LAUSR

What type of mattress could improve human thermal comfort and sleep quality in hot/cold weather is open questions. In this study, using four different mattresses (temperature-controlled mattress with built-in circulating water pipes, temperature-controlled mattress with built-in integral water cushion, 3D air mesh fabric mattress, and latex foam mattress), a series of sleep experiments were conducted to establish the appropriate thermal comfort zone within bed microclimate for optimal sleep quality. The results showed that, compared with a common latex foam mattress, all temperature-controlled mattresses have excellent cooling performance. Different temperature-controlled devices generated different thermal responses. The mattress with built-in circulating water pipes offered subjects the best thermal comfort during sleep, while the mattress with an integral water cushion resulted in slightly cool and slightly humid states. As the application of innovative mattresses in hot weather, subjects experienced better sleep quality by using a mattress with built-in circulating water pipes and 3D air mesh fabric mattress. Moreover, the comfortable temperature ranges of the human-mattress interface and bed microclimate were 32.3–33.8 °C and 32.8–33.6 °C, respectively. These findings are helpful to better understand the effect of innovative designed mattresses on human thermal comfort, in order to obtain the optimal sleep quality.