Best Mattress for Heavy People

When choosing a mattress for heavy people, we must consider some factors different from those for thin sleepers. As you know, our goal is to have a good and healthy night. But if our mattress sags and sinks after a few months, sleeping becomes a bad experience. So if you are heavy, large or overweight, choosing a suitable mattress is particularly important to your life.

For most heavy people, a firmer, stronger and thicker mattress is the best choice. The mattress surface will align the spine and relieve pressure points without excessive sagging. And the thicker profile will let you get on and off the bed easily. Although few mattresses are specifically designed to accommodate heavier or larger sleepers, there is still a wide range of mattresses that are suitable for them.

In order to provide the best sleep experience for people with high weight, we conduct in-depth product research and analysis, based on actual customer feedback and owner experience. Then we select the best mattress for heavy people this year. If you happen to be looking for such a mattress, this article can be a good reference.

Manufacturer	Model	Why We Choose	Price
	Brooklyn Bedding Spartan Hybrid	Editor’s Pick	Check Price
	Nectar Memory Foam	Best Value	Check Price
	Saatva HD Innerspring	Best Luxury	Check Price
	Casper Wave Memory Foam	Best for Heavy Side Sleepers	Check Price
	Winkbeds The Winkbed Hybrid	Best for Heavy Couples	Check Price
	LUCID Latex Hybrid	Best for Heavy Stomach Sleepers	Check Price
	Saatva Classic	Best for Heavy Back Sleepers	Check Price

Top 7 Mattresses for Heavy People

Editor’s Pick

Brooklyn Bedding Spartan Hybrid

Brooklyn Bedding is known for its high quality and performance. Here we pick the Spartan Hybrid model for heavy sleepers, it is also our editor’s preference.

As the name suggests, the Spartan mattress has a strong and firm design for heavy, large or overweight people. According to the feedback from customers, it gives the owner an awesome feeling and recovery. And most people think it is a great bed and Spartan is the best choice they’ve ever made.

Spartan has three firmness types, soft, medium, and firm. Usually, a medium mattress is good enough for most heavy people.  

The comfort system of Spartan includes a 1.5-inch layer of patented CopperFlex™ foam and a 2-inch layer of hyper-elastic TitanFlex™ foam. They are combined together to provide you consistent responsive contouring and pressure point relief. The comfort surface lets you feel like sleeping in the cloud. And when you lie down, you don’t want to get up.

The Spartan support center consists of an 8-inch layer of individually encased Ascension X™ coils to provide decent support and a 1-inch high-density base foam to reinforce the whole mattress. It provides sufficient support and quick response to your body.

Between the comfort system and the support center, Spartan adds a memory foam transitional layer to buffer the compression and respond. So you can feel firm and gentle support when lying on the mattress.

Usually, hybrid mattresses produce loud noises when bearing weight. Spartan solves this issue well. It isolates the motion transfer and decreases the noise to the minimum extent. If you easily waken up by your partner’s movement, Spartan can be a good option. Also, this mattress is bouncy and responds quickly, so it has a good performance in sex and is loved by young couples. Due to the hybrid structure, Spartan has nice edge support, which is another advantage if you like sitting or doing something on the edge.

Besides the normal functions, Spartan creates a special technology-Far Infrared Rays (FIR), which contributes to an active recovery process during your sleep. As you know, for heavy people, joints and related tissues bear greater burdens than the average. They are easy to get hurt. The Spartan mattress delivers an extreme recovery for the physical body of heavy people by Far Infrared Rays (FIR) technology. It harnesses and recycles your body’s natural energy and helps you reset and recover quickly. According to the feedback, heavy sleepers love this technology very much.

The Spartan mattress has an above-average price. Given the high quality and technology, it’s worth it.  In addition, it offers a 120-night free trial and a 10-year warranty. You can buy it at ease.

Good for:

• Every type of sleeper (side, back, stomach, and combination)
• People in the average and heavy weight groups
• People who tend to sleep hot
• People who prefer more responsive surfaces
• Couples
• Athletes
• High intensity workers

Best Value

Nectar

For heavy people, most mattresses became too soft or too thin, which causes them to sink deep in the mattress. Here we introduce you a notable exception, the Nectar. Nectar mattress offers sufficient support for heavy or overweight people, and its price is much lower than the average. So we pick it as the best value option.

