5 Best Sheets for a Thin Mattress

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Some of the newest, and surprisingly supportive, mattresses are thinner than you might be used to. This can be great to save space and get to create a more contemporary look in your bedroom, but it can make it harder to find sheets – especially fitted sheets – that fit properly. The good news is that with a little careful shopping you can find great sheets for a thin mattress that fit well, are easy to care for, and, perhaps most importantly, feel great against your skin.

Here are the top 5 bedsheets to use on a thin mattress: 

  1. Amerisleep ~ Best Cotton Sheets
  2. PlushBeds ~ Best Sateen Sheets
  3. SIJO ~ Best Linen Sheets
  4. Eli & Elm ~ Best Eco-Friendly Sheets
  5. Nolah ~ Best Value Sheets

Want to know more about these bed sheets? Keep reading as we’ll cover all you need to know about these 5 great bed sheets suitable for thinner mattresses. We’ll also discuss how to choose bed linen, how to keep sheets tight on your mattress and a guide to washing you new bed sheet set.

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A bed made using celliant powered white and baby blue bed sheets in a bright and white modern bedroom with an alarm clock and small lamp.

How to Pick Bed Sheets

More and more is being written and discussed these days about the importance of a good night’s sleep. Getting enough rest helps your body heal itself after a long day, helps your mind process the events of the day, improves your productivity, reduces stress, and may even help some people lose weight.

While the right mattress and box spring are important, as are other considerations like the right light noise and light levels and keeping electronics out of the bedroom, so are the right bedsheets. The right ones can keep you cool if you sleep hot, add comfortable luxury to your sleep space and add some extra visual style too.

Before you shop for sheets for your thin mattress, there are some basics to keep in mind, including all the following:

Fit

A bedsheet that does not fit properly will bunch up, slip, and slide and the chances are you’ll wake up tangled in it, which is hardly conducive to a good night’s sleep. Before you shop for sheets for a thin mattress take the time to measure it properly, and then match those measurements as closely as possible to the sheets you consider.

Couple making a bed with clean white sheets

Fabric

Sheets are offered in many different fabrics, each with their own set of pros and cons, and their own distinct look and feel.

Cotton

While high quality cotton is often touted as the gold standard – and a cotton bedsheet will be long-lasting, sleep cool and be relatively easy to take care of – they are not for everyone. If you are choosing cotton however as your choice of bed linen opt for either 100% Egyptian cotton, Pima, Percale weave or a cotton blend.

Sateen

Sateen cotton is exquisite next to the skin thanks to its three-over-one-under weave. It makes for a great all year-round choice of bedlinen, resists wrinkles and feels soft to the skin.

Silk

Those who like a little luxury – and tend to sleep hot, may be better off with a silk sheet.

Linen

This hypoallergenic and natural fiber derived from a flax plant is very versatile, keeping you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Flannel

And if you live in place with very cold winters you may want to swap cool cotton for soft flannel, as these sheets can keep you beautifully warm without adding too much weight to your bedding.

Microfiber

And if you are looking for budget options – for a guest room that you rarely use, or a child’s room (kids tend to be messy in bed) microfiber sheets may prove the best alternative.

Plant-based

Tencel, Lyocell and Modal are all eco-friendly and sustainable bedding choices, derived from wood pulps of various trees (beech, birch, oak, bamboo, eucalyptus) and are not chemically-infused.

Durability

Even budget priced sheets are not cheap, so it makes sense that you will want your new sheets to be as durable as possible. Keep that in mind as you shop, as the extra invested in a higher quality pair of sheets may seem steep at first, but if they are likely to last twice as long as a budget alternative then it often pays off to make that initial ‘splurge’ on the best quality you can afford.

5 Best Sheets for Thinner Mattresses Reviews

Feeling a little overwhelmed by all those bedsheet choices out there? Here is a look at some of our top picks and favorites when it comes to the best sheets for thinner mattresses to help guide you to the right choice for you.

1. Best Cotton Sheets

 

A bed with mix and match percale sheets and matching pillowcases
Amerisleep

Why We Love These: It’s hard to go wrong with cotton sheets from Amerisleep, they keep you cool in the summer, are warm enough for winter use and, if cared for properly will last for years.

Materials: 100% long-staple Cotton Percale, 300-thread count.

You might be wondering what cotton percale means. Percale is a type of weave that is used to make bed sheets, and it is a weave that is smoother than many other types, creating a cool, smooth sleeping experience you’ll love.

Pros: 300 thread count offers a durable, smooth cotton bedsheet that should last for years; offered by a manufacturer with decades of bedding industry experience; extra grip on the fitted sheet offers a good fit for thin mattresses.

Cons: One of the most expensive options on our list.

