A good mattress is essential for feeling your best. If you don’t sleep well, it can seriously mess with your quality of life, especially over time. A comfortable bed with appropriate support can go a long way toward improving sleep quality, but most standard mattresses are only designed to support around 230 to 250 pounds per side. If you’re heavier than that, you may notice dipping or sagging that makes it hard to get comfortable or, worse, leaves you tired and cranky during the day thanks to poor sleep. The best mattresses for heavy people are designed with all of these issues in mind, solving the most common mattress woes to help you get better rest.
Heavier sleepers typically deal with five major issues—mattress softening and breakdown, mattress sagging, poor or improper support, lack of edge support and heat trapping. Mattresses that are designed for plus-size and big-and-tall sleepers address all of these problems. They’re usually thicker and made with sturdier materials. In most cases, they also feature some type of cooling technology that helps dissipate heat and ensures you stay comfy while you snooze.
If you’re looking to upgrade your sleep setup to give you the support you need, check out our picks for the best mattresses for heavy people below. While most of them are on the firmer side—it’s necessary for proper support—there are some plusher options too.
- Best Mattress For Heavy People Overall: Helix Plus
- Best Mattress For Heavy Side Sleepers: DreamCloud Premier
- Best Cooling Mattress For Heavy People: Big Fig
- Best Mattress For Heavy People With Back Pain: Saatva HD
- Best Firm Mattress For Heavy People: Titan Firm Hybrid
- Most Supportive Mattress For Heavy People: Beautyrest Harmony Lux Diamond Series Mattress
- Best Organic Mattress For Heavy People: Avocado Organic Luxury Plush Mattress
Best Mattress For Heavy People Overall
A Mattress With High-Density Foam That Prevents Sagging
- Mattress thickness: 13 inches
- Weight limit: 500 pounds on each side (1,000 pounds total)
- Firmness rating: 7 to 8 out of 10 (firm)
- Sleep trial: 100 nights
- Warranty: 15 year limited
The Helix Plus is a hybrid mattress that combines wrapped coils with several layers of foam. Each foam layer has a different density, strategically chosen to contour your body and give you some serious pressure relief. But the star of the show is a high-density, four-pound foam that provides maximum support so your mattress doesn’t dip or sag, as well as an extra layer of comfort.
In between the foam layers sit hundreds of extra-tall wrapped coils that are designed to support heavier weight. These coils, which are reinforced around the perimeter of the mattress, cradle your body and provide extra edge support so the side doesn’t compress, even if you roll away from the center. And everything is wrapped in a breathable Tencel cover that promotes air flow, so you stay cool and comfortable while you sleep.
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Best Mattress For Heavy Side Sleepers
A Plush Option That Has Enough Give For Side Sleepers
- Mattress thickness: 15 inches
- Weight limit: N/A
- Firmness rating: 6.5 (luxury firm)
- Sleep trial: 365 nights
- Warranty: Lifetime
The softest mattress on this list, the DreamCloud Premier is the best choice for side sleepers. It has two layers of memory foam—one that contours to your body in response to pressure and another that supports your weight while isolating motion. This helps relieve pressure on your shoulders and hips when you’re sleeping on your side, but also provides adequate support to keep your spine aligned if you shift to your back during the night.
On top of the memory foam sits a Eurotop cover that has premium, high-loft memory foam to create a cloud-like (hence the name) weightless effect. The Eurotop is covered with Mongolian cashmere that’s not only ultra soft, it’s also moisture-wicking and cooling so if you tend to sleep on the hotter side, you’ll stay nice and comfy without overheating. And everything is built on a layer of heavy duty encased coils that are arranged in a double row for superior edge-to-edge support.
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Best Cooling Mattress For Heavy People
A Gel-Infused Mattress That Keeps You Cool At Night
- Mattress thickness: 13 inches
- Weight limit: 550 pounds on each side (1,100 pounds total)
- Firmness rating: 6 to 7 out of 10 (medium firm)
- Sleep trial: 120 nights
- Warranty: 20 year limited
Big Fig only makes one mattress, and it’s perfectly designed for heavier sleepers. The 13-inch mattress combines three layers of high-density foam with one layer of gel-infused latex foam that’s perforated to allow air to flow through the mattress, ensuring that its breathable and stays cool. The foam layers sit on top of 1,600 individually wrapped coils—50% more than standard innerspring mattresses—that support your weight, no matter your sleeping position.