The Nectar mattress has a height of 11 inches, which is much thicker than the average mattress. It has the pure foam design, which offers more comfortable than other mattress types.

Nectar consists of four separate foam layers with a TENCEL cooling cover. The comfort system is made up of two layers. The topper is a quilted gel memory foam layer. It contours perfectly to your body. Also, it has loft structures to increase air circulation. Next is a standard high-quality memory foam layer that can delivery your weight evenly and relieve pressure and pain where you feel it most.

The support center also consists of two layers. Upper is an adaptive high core memory foam layer. It provides the main support to your body and prevents you from sinking too much. Also, it is responsive and bouncy that is a happy capability during sexual life. Below is a breathing foam layer to reinforce the whole mattress and give you a stable and breathable foundation. Totally, the Nectar has the “medium firm”(6), so heavier sleepers will not have a deep sinking feeling.

The TENCEL cooling cover helps airflow and wick away excessive heat.

Due to the pure foam design, the Nectar is noise-free. It is quiet when bearing weight. Also, it absorbs and minimizes motion transfer to a significant extent. So this mattress is an ideal option for couples. If you or your partner is sensitive or wake up easily for noise or moving, give Nectar a try.

In addition, Nectar offers a 180-night sleep trial and a forever warranty, which is much longer than the industry average. Meanwhile, the price of Nectar is lower than that of other foam mattresses. So we pick it as the best value mattress.

Good for:

• Side and back sleepers
• People in the average and heavy weight groups
• People who tend to sleep hot
• People who prefer high cost performance 
• Couples

Click here to check the details.

Best Luxury

Saatva HD Mattress

Saatva is one of the fastest-growing mattress brands in the U.S. It mainly focuses on the innerspring and hybrid types. Saatva HD is a new innerspring product. It is the first luxury mattress designed exclusively for the bigger or heavier body.

The Saatva HD comfort system consists of three layers. The topper is a cushioning layer wrapped in breathable organic cotton. Next is the Talalay latex that contains 5 zones to provide target support for your shoulders, back and hips, and resist body impressions perfectly. Beneath is a contouring comfort layer that is a combination of memory foam and supports foam. It provides the contour and cushion for pressure relief on your joints.

The support center consists of high-durability coils encased in high-density foam. Saatva uses 12.5-gauge tempered steel coils that are 25% stronger than the industry standard. And all these coils are threaded with 17-gauge helical wires to eliminate motion transfer. Such designs help to provide a stable and comfortable sleep surface for heavier people and prevent them from sinking too much during the hours’ sleep. Also, the coils help increase the air circulation to take away the excessive body heat. And the breathable materials of organic cotton and latex are very useful to keep the cooling environment, as well. For heavy or overweight people, they will not feel any uncomfortable hot during sleep.

The mattress edges are also strengthened, and you need not worry about the crashing and collapsing when compressed.

The Saavta HD mattress is engineered for people weighing between 300 to 500 pounds and it is also suitable for heavy couples in this range. The innerspring structure is good for couples in sexual life.

The Saavta provides a 120-night sleep trial and a 20-year warranty. Also, the 24/7 customer support helps you solve everything related to the mattress.

Though the Saavta HD is luxury and has a little higher price compared to the average, it’s worth it.

Good for:

• Every type of sleeper (side, back, stomach, and combination)
• People in the average and heavy weight groups
• People who tend to sleep hot
• People who prefer more responsive surfaces
• People who love the luxury feeling
• Couples

Best for Heavy Side Sleepers

Casper Wave Memory Foam

Casper is widely popular in recent years. The Wave is its luxurious model and designed for all weights. According to customer feedback and our actual test, the Wave mattress is an ideal option for heavy people who like sleeping on their side.

The Wave is a pure foam mattress. So you can guess it must be very soft and comfortable. Yes, it’s true. It has a plush feeling more than you think. The Wave model has five layers of premium foams that are a combination of latex, ploy and memory foam. Together, those layers provide you the comfort system and the support center.

