It’s not easy to define what’s considered overweight but a common practice is to look at a person’s BMI or body mass index. This is a figure that takes your height and weight into account to get an idea about body weight percentage. Technically, having a BMI of more than 25 is considered overweight while a BMI of more than 30 is considered obese. People who are heavy need more support than the average person when they’re sleeping, which is why it’s important to use the best mattress for heavy people.
We considered some of the most important factors in choosing such a mattress. Thickness and materials used are important because the more weight you apply to a mattress, the more it compresses and you need to make sure you have the right amount of comfort and support. We also looked at the available sizes so that, whether you’re sleeping alone or with a partner, you can find what you need. Finally, we examined warranties to make sure you’re covered for as long as possible.
In order to put together the most thorough review possible, we spent hours researching comments, ratings, and information provided by experts, manufacturers, and people just like you who use these mattresses in their homes every day. First, we put together a table where you can see the best things about each of our choices all in one place. After that, you’ll find detailed reviews of each product followed an in-depth buying guide to help you find the best mattress for heavy people so you can get a good night’s sleep.
More features: 100-night trial; Soft Touch Design
The 13-inch Helix Plus mattress is specifically built from the ground up for heavyset sleepers. It’s constructed with ultra-dense, four-pound memory foam, which is significantly more resistant to force than the memory foam used in standard mattresses. In addition, the comfort layer of this bed is made from a latex-foam hybrid material that’s designed to be dense enough to contour to your body while providing support.
A layer of hundreds of individually wrapped coils, built with heavyset sleepers in mind, rounds out the base of the mattress to provide spring and support. This innerspring layer stands out for its edge support. Heavier users reported that they could sleep or sit on the edge of the mattress without it collapsing beneath them.
All these layers combine to produce a medium-firm feel that’s ideal for the majority of back and stomach sleepers. You shouldn’t feel like you’re sinking into the mattress, but it’s worth noting that it can get somewhat hot overnight. To increase durability, the Helix Plus doesn’t use gel-infused foams or open-cell foams that break down over time. The Tencel cover and innerspring layer offer some breathability and cooling, but it may not be enough for all sleepers on hot summer nights.
The Helix Plus comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 15-year limited warranty. Plus, Helix includes two Dream pillows for free to help you get a better night’s sleep from the first night you spend on this mattress.
More features: 120-night trial; firm-level support
The Titan mattress is Brooklyn Bedding’s mattress for heavyset sleepers. This hybrid mattress uses a combination of memory foam and innersprings to provide very firm support for sleepers who find most standard mattresses to be too soft.
The top of the mattress is covered with a thin layer of quilted, gel-infused memory foam. This provides a soft feeling against your skin, but most of the initial support comes from a two-inch layer of Brooklyn Bedding’s patented TitanFlex foam. Underneath that, the bed includes a six-inch innerspring layer that includes 961 individually pocketed coils (for the Queen size).
If you find that the bed is too firm, Brooklyn Bedding also offers two optional mattress toppers. The first option is a cooling top panel that is primarily designed to offer more breathability and enhanced heat dissipation.
The second option is a Talalay latex mattress topper, which adds more pressure relief and adapts to the contours of your body. Many users recommend adding the latex topper, since the bed otherwise doesn’t do much to eliminate pressure points caused by the innerspring support layer. The downside is that the topper costs significantly more money.
Brooklyn Bedding includes a 100-night sleep trial with this mattress. The 10-year warranty is a little bit on the short side for a mattress that touts its durability, but users who have had the mattress for several years haven’t reported any issues.
More features: 120-night trial; flappable firmness; copper-infused foam; washable cover
The Layla Hybrid mattress is a unique hybrid foam and innerspring bed that caters to sleepers of all types. The mattress is flippable so that you can have a plush 4/10 firmness surface or a much more firm 7/10 surface, depending on your preference.
The soft side of the bed has fully 4.5 inches of foam, divided between a copper gel-infused memory foam layer and an egg carton-shaped airflow support foam. Both of these layers promote maximum cooling and breathability, which users loved since you do sink into this side of the bed quite a bit. On the firm side, the same two foam layers are present, but they total just 2.5 inches thick.
In the center of the mattress is a six-inch innerspring layer, which provides excellent support for heavier sleepers. All of the coils are individually pocketed to limit motion transfer across the bed, and the coils around the edges are doubled up to maximize edge support.
Another thing users liked about the Layla Hybrid mattress is that it comes with a soft, highly breathable, and cool to the touch cover. The cover has integrated handles to make the mattress easier to flip, and it zips off so you can throw it in the washing machine for a quick cleaning.
