for hot sleepers?

Some people want the settled feel of a weighted blanket while they also run hot. Sleep Foundation's weighted-blanket weight chart (Rachel Grice, updated November 20, 2024) gives a familiar rule of thumb: about 10% of body weight, with a preferred range often cited around 5-12%. The same guide notes that material and fill change how warm a blanket sleeps, and that removable covers make cleaning easier.

That last point matters for hot sleepers who like deep touch pressure sleep. A dense fill that holds heat can undo the cool-room advantage Barrymore described. People in that spot often look for a cooling weighted blanket: enough evenly distributed weight for pressure, with breathable or phase-change fabrics so the nest does not spike overnight. Weight choice and fabric choice are separate dials; turning only the weight dial does not fix overnight heat.

If you are comparing constructions, look at fabric and fill specs rather than marketing adjectives alone. For people browsing options in a tropical apartment, the shop page is a light next step after you set room temperature and bedding breathability first.

Bottom line

Barrymore's PEOPLE interview put a celebrity frame on a simple sleep quality idea: when hormones or climate leave you hot overnight, a cooler bedroom plus cooling bedding can feel like a real upgrade. National Sleep Foundation and Sleep Foundation guidance back the temperature side of that story with clear ranges and a noted overnight core drop of about 2°F. Hot sleepers who also want pressure can keep the habit, then choose materials that sleep cooler so thermoregulation and comfort stay on the same side.

Cool the room first. Then cool the nest. Treat any public-voice tip as one data point, not a clinical plan.

Sources

1. Erin Clements, PEOPLE, Nov 15, 2024. "Drew Barrymore Shares Her Biggest Challenges to Quality Sleep and What Was a Game-Changer (Exclusive)." https://people.com/drew-barrymore-shares-her-biggest-challenges-to-quality-sleep-and-what-was-a-game-changer-exclusive-8745676
2. National Sleep Foundation. "Sleep Tips." https://www.thensf.org/sleep-tips/
3. Danielle Pacheco, Sleep Foundation, updated July 11, 2025 (medically reviewed by David Rosen, MD). "Best Temperature for Sleep." https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/best-temperature-for-sleep
4. Rachel Grice, Sleep Foundation, updated Nov 20, 2024. "Weighted Blanket Weight Chart." https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-weighted-blankets/weighted-blanket-weight-chart