The comfort system of the mattress offers great pressure relief and luxurious plush feeling. It let you feel like lying on the cloud. Besides the soft, the Wave gives you a hug feeling and conforms to your body gently, which should appeal to side sleepers. The whole mattress is 13-inch high, which is thicker than the average. It allows you to sink deeper into the mattress and avoid feeling jammed up around the shoulder. This is a great advantage for side sleepers. At the same time, the latex is more bouncy than memory foam, which helps you adjust your position easily. So you have no risk of being trapped.

For heavy people, the mattress support power is always a most important factor. While most foam mattresses cannot provide decent support for them. To solve this problem, Casper works out an advanced design, Hyper-Target Support. It is a kind of zoned support structure and is great suitable for heavy or overweight sleepers. It offers you enough support from head to toe and aligns your spine consistently for better sleep. Side sleepers may enjoy this pressure relief when lying on the bed.

All Casper Wave materials are breathable and have a good performance in air circulation. They keep you a lower sleep temperature than other foams.

If you are a side sleeper and have heavy weight, the Casper Wave mattress may be a big surprise.

Good for:

• Side and back sleepers, especially good for side sleepers
• People in the average and heavy weight groups
• People who tend to sleep hot
• People who prefer soft surfaces
• People who prefer high-profile mattress

Best for Heavy Couples

Winkbeds

Heavy couples usually need more support than single, and they also want good motion isolation to minimize the disturbing from the partner. The WinkBed perfectly meets such requirements.

The Winkbed is a handmade hybrid mattress that is engineered for restorative sleep. It focuses on 3 key points:

Winkbeds produces three models, MemoryLux, EcoCloud, and The WinkBed. The WinkBed mattress is designed especially for heavy or overweight people. The comfort system is made up of layers of high-quality foam to provide you the best body-conforming and pressure relief. In addition, the WinkBed has a TENCEL outer layer that is 30% cooler than linen, softer than silk and more absorbent than cotton. So you can feel quite different compared to other mattress surfaces. The support center consists of high-grade steel pocket springs surrounded by gel foam layers. It provides you the maximum support and eliminates motion transfer to a significant extent.  

The WinkBed includes a special lumbar layer that is used for adding the lower back support and reducing stress and tension. So the WinkBed is also very suitable for sleepers with back pain.

The WinkBed designs extra anti-sag support for the edge to allow you sitting without sagging. This is a happy advantage for many couples during sex.

Good for:

• Every type of sleeper (side, back, stomach, and combination)
• Couples, especially for heavy couples
• People in the average and heavy weight groups
• People who tend to sleep hot
• People who prefer more responsive surfaces
• People who prefer firmer, supportive sleep surfaces

Best for Heavy Stomach Sleepers

LUCID Latex Hybrid

Many stomach sleepers love memory foam mattresses, since they enjoy the supreme plush feeling. If you are a stomach sleeper with heavy body, a latex mattress can be a better choice. Latex has similar soft as memory foam, but offers more support and better alignment than the latter.

Here we pick the LUCID as the best mattress for heavy people who likes sleeping on his/her stomach. LUCID latex hybrid has 10-inch and 12-inch models. For heavier people, the 12-inch model  gives you a better balance among the adaption, comfort, and support.

The comfort system of LUCID includes nature latex combined with plush memory foam. It offers you a bouncy surface and avoids you sinking too much. Also, eco-friendly material provides you an environment without harmful chemicals to let you sleep better and safer. The support center consists of 6.5-inch high-quality steel coils that are individually wrapped to increase airflow, isolate motion, and conform to individual sleep style.

With thousands of individual springs, LUCID offers stronger and stabler support for heavier bodies between 250 and 450 pounds.

In addition, the LUCID is temperature neutrality and sleeps cooling, which shall thank for the latex and coils structure. The latex is good at airflow and the coils layer also increases the air circulation. So it takes away your excessive heat quickly.

The LUCID edges are also enhanced to provide you enough support for sitting. If you like doing something on edge, it won’t stand in your way.

Though it is a latex hybrid mattress, LUCID’s price is not expensive. Usually, it is about $1000 with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

Good for:

• Stomach and back sleepers, especially good for stomach sleepers
• People in the average and heavy weight groups
• People who tend to sleep hot
• People who prefer more responsive surfaces
• People who prefer organic materials

Best for Heavy Back Sleepers

Saatva Classic

Back Sleepers usually prefer a hybrid or innerspring mattress due to its stable strong support and small sag. And for the people with a great body, there are some additional requirements, such as cooling, better stable and responsive. Through hundreds of reviews and tests, we choose the Saatva Classic for heavy back sleepers. It is also a very good option for people with back pain because of the outstanding support.