Layla Sleep lets you try out the Layla Hybrid for up to 120 nights risk-free. If you keep the mattress, it comes with a 10-year warranty.
More features: 5 zoned individually wrapped Quantum coils; increased edge support; 100-night trial
The Max Support Multi-Sleeper mattress from LuuF is a premium hybrid bed designed to offer firmness and support. This mattress is a whopping 13 inches thick and starts out with a 360-degree stretch fabric that wicks moisture away from your body and promotes airflow during the night. Users loved this fabric, although it’s worth noting that it cannot be removed for cleaning.
Beneath that, two layers of gel-infused foam provide comfort and support while contouring to your spine. The lower foam layer is also designed to enable air movement, which helps keep the bed cool as you sleep.
The key to this mattress’s firmness is the five-zone innerspring layer, which is made up of 1,074 individually wrapped Quantum coils (for Queen mattress). The five-zone design allows the mattress to be more firm around your midsection where it’s holding more weight. The coils are also specifically made to offer increased edge support, so you can sit or sleep on the edge of the bed without worrying that it will give away beneath you.
Users found that the combination of support and breathability helped set this mattress apart from the pack. They also liked that the bed is designed to work with most adjustable bases. That said, it is somewhat expensive compared to other hybrid beds that offer similar firmness. The Max Support Multi-Sleeper comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.
More features: 100-night trial; Greenguard Gold certified, Celliant Infrared Yarn Technology
The Bear Hybrid mattress delivers a premium night’s sleep at a surprisingly modest price. This 14-inch-thick mattress is built with three different layers of foam, which combine to give you the feeling of sleeping on a cloud.
The upper gel-infused foam layer allows you to sink into the bed slightly, while comfort and transition foam layers quickly respond to your body as you move during the night. For sleepers of all types, the foam provides the cushioning and support needed to keep your spine perfectly aligned.
The core of the bed is made of a single thick innerspring layer with individually pocketed coils. The tall coils provide exceptional support for heavy sleepers, although they also transfer motion to a slightly greater extent than small coils. Along the edges, the Bear Hybrid bed has special coils designed to resist buckling even when you’re sitting on the edge of the mattress.
The Bear Hybrid is rated as medium-firm, which users felt to be accurate. Back sleepers typically loved this bed, as did a large number of stomach sleepers. Side sleepers found that, even with the foam layers, the bed created some pressure points.
The mattress comes with a Celliant cover to help with cooling. Overheating was only rarely reported as an issue with this mattress, in part thanks to the focus on breathability in the foam layers.
More features: 120-night trial; flippable firmness
The Plank mattress from Brooklyn Bedding is built for heavyset sleepers who demand a firm mattress. The ultra-firm design is ideal for stomach sleepers, but it can also work well for back sleepers. A major difference between this bed and other firm mattresses is that the sleeping surface is perfectly flat, which helps to keep your spine in a neutral position throughout the night.
One nice thing about the Plank bed is that it can be flipped over to customize the firmness level. On one side, there’s a 0.75-inch quilted layer that’s perfectly flat with zero loft. On the other side, a 1.5-inch quilted layer provides just a touch of softness to ease you into the mattress.
The mattress is built with a layer of TitanFlex high-density foam, which provides some cushioning over the seven-inch base foam layer. A downside to the Plank mattress is that the foam isn’t open-cell or gel-infused, so it doesn’t allow for much breathability or cooling during the night.
Users found that this wasn’t a huge issue, since you don’t sink into the bed. But if you live in a warm area, Brooklyn Bedding offers an optional cooling cover made with a premium phase change molecule. The cover costs extra, which is disappointing, since most competing mattresses offer a cooling cover as a standard feature.
More features: GOTS certified organic cotton cover; 100-night trial
The Hybrid Latex Mattress from PlushBeds is an incredibly comfortable bed for side and back sleepers. The bed’s cushioning is made with organic, GOTS-certified latex rather than synthetic foam. Latex is bouncy and responsive without feeling firm, as well as naturally resistant to mold, mildew, and dust mites.
Underneath the latex, an innerspring core provides additional support for heavyset sleepers. The individually wrapped coils are encased in fabric to eliminate all traces of motion transfer and pressure points. Users loved the feel of the innerspring core, as it amplifies rather than diminishes the responsiveness of the latex construction.
The bed is finished with a layer of organic wool, which serves as a fire retardant, and an organic cotton cover to provide cooling and breathability. For sleepers who want to avoid synthetic materials and volatile organic compounds, the natural materials used in this bed are a huge advantage. However, note that some sleepers might suffer from allergies to the wool or latex.
