How To Choose The Best Mattress For Heavy People

by

Updated on February 11, 2023

If you weigh over 230 pounds, you’ll need to find a mattress right for your weight. You can’t be that weight and assume the bed that a person weighing 150 pounds finds comfortable will be just as good for you. Typically, you won’t get the required level of support and comfort, which eventually might compromise your health.

Therefore, before buying a mattress, consider your weight. Don’t buy a mattress that you’ll bottom out within a few months – it will be a waste of your money and detrimental to your spine. So, if you are overweight or on the heavier side of the scale, you’ll want to consider some of the below tips for choosing a new mattress. Also, in our latest roundup, we’ve chosen the top 5 best mattress for obese people that money can buy in 2022.

Identify The Best Mattress For Heavy People

Fat overweight couple sleeping on a mattress

Beyond the type of material and layers, there are other important factors to consider when it comes to choosing a bed for a heavy person. For example, be extra diligent by looking at the mattress material and the arrangement of layers. Let’s look at some more of these factors in more detail in the buying guide below:

Type Of Mattress

You can buy a pocket spring, memory foam, or a hybrid mattress. These mattresses come in different sizes and thicknesses. But, are they all good beds for heavy people, and how do these differences affect suitability?

  • Memory foam: These mattresses come in different densities and generally provide a deep hugging and cradling sensation. They may not respond too well to movement, making it somewhat difficult for big people to change positions or get out of bed. They come in different firmness levels and offer excellent contouring and pressure-point relief, so is perfect for curvy bodies and those who suffer from joint pains.
  • Hybrid: These mattresses might be the best option for heavy people, as most of them have a combination of memory foam and springs, usually 2000 or more. This offers very good support for increased weights, effective motion isolation, and edge-to-edge support.
  • Latex: Latex is incredibly durable, meaning it can withstand high amounts of pressure over many years while also offering good levels of support. The only downside is that latex mattresses are very expensive. You may find some mattresses include a layer of latex (like the Saatva HD) which brings the cost down somewhat while reaping the benefits and experiencing some latex. Latex is also naturally cooling and resistant to mold and other bacteria, something which can become a problem very quickly for people who sweat a lot at night.

Mattress Firmness Level

Firmness is a personal choice. However, if you are overweight or even slightly chubby, you should stay away from very soft mattresses because you’ll sink deeper into these. There is a likelihood that the alignment of your spine will affect your back, which can lead to severe back pain.

A medium-firm or firm mattress is an ideal choice for big-bodied people. As opposed to soft mattresses, the weighty individuals won’t create much sinkage and will have enough support throughout the body.

Typically, heavy people cause a sinkage of 1-2-inch more. But with a firmer mattress, you can compensate for that. So, in our opinion, on a firmness scale of 1-10, choose a bed between 6.5-8.5 if you weigh 230 pounds and above.

Sleeping Position

Different sleeping positions affect the type of mattress to buy because weight distribution varies with sleeping style. That means the comfort and support considerations differ broadly.

Side sleepers: Sleeping on your side means your body’s full weight presses the mattress along a narrow surface. Therefore, pressure relief is critical. Here, the best mattress for an obese side sleeper is a slightly softer bed since the softness lets the weight sink and conform to the body curves minimizing pressure. But then again, heavy sleepers shouldn’t go for very soft material as it will bottom out. So, a medium-firm mattress still is an excellent option.

Back sleeper: These kinds of sleepers have mixed demands. For some, a firm mattress offers them the right support, but such a bed doesn’t provide enough comfort for others, more so for those with joint pains. The right mattress depends on where you carry the most weight. Typically, looking for a bed that offers a perfect balance of support to your shape’s lumber and spine.

Stomach sleepers: A less firm mattress usually leaves bigger bodies with uncomfortably sunken hips. This dipping throws the spine out of its neutral alignment. If the bulk of your weight lies in your hip and abdomen region, a harder mattress might be the right option for big stomach sleepers.

Combination sleepers: If you always flip all night long, choosing a medium-firm hybrid mattress might be the right option for you. Even so, consider the position that you spend most of your time.

Mattress Thickness

Heavy people above 200 pounds should consider buying mattresses 10+ inches thick, at it offers multiple layers and proper compression support. However, if you are below 200 pounds, a 10-inch mattress (and less) might work just fine.

Remember, there are many different brands out there; some offer extra thick layers, meaning they provide better support. So, although a mattress at 10 inches thick can be ideal for heavy sleepers, generally, the thicker, the better.

Temperature Regulation and Cooling

Anyone with a bigger figure will agree that there’s a higher chance that you get hot while sleeping. Even more so, it will occur if your mattress doesn’t have enough room for air circulation. As a result, all the heat from your body is trapped within the bed. This is a common memory foam mattress trait; however, the latest advanced foam mattresses do not have that issue due to gel infusion.

By the way, high body temperature is a widespread issue for all categories of sleepers, not just those who extra-curvy. That’s why manufacturers are creating unique cooling beds – to improve heat distribution and airflow properties.

Quality Materials

This should be among the top points to consider. You don’t want to spend money on a mattress that will sag within a short time or, worse, bring you back and joint pains.

Currently, most top-end mattresses last around 10-years for the average sleeper, while some lower quality products won’t go beyond 5-6 years. Degradation increases, and mattress lifespan is significantly reduced when dealing with heavier people. So, be prudent while buying a mattress. Apart from the warranty, check the material types and certifications, and don’t compromise when it comes to choosing a budget versus a mid/high-end mattress.

Edge Support

Edge to edge support is an admirable thing if you want to use the entire surface of your mattress. This also comes in handy when sitting on the edge of the bed. Better edge support means you won’t sink when you sit or lay on the bed’s edge.

More robust edge support isn’t mandatory, but it indicates durability and long-lasting potential in a mattress. Simply put, it shows that a mattress is of premium quality. Hybrid and coil beds are best for edge support.

Our Favorite Mattresses For Heavy People

Conclusion

Having a big figure means finding a mattress that suits your weight and sleeping styles is more important than you may think. That means considering the build, material, and all of the other things mentioned in our buying guide.

The danger that most heavy people face is bottoming out a mattress. That has effects like severe back pain and, of course, not getting value for money in the long-run.

The mattresses above are specifically tailored for you if you are a heavyweight individual. Every aspect is put together for a better sleep experience. If you like hugging, cushiony support, the Loom and Leaf or Nectar might be the right choice for you. However, if you want some bounce, choose the hybrid mattresses such as the WinkBed or Saatva HD. The Titan mattress is also a great choice, especially for those who are obese and need extra support from the firm mattress.