Saatva Classic has three different firmness types in the market, plush soft, luxury firm and firm. Generally, the luxury firm is enough for back sleepers, but if you have special requirements, it would be better to also try the firm type before making the final decision.  

Saavta Classic is known for the outstanding support that shall thank to the special coil-on-coil design. As the name suggests, Saatva Classic has two layers of coils. The core center is a layer of steel-tempered bonnell coils wrapped in the high-density foam to provide the maximum support and stabilize the whole mattress. Above is an additional layer that performs as a transition between the comfort system and the support center. The transition layer also includes pocketed coils to enhance the memory foam comfort layer and buffer huge pressure. For the back sleeper or sleeper with back pain, the coil-on-coil structure highly relieves the body pressure from key joints and provides decent support gently for shoulders, back, and hips. In addition, it prevents you from sinking too much, and makes you virtually sleep on the surface.

Another advantage is that the coil-on-coil structure creates a more effective air circulation system than other mattresses. So heavy people will not feel any hot during sleep or even in sexual life.

Saatva offers free White Glove delivery throughout the contiguous U.S. and Canada. The mattress is backed by a 120-night home trial and a 15-year warranty.

Good for:

• All types of sleepers, especially good for back sleepers
• People in the average and heavy weight groups
• People who tend to sleep hot
• People who suffer from back pain
• Couples

Buying Guide – Finding the Best Mattress for Heavy People

As you know, there are general criteria that can help you choose an ideal mattress. But for people who weigh more than 220 pounds, you have some special needs to consider comprehensively.

Please note: In this essay, we define people who weigh more than 220 pounds as above-average weight. According to the latest investigation, the average weight of the American male is about 196 pounds. And we add 10% for upward floating. So the final value is nearly 220 (196 + 196 * 10% = 216 )pounds. Another thing you want to understand is that heavyweight does not mean “overweight”. If you are taller, 220 pounds is considered as a proper weight. If you are a shorter man, 220 pounds may be overweight. In terms of mattress review, 220 pounds is just a benchmark for the heavyweight. And to help keep things as simple as possible we consider heavy/large/overweight as anything above 220 pounds.

Important Mattress Considerations for Heavy People

1. Quality Material

Mattress materials are always crucial, especial for heavy people. Using lower-quality materials is likely to cause sagging and poor sleep experience over time. Although most mattresses now have a life span of more than 6 years, if you choose to use low-cost products with low-quality materials, you are likely to have to change them after 2-3 years. Many of us don’t want to do that often. So when you seek an ideal mattress, it is better to know clearly about the main materials first.

2. Mattress Thickness

Mattress thickness is often overlooked when you select a mattress, but it is important for heavy people. If you are under 220 pounds, a 10-inch mattress tends to be enough. While if you are more than 220 pounds, you will want to choose a mattress at least 12-inch thick. What you are really looking for in the thicker mattress is the deep compression support. Heavy people produce high pressure on the mattress surface. As a result, thinner mattresses cannot provide enough support and they are collapsed in the pressure area. In the worst case, heavy sleepers may even feel coils when lying on a thinner mattress.

On the contrary, thicker mattresses usually provide better deep compression support. You will not get the feeling of sinking when lying on the thick surface. The below table shows detail information about the mattress thickness and sleep quality for heavy people.

As a general rule, a mattress should be at least 12 to 13 inches thick in order to properly support a heavier individual.

3. Mattress Firmness

As you know, mattress firmness is evaluated by a scale from 1 to 10. The bigger the number, the firmer the mattress will feel. 10 means hardest and 1 means softest. Though different people have a different preference for firmness, heavy sleepers typically prefer medium-firm (6) to firm (8).

People who weigh more than 220 pounds tend to sink more deeply in the mattress than lighter people. A firmer mattress can provide much more body support and evenly pressure relief, which gives you a comfortable feeling during sleep. If the mattress is softer, you may sink 1”~2” additional, which may cause black pain sometimes.