The Hybrid Latex Mattress is compatible with adjustable bed bases. In addition, the king-sized bed can be split so that you and your partner can each adjust the bed to get a personalized night’s sleep.
PlushBeds lets you try out this mattress for up to 100 nights. Better yet, it comes with an incredibly long 25-year warranty, so you may never need to invest in another bed again.
More features: Certi-Pur US certified, 120-night risk-free trial
The Brooklyn Signature Hybrid Mattress features five distinct levels of support. The top layer is a 1-inch thick cover made of quilted gel memory foam that helps keep you cool while you sleep. Nest comes 2 inches of TitanFlex foam, which contours like memory foam and responds like latex. Under that are 2-inches of firmer TitanFlex foam for deeper compression and stronger support. Each of these layers also has Titanium Gel to reduce heat retention.
Next is the 6-inch base of individually encased coils that provide thorough support as well as decreased motion transfer, making this mattress a good choice for you and your partner. The coils rest on a bottom layer of high-density foam that adds durability and helps each coil perform even better.
Brooklyn Bedding owns their own factory and introduced the first mattress-in-a-box back in 2008 and have continued to innovate. This Signature Hybrid comes with a 10-year, no-hassle warranty and a 120-night risk-free trial. Some users reported that it softens a bit with use over time while others claim that it maintains the same level of support. There’s also a break-in period that can take anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks.
More features: 100-night trial; open-cell design
The AS3 Hybrid is Amerisleep’s hybrid version of the company’s most popular mattress. The hybrid bed is specifically recommended for heavy sleepers who need more support than foam alone can provide. The bed has a medium firmness, so it’s best for back sleepers. Many stomach sleepers found it to be too soft, while side sleepers were mixed on whether it was soft enough.
The AS3 hybrid is built with Amerisleep’s Bio-Pur memory foam. Compared to standard memory foam, Bio-Pur offers significantly better breathability and it bounces back to its original shape more quickly. That makes it ideal for those who roll around during the night, since the bed can respond and adapt immediately.
The AS3 Hybrid’s cover is made from Celliant, which helps you get a better night’s sleep while also keeping you cool. Overall, users were very happy with this mattress’s focus on cooling. Many noted that they didn’t feel overly hot even during warm summer nights, which is something of a feat for a medium-firm bed.
The innerspring layer is split into three zones, with a heavier-duty construction around the middle of the bed to provide additional support. The springs are individually wrapped to keep motion transfer to a minimum – perfect if you’re sleeping with a partner – and users found that the springs offer excellent edge support.
The AS3 Hybrid is relatively expensive, but Amerisleep backs this bed with an industry-leading 20-year warranty. In addition, you can try out the bed for up to 100 nights with free shipping and free returns.
More features: CertiPUR-US certified, 180-night trial, dust mite protection, temperature control technology
What makes the NECTAR Mattress so supportive is it’s made up of 5 different layers that work together to make sure your completely comfortable and your pressure points are supported. It’s supportive while still being soft and gentle to mold to your curves and contours.
The cooling cotton and Tencel cover helps draw away heat and circulate air to keep you at the perfect sleeping temperature. Under that is a layer of quilted gel memory foam for added loft and then a layer of semi-open Lush memory foam that absorbs and distributes heat. Next comes a layer of adaptive hi core memory foam that’s heavy and thick to support the shape of your body and pressure points. It all rests on a breathable base layer that provides a solid foundation.
Not only does this mattress come with an industry-leading 180-night in-home trial, but it also comes with a lifetime warranty. It truly could be the last mattress you ever buy. There are also two pillows included, completing your Nectar sleeping experience.
This is another mattress that offers ideal support for heavy people but might be a little too firm for spouses or partners sharing a bed. Some people also reported that the mattress did not expand fully and the smell associated with the memory foam took a long time to disappear.
If you’re overweight and wake up with back and joint pain or can’t seem to get comfortable at night, there’s a pretty good chance your mattress is to blame. Here are some things to consider when trying to find the best fit for you.
You don’t necessarily need a special bariatric or medical mattress if you’re heavy, though it might be necessary if you’re obese and mobility is an issue. That said, there are plenty of options available from popular manufacturers that make mattresses suitable for plus-size people at a reasonable price.
What type of mattress should you look for if you’re overweight? There are a few options.
One of the most popular materials for a mattress is memory foam, like the NECTAR Mattress. Memory foam offers a lot of support and helps cushion pressure points which makes them a great choice for heavy people as long as they’re dense enough. Any soft mattress will compress too much to provide the necessary support for any excess weight. If you’re overweight, you should choose a medium to firm mattress. One downside is that memory foam tends to hold onto body heat so make sure to look for one that’s infused with gel and vented to help keep you cool like the DynastyMattress Cool Breeze Gel Memory Foam Mattress.