The quilted mattress topper is treated with ThermoGel cooling technology, which doesn’t just help pull heat away from your body, it actively cools you down. If you start sweating in the middle of the night, the ThermoGel senses the increase in moisture and creates a cooling sensation that keeps your body temperature stable.
Big Fig also offers a foundation that supports 2,000 pounds, five times the amount of standard foundations. It has 18 slats and two center rails that help evenly distribute weight, preventing your mattress from sagging.
Best Mattress For Heavy People With Back Pain
An Option That Helps Relieve Pressure And The Aches That Come With It
- Mattress thickness: 15.5 inches
- Weight limit: 500 pounds on each side (1,000 pounds total)
- Firmness rating: Medium firm
- Sleep trial: 180 nights
- Warranty: 20 year non-prorated
If you’re struggling with back pain caused by (or at least exacerbated by) your current mattress, the Saatva HD mattress is the upgrade you need. It combines two layers of memory foam that help relieve pressure and improve circulation with a layer of five-zone Talalay latex, the cream of the crop when it comes to mattress materials. The latex layer has a patented spinal zone technology that has different layers of density. In other words, it’s softer in some areas and firmer in others to give you maximum pressure-point relief and additional lumbar support.
The memory foam and latex layers sit on top of steel coils that are 25% stronger than other standard spring mattresses, and the coils are threaded with steel wire to reinforce the mattress and help reduce motion transfer. Unlike other mattresses that come rolled in a box, all Saatva mattresses are handmade to order and delivered right to your bedroom with free white glove delivery.
Best Firm Mattress For Heavy People
A Solid Surface That Feels Supportive And Comfortable
- Mattress thickness: 11 inches
- Weight limit: 500 pounds on each side (1,000 pounds total)
- Firmness rating: 8 to 10 out of 10 (firm)
- Sleep trial: 120 nights
- Warranty: 10 year
The firmest mattress on this list, the Titan Firm Hybrid balances an ideal amount of pressure relief with a solid surface that doesn’t buckle under heavier weights. The mattress combines two layers of foam—a gel memory foam that’s cooling and helps resist body impressions and a TitanFlex foam that provides enhanced contouring to relieve your pressure points. These foam layers sit on top of 961 individually wrapped coils that provide plenty of support, while also isolating motion.
The Titan Hybrid is finished off with a high-density foam base that reinforces the coils and prevents them from buckling as they compress. If you’re a hot sleeper and you want extra cooling support, you can add an optional cooling top panel (for an extra $150) that disperses heat on contact and helps keep you comfortable.
Most Supportive Mattress For Heavy People
A Mattress With Three Layers Of Memory Foam That Cradle Your Body
- Mattress thickness: 14.75 inches
- Weight limit: 300 pounds on each side (600 pounds total)
- Firmness rating: Medium
- Sleep trial: 100 nights
- Warranty: 10 year limited
The Harmony Lux Diamond—a luxury model from the highly recommended Beautyrest company—combines support, comfort and cooling technology, the trifecta for heavy sleepers. The mattress is constructed of three different types of memory foam—gel memory foam, Dynamic Response memory foam and Micro Diamond memory foam—that all work together to cradle your body, providing support where you need it and pressure relief where you don’t. The memory foam layers sit on top of a pocketed coil system that supports heavier people and distributes weight evenly so you don’t feel any sagging or dipping.
If you prefer your mattresses a little softer, there’s also an option to add a pillow top (for an extra $300), but keep in mind that softer materials tend to break down faster under heavier weights. Since the pillow top is non-removable, you may be better off purchasing a mattress topper that’s more easily replaced.
