All the bedding you need for a comfortable college experience
This blog post is all about the best mattress toppers for college dorms.
From a dorm room mattress to a flimsy futon, I have spent years of my college life sleeping on mattresses that you would think are the most uncomfy things EVER… but they weren’t because I’m convinced I found the best mattress toppers for college dorms.
When you’re moving into a new dorm, you probably know that even a new mattress isn’t going to be the most comfortable thing on one of those standard Twin XL beds. So, in this post I’m sharing the best Twin XL mattress toppers and EVERYTHING you need to make your dorm room bed comfier than your bed at home.
I’m talking about turning your college dorm room into a luxury hotel! Okay, maybe not quite a full transformation… but as close as you can possibly get 😉
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BEST MATTRESS TOPPERS FOR COLLEGE DORMS:
In this post, I’ll go over the best memory foam topper, mattress pads, mattress protector, and duvet set you need to get a good night’s sleep. While your love for these products might vary due to personal preference, I’m convinced these are some of the best bedroom products you can get for your college years.
Best Memory Foam Mattress Topper: LUCID Twin XL Mattress Topper
One of the best options for making your sleep quality better in a dorm room bed is to add a memory foam layer. This gel-infused memory foam pad is made to improve airflow, regulate body temperature, and give you a more customized sleep climate.
It’s got several thickness options. If you’re unsure of which one to choose, I would go with the 3-inch but if you like a thicker mattress topper, you can even choose a 4-inch!
Memory foam will conform to your body shape, so if you’re looking for something that will make your bed softer and help you get hours of sleep, I think this is one of the best mattress toppers for dorm rooms.
Best Mattress Pad: Bedsure Cotton Twin XL Mattress Pad
I’ve had this bedsure cotton twin XL size mattress pad since my first year of college (which was 5 years ago now!) and I can say from experience that this works WONDERS for college dorm beds.
I recommend getting this in addition to the memory foam pad, because it will add a layer of cushion to your Twin XL bed so that you still feel like you’re sleeping on a mattress and not directly on memory foam.
Mattress pads are basically like thinner mattress toppers, but I always recommend putting a mattress pad on top of your mattress topper because it will only add to the comfort level of your bed.
I seriously used to have the flimsiest futon mattress when I lived in my first apartment because it was the only bed I could actually fit in the room. When I tell you this mattress pad seriously saved me from back problems, I’m not kidding! I went without it for a couple weeks because I washed it and didn’t bother putting it back on, and I noticed a HUGE difference. My bed was way less comfortable without it.
Now, I have a queen sized bed and I bought another one of these Bedsure mattress pads for it to put on top of my memory foam mattress because I literally can’t go without it anymore. It’s crazy how much support a simple mattress pad can give you!
Lots of dorm room mattresses and Twin XL mattresses are pretty firm, which is why I think that memory foam mattress toppers are the best dorm mattress topper. They add some softness to your bed and provide extra comfort for back sleepers, stomach sleepers, and side sleepers alike since they conform to your body.
Best Mattress Cover: Premium Waterproof Mattress Protector
When you find the right mattress topper, you still need to get a good mattress protector to go overtop.
A mattress protector will extend the longevity of your mattress topper and mattress pad, which is essential for dorm room living because you honestly never know when you’re going to spill something on your bed. Plus, you might get sweaty in the summer and it’s nice to have a washable cover that will keep your room feeling and smelling fresh.
When you think of something that’s waterproof, it sounds like the material might not be the most comfortable to sleep on, but that’s not true of this product!
There are several reviews from people saying they were surprised how soft this mattress cover is, making it a good choice for college students.
In fact, I just realized that I don’t have a mattress cover like this for my current queen bed and I think I’m going to go order this one right now!!
Best Duvet Insert: Utopia Bedding Comforter Duvet Insert
An uncomfortable dorm bed doesn’t just happen because of the type of dorm room mattress topper… your bedding also plays a huge role!
I love this Utopia duvet insert from Amazon. This is the brand I use and it also has tons of rave reviews for being affordable but high quality.
This is a great option for hot sleepers because it’s not too dense so it’s good for temperature control. I use this duvet insert in the summer and still find I get a great sleep.
But if you prefer more bedding when you’re sleeping to stay warm, you can also double up on this duvet insert and put two inside of your duvet cover. This will not only keep you warm but also makes your bed look fluffier.
Doubling up on this duvet cover and then putting it on top of the mattress in your dorm will seriously make your bed look and feel SO comfy and make it feel like a home away from home!
Best Bedding Set: Eucalyptus Tencel Lyocell Sheets
Aside from getting a quality mattress topper, you need a great bedding set that will help regulate your body heat and make you feel like you’re sleeping on a luxury hotel bed.
My favorite temperature regulating bed sheets are the Ralph Lauren bedding sets, but they can be hard to find in a Twin XL size. So, the next ones I would recommend are these Eucalyptus Tencel Lyocell sheets, which are a great choice for any college student.
They’re machine washable (something can only be a dorm room essential if it’s machine washable in my opinion!) and these sheets are a great bedding essential to help disguise an uncomfortable mattress on top of your mattress topper and the other items listed in this post.
How to have the BEST dorm room experience
Poor sleep is detrimental to a college student. I needed my sleep quality to be SO good when I was in college, because you’re doing a million things all the time and if you’re not well-rested, you’ll burn out.
I was VERY selective with the products I decided to recommend on this post because I wanted to make sure you genuinely get the best bedding with the most high-quality materials without breaking the bank (because I know that’s not usually an option for college students!)
Whether you’re going into your freshman year or you’re further into your college career and had a bad dorm room mattress experience in the past, I seriously hope these products give you the best sleep and the sweetest dreams in your upcoming academic year!! You deserve it.