Most of the mattresses that we reviewed are hybrids. Some, like the Nest Bedding Alexander Signature Hybrid mattress, are a blend of foam and innerspring coils while others, like the Voila Box Luxury Hybrid Latex Mattress, are a mix of memory foam, latex, and coils. We also included a memory foam and latex hybrid, the Ultimate Sleep ComfortMax Bariatric Mattress.
What’s so good about hybrids? Because they use different types of materials, they can provide more tailored support.
Each kind of material has its benefits. For example, innerspring coils are effective at preventing motion transfer and can significantly extend the life of your mattress while latex is firm, dense, and supportive without holding onto as much heat as memory foam. You can see how a mix of these materials can make the perfect combination.
Thickness is an important factor when choosing a mattress for someone who is overweight. As we’ve said, more weight on the mattress causes more compression so a thin mattress will quickly lose a lot of support and comfort. Generally, mattresses between 12 and 14 inches are best for heavier people, though you can get away with a 10 or 11-inch mattress if it’s made of the right materials, like the All-New Purple Mattress. It’s only 11 inches thick but because it uses multiple layers including innersprings sandwiched between layers of dense comfort foam and side panel support, it’s more than enough to support an overweight person.
It’s always important to buy quality products that use the best possible materials but especially in this case. We’re sure you’ve heard it said that we spend ⅓ of our life in bed. That’s a lot of wear and tear on a mattress, especially if you’re heavy.
The main reason that you want the best materials is durability. A mattress should be able to hold up over time without sagging, softening, or losing support after a few months or years of use.
It’s one thing for a mattress to be firm and supportive right out of the box, but in order to make sure it’s just as comfortable years down the line, high-quality materials are key.
Temperature regulation is important with any mattress. Some people just get hot when they sleep. This is particularly true for heavy people, not necessarily because of their weight but because these mattresses are made with dense materials that tend to trap heat.
One of the biggest culprits is memory foam and one of the ways that manufacturers try to correct this problem is by infusing it with gel. The gel helps absorb body heat and disperse it through the mattress. Some foam is also aerated so that air can easily pass through which helps to remove excess heat.
Buying a mattress online is convenient and in most cases saves you a lot of money compared to what you’d spend for a similar product in a mattress store. If you’re hesitant about buying a mattress online, take advantage of an in-home trial. You can try some of the mattresses we chose in your home for between 100 and 180 days. This is much better than the few minutes you get moving from mattress to mattress in a store because you can actually see how you feel in the morning after a full night’s sleep. If you don’t like it, you can usually either return or exchange it in this time period, free of charge.
Warranties are really important, too. The longer the warranty, the more the product stands behind its product. The products we chose are covered for 10, 20, or 30 years. The Nest Bedding Alexander Signature Hybrid and NECTAR Mattress come with lifetime guarantees.
Make sure you read the warranties carefully. Most cover manufacturer defects but do not cover anything that results from normal use.
There are a few things you can do to make sure your mattress stays in tip-top shape for as long as possible.
Modern mattresses should be rotated and not flipped. Because of how the layers are carefully selected and arranged, there is a proper top and bottom. Flipping these mattresses doesn’t work because you’d be sleeping on the hard base instead of the soft, supportive top layer! To keep your mattress from getting sags and dents over time, rotate it every 3 months or so.
To keep your mattress clean and to help ward off bed bugs, invest in a breathable mattress cover that will still give you a comfortable surface to sleep on.
Vacuum your mattress every so often to keep it clean. If you notice any odors, you can sprinkle baking soda on it first. Let it sit for 20 minutes before vacuuming.
If you need to get rid of wet spills or stains, dab it with warm soapy water and let it dry completely before replacing the sheet. It’s important not to saturate your mattress because some materials never dry completely which can lead to mold.
Our top pick is the Ultimate Sleep ComfortMax Bariatric Mattress. It’s 10-inches thick and made of high-quality foam and latex for a firm, supportive feel. It supports up to 400 pounds and comes with a 30-night free-trial period. Plus, they can also customize it for you according to your weight.
Next is the Voila Box Luxury Hybrid Coil-Spring Latex Mattress, a great choice for anyone looking for a hybrid. It has triple-edge support, 768-count five-zone pocket coil technology, and gel-infused memory foam that provide excellent support. Plus, it includes a 100-night sleep trial.
We also recommend the NECTAR Mattress. With five different memory foam layers and cooling gel infusions, it’s supportive, soft, and comfortable. Not only does it come with an impressive 180-night sleep trial, but it’s also covered by a lifetime guarantee.