If you are a side or stomach sleeper, the proper firmness is virtually important, because your body weight cannot be distributed as evenly as back sleepers.

Usually, heavier sleepers tend to feel most comfortable and supported on mattresses that rate between 6 (Medium Firm) and 8 (Firm).

4. Temperature Neutrality and cooling

A common complaint from heavy people is the “sleep hot”. Actually, it is a general problem, not just from heavy people. Some mattresses, such as foam or memory foam types, conform to your body closely and absorb your body heat. It can make you feel too hot if the mattress does not have good air circulation and can not take away excessive heat quickly. Heavy people are much more disturbed by sleep hot because they generate more heat than sleepers with average weight.  

Don’t worry, this issue has been solved well in recent years. Nowadays, most memory foam mattresses have used high-quality and high-technology foams which usually have good airflow and can take away the excessive heat quickly.

Normally, hybrid or innerspring mattresses are more suitable for heavy people, because they can offer more sufficient support and excellent air circulation. If you prefer memory foam, please do not choose the traditional material or low-quality material mattresses.

5. Coil Gauge

The springs or the coils used in the hybrid and innerspring mattresses can help you determine the strength of the mattress. Meters are represented numerically, usually ranging from 12 (thickest) to 18 (thinnest). Some coil types are associated with the average instrument range. For example, bias coils tend to be of lower specification (or thicker), while pocket coils (found in hybrid mattress) tend to be of a higher specification.

6. Edge support

Edge support is easy to overlook. It is not an important factor, but it would be better if you consider it before making the final decision. If you often sit or do something on the edge, it can play a significant role. Also, strong edge support brings you much more pleasure during sexual life.

Usually, hybrid and innerspring mattresses are reinforced at the edge and can provide you strong and stable edge support. Memory foam and latex mattresses tend to be less support at the edge. Meanwhile, the strong and reinforced edge can also enlarge the durability of the mattress.

7. Couple Consideration

Different body shapes need different comfort and support. For heavy people, a mattress with enough support may make the lighter people feel like a stone. Couples may consider a brand that offers two-sided firmness so that each one can choose the side that best suits him/her.

If both of you and your partner are heavier than average, now you have many options. In recent years, online markets have introduced mattresses specially designed for heavier people. These mattresses usually have enhanced support system and durability, and they are welcome in couples.

8. Weight Limit

Every mattress has a “weight limit”. Mattress owners who exceed the weight limit can cause damage to the mattress. The weight limit varies by brand and model, so it would be better to always check it before you make the decision. Usually, most of the large mattresses (Queen, King, and CA King) sold today can support at least 500 pounds.

Sleep Type Considerations for Overweight Sleepers

In addition to the quality and performance of the mattress itself, sleep type or sleep posture is also an important factor for heavy people to consider when buying a new mattress. Your mattress experience often depends on whether you sleep on your back, side or stomach.

• Back sleepers: Sleeping on your back helps adjust the spine and distribute weight evenly. Also, this sleep posture causes you do not sink too much into the mattress, and help you avoid back pain and stress. As a result, back sleepers with heavyweight may feel most comfortable on a medium to hard mattress.
• Side sleepers: Although this posture is popular with many people, it can’t align the spine. On the contrary, it may lead to increased pressure points in the neck, shoulders, back, and buttocks. Side sleepers weighing above 220 pounds usually need a mattress of “Medium Firm” or “Firm” to help adjust the spine and relieve pressure points. Side sleepers tend to be more sensitive to mattress sagging and dents, so the mattress quality and durability shall also be considered.
• Stomach sleepers: Heavier people are generally discouraged from stomach sleep. The reason is simple,  they tend to carry a lot of weight in their stomachs to cause stomach aches or other related problems. Also, this type of sleep can cause spinal problems, because stomach sleepers need to turn their heads to breathe. As a result, heavier people tend to feel the most comfortable on “Firm” mattresses.

Mattress Types for Heavy People

As you know, there are many mattress models in the market. Each model has its advantages and disadvantages for heavy people. In this section, we will review the 4 popular mattress types, innerspring, memory foam, latex, and hybrid. And you will get an overview of how they affect overweight sleepers.