Best Luxury Mattress For Heavy People
An Extra-Deep Mattress Made With Organic Materials
- Mattress thickness: 15 inches
- Weight limit: 350 pounds on each side (700 pounds total)
- Firmness rating: Medium soft
- Sleep trial: 365 nights (1 year)
- Warranty: 25 years
Avocado is known for its super comfy eco-friendly mattresses, like this Luxury Plush model, which is made with 21 layers of organic materials such as latex, alpaca, wool and mohair. It has more than 3,000 coils so sleepers of all types feel supported in areas like the neck and back, which is especially important for heavier people. Plus, this mattress contours to your unique body shape to provide optimal support in a more personalized way than other mattresses.
For heavier people, finding a mattress that is sturdy and durable is another factor to take into consideration. Avocado mattresses are made with a needle-tufting technique which pulls ribbons through the mattress and binds the layers together for a heavy-duty construction that’s under warranty for 25 years.
What To Consider When Buying Mattresses For Heavy People
When searching for a new mattress, you’ll want to take firmness, material and weight limit into consideration. It’s also a good idea to check into the retailer’s sleep trial and warranty to make sure you’re covered if the mattress isn’t what you expected.
Firmness
Generally speaking, a medium-firm or firm mattress is the best choice for sleepers who weigh over 250 pounds. Firmer mattresses will offer ample support, encouraging proper spine alignment and resisting sagging over time. That said, the best mattress for an individual (or couple) will always come down to individual preferences and needs.
Material
Ultimately, this depends on your comfort level. As a general rule, foam mattresses offer a body-molding “sink-in” feel and are superior at minimizing motion transfer. Although they’ve gained a reputation for trapping heat, many high-end models are made with advanced cooling materials to prevent night sweats. Hybrid mattresses offer the best of both worlds with a supportive coil base and cushy upper foam layers, but they may feel slightly springier than their all-foam counterparts.
Weight Limit
Standard mattresses typically support sleepers up to 250 pounds each; for two-sleeper sizes like kings and queens, this limit is per side for a total of 500 pounds. Mattresses designed for heavier people are constructed with more intentional weight limits. For instance, the overall weight limits of the mattresses on this list range from 600 pounds (the Beautyrest Harmony Luxe) to 1,100 pounds (the Big Fig Mattress). As a final note, weight limits are relative to mattress size; the bigger the mattress, the more weight it can support.
Sleep Trial And Warranty
Before purchasing any mattress online, be sure to check the sleep trial period and warranty. Most companies offer generous sleep trials, some up to a full year, to make sure you’ve made the right choice (or you can return it if you haven’t). Lengthy warranties can sweeten the deal—most offer between 10 and 15 years—and hold companies to their quality claims.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mattresses For Heavy People
What Is The Best Mattress For A Heavy Person?
There are five major issues that heavier sleepers face: mattress softening and breakdown, mattress sagging, poor or improper support, lack of edge support and heat trapping. That’s why mattresses designed for plus-size and big-and-tall sleepers are generally thicker, made with sturdier materials and feature some type of cooling technology that helps dissipate heat while you snooze. Our top pick is the Helix Plus.
Do Mattresses Have A Weight Limit?
In a general sense, yes. Mattresses made for one sleeper (for instance, twin and full-size beds) are usually designed to hold up to 230 to 250 pounds. Larger mattresses made for two people, like kings and queens, can accommodate these weights per side, so up to around 500 pounds total. While exact amounts vary (especially based on quality), the mattresses on this list are specifically constructed to uphold heavier weights beyond these general standards.
Do Memory Foam Mattresses Have A Weight Limit?
While memory foam mattresses typically don’t have a weight limit, the foundations that support them usually do. In these base layers, it comes down to foam density: A foam density of 2.2 pounds or higher (4 to 5 pounds) will provide the best support for a person over 250 pounds. Again, this varies based on an individual’s body size and sleep preferences.
Are Memory Foam Mattresses Good For Heavier Sleepers?
Memory foam mattresses can be a great option for heavier sleepers since they provide joint support and encourage even weight distribution. That said, some models can actually create pressure points, especially for heavy users, leading to more pain and discomfort. If this is a concern, latex, which tends to be softer and more body-molding than traditional memory foam, may be a better option.