Read more details about this cotton sheet set on Amerisleep

2. Best Sateen Sheets

PlushBeds Organic Cotton Sateen sheets
PlushBeds

Why We Love These: If you love the feel of cool, sleek satin against your skin you’ll love these all-year round lightweight sheets that resist wrinkles too from Plushbeds.

Materials: 100% organic, GOTS certified long cotton fibers with a sateen weave, 300 thread count cotton.

Some things just scream luxury: chocolates, champagne and yes, silk sheets. These sheets are as deliciously silky and smooth as you would expect, but organic silk is blended with just enough cotton to create a more durable sheet that is easy to care for. And these sheets stay smooth, they won’t wrinkle and bunch up while you sleep.

Pros: Smooth to the skin, cool sleeping luxury; organic silk is blended with ethically sourced cotton for more durability; easier to care for than standard silk or stain sheets; wrinkle resistant; hypoallergenic; free from harmful chemicals and dyes; 5-year warranty.

Cons: Are an expensive choice; only available in one color (natural).

Check out this Organic Cotton Sateen Sheet Set on Plushbeds

3. Best Linen Sheets

French linen bedding and duvet cover set in color blush
SIJO

Why We Love These: People have relied on soft linen for centuries to provide them with cool comfortable sleep in hot summers. These sheets from Sijo area great if you regularly sleep hot.

Materials: 100% French Flax Linen.

Linen, which is made from a long flax that is softer and more pliable than cotton, has been popular as summer bedding for a long time, with French linen being prized over other variations as French flax is said to be the most durable and yet lead to the softest weave. These sheets are soft, will last a long time and keep you cool on those sweltering summer nights with ease.

Pros: Soft and durable; crafted from organically sourced flax; superior weave quality adds durability; sleeps very cool; eco-friendly.

Cons: May not be warm enough for use in the fall or winter, doesn’t come in as many colors and sizes as competitors,.

Read more details on SIJO

4. Best Eco-Friendly Sheets

Eli and Elm’s Whalley Collection
Eli & Elm

Why we love these: If you want eco-friendly/vegan friendly sheets for you bed and sensitive skin these durable sheets from Eli & Elm are an excellent choice.

Materials: Certified Tencel made from Eucalyptus, 400 Thread Count.

If you have never heard of Tencel – which is the fabric these sheets are crafted from – it is the brand name for a fabric that is made from plant fibers called lyocell and modal. The soft texture is similar to rayon, but it is far more eco-friendly and considerably softer. The Eli and Elm Tencel sheets are even more special as they also contain naturally cooling eucalyptus fibers.

Pros: Extremely soft; very eco-friendly; crafted from sustainable plant materials; Eucalyptus fibers add extra cooling; free shipping; 45-day return policy; sleeps cool;

Cons: Are a little harder to take care of.

Learn more about these tencel sheets on Eli & Elm

5. Best Value Sheets

A bedroom featuring stone colored bamboo sheet set from Nolah
Nolah

Why We Love These: If you are looking for eco-friendly luxury that is also naturally antibacterial these Bamboo cotton blend sheets from Nolah have you covered.

Materials: Long-staple 60% Bamboo and 40% Cotton fibers, 240 Thread Count.

When woven into fabric bamboo is super-soft, cool, and naturally antibacterial. It is also extraordinarily strong. The addition of cotton adds even more durability and cooling, but all at a price that is a little more affordable.

Pros: bamboo adds cooling and durability; easy to take care of; bamboo also wicks away moisture from the skin, keeping you drier on warm nights, one of the most affordable options on our list; made with elastic bands that fits any 8″ to 16″ mattress.

Cons: Not as ‘bright white’ as some people like.

Check out this cotton blend sheet set on Nolah

How To Keep Bed Sheets Tight on a Thin Mattress

In addition to ensuring that you choose bedsheets that are as close to the measurements of your mattress as possible to keep bedsheets tight on your thin mattress you should ensure that you take the time to make the bed properly, wrapping the fitted sheet all the way around the mattress and tucking it in tight underneath.

If you want to get a really tight, won’t slip fit you can invest in an inexpensive set of sheet suspenders and make use of those as well.

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How To Wash Bed Sheets and How Often

White sheets being taken out of the washing machine

The way you care for your new bedsheets will have a lot to do with how they feel against your skin and how long they last. In fact, after you make your choice caring for them the right way is the most important thing you can do to help ensure that your sheets enhance your nighttime experience.

Ideally you should wash your sheets in the coolest water possible – a cold water laundry detergent will help ensure they still get clean – and, where possible, air dry them to avoid shrinkage. If you must use a tumble dryer, use it on the lowest setting possible.

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How often should you wash your sheets? At least once every two to three weeks is ideal, and a little more often if you make use of oils and moisturizers or tend to sleep hot and sweat a little more as you sleep.