Memory Foam

Memory foam mattresses are greatly popular in the young group. And according to customer feedback, they are also popular for heavy people.

Memory foam mattresses are known as supremely comfortable. They provide closely body adaption and decent support, which relieve the pressure points evenly and gently. Also, decent consistent support helps contour to your body. On lying on the mattress, you may feel like sleeping in the cloud. So most people love memory foam very much.

The complaint about memory foam is the poor edge support and sleep hot. Usually, memory foams are not reinforced at the edge, so you may feel deep sinking when sitting on the edge if you are overweight.

Sleep hot is another problem with the most complaints. Overweight sleepers tend to cause more heat than average-weight people. So they have particular requirements for heat dissipating. Traditional memory foams are not good at air circulation, which results in the accumulation of heat in the mattress. So you will feel hot during sleeping.

In recent years, sleep hot issue has been solved well. Many memory foam mattresses have used high-quality breathable foams that can take away excessive heat quickly. Also, they have a multiple-layer structure, which helps to maximize air circulation.

Latex

For heavy/overweight people, the latex mattress is also a good choice. Latex tends to keep you cool, unlike most traditional memory foam options. That is to say, you will have a quite different feeling than we discussed above. Latex offers a good balance among the support, body-conforming, and bounce. It provides a more gentle hug feeling than memory foam. Besides the great comfort and good cooling, latex is also nature organic material. It is eco-friendly and very safe for your skin. If you like sleeping naked or you are sensitive to chemicals, latex is an ideal option.

Innerspring

Innerspring is the traditional mattress type. Usually, it is not very good for overweight people. It can create pressure points due to the nature of its’ structure, especially for heavy people. Low-quality innersprings cannot provide consistent support and the pressure area will be collapsed after 3 to 5 years.

If you prefer an innerspring mattress, it’s better to find one with coil-on-coil construction. That model has two layers of coils. That is to say, each of the comfort system and support center has a layer of coils, which highly improves the body support and comfortable feeling. The traditional innerspring mattress is not recommended for heavier or larger people.

Compared with memory foam or latex, another advantage of innerspring is that it has good edge support. If you love to do something on the edge, innerspring can be a nice option.

Hybrid

The hybrid mattress is a combination of two or three types. Usually, it consists of a comfort system of multiple memory foam/latex layers and a support center of the coils layer. As a result, the hybrid mattress has the advantages of memory foam and innerspring. It offers you more comfortable, better support and bounce, with the strengthen airflow from the coils and reinforced edge. So hybrid mattress is typically the best choice for heavy, large and overweight people.  

Warranty Considerations

Many mattresses will sag over time. And a sagging surface greatly reduces the bed’s ability to provide comfort, support, and pressure relief. Don’t worry. Excessive sinking and sagging can be covered by the mattress warranty.

Generally, most warranties will cover sagging of 1″ to 1.5″ deep, which is different for different brands. So when you are choosing a mattress, please remember to inquire about the sagging range that is covered by warranty. Also, be sure to check the fee for repairing or replacing the mattress. Some bands are totally free for repairing. Some manufacturers require the mattress owner to cover the shipping cost, which is about $100 to $200. And some may require more.

FAQ

Can Extra Weight Cause Sleep Apnea?

According to research, being overweight will definitely lead to obstructive sleep apnea, because the soft tissues in the mouth and throat will block your breath, which will affect your oxygen level and sleep.

One of the most common suggestions for reducing OSA symptoms is to lose weight. Unfortunately, all of this creates a depressing cycle, because lack of sleep can lead to weight gain and extra weight can worsen your condition. Your doctor’s intervention in one or both of these situations should put you on the path to recovery.

Learn more about sleep apnea here.

Conclusion

Choosing the best mattress for heavy sleepers can be easier when you already know what to look for, especially if you find that only a good night’s sleep can improve your life.

Here is a simple checklist for you when choosing the mattress for heavy people:

• How about the mattress thickness?
• What is the mattress firmness rating?
• Foam density and quality
• How about the edge support of the mattress?
• Does the mattress tend to be sleep hot?
• Mattress lifespan/durability, 5 years, 7 years or 10 years?
• Warranty for sagging depth and  related repairing frees
• If possible, have an actual try and feel before making the final decision.