Best Mattress for Heavy People

Motion isolation refers to how well a mattress can keep movement from rippling across its surface. If a bed has good motion isolation, it means you can probably share it with a partner without feeling each other tossing and turning.

We measure isolation using a device called a seismometer. We drop a steel ball onto the mattress from three different heights, then use the seismometer to measure the vibrations. If the vibrations are high, then the bed has poor motion isolation. The results on the Titan Plus Luxe were just average, so I think most sleepers should be able to sleep soundly. But if you’re someone who wakes up easily, you may want to consider a different mattress.

It’s no surprise that the Titan Plus Luxe has a perfect score on support. It’s built to be an extra-supportive bed, and when both Paulie and I laid on it, we felt very lifted, with our spines neutrally aligned.

We found the Titan Plus Luxe to be a very cooling mattress. Its extra-tall coils leave room for plenty of air to flow through the construction, which really helps with temperature regulation. I think it could be a good option for hot sleepers.

If a mattress has strong edge support, it means you can sleep near the edge or spread out and use the entire surface without feeling like you’re going to fall off. I found the Titan Plus to have a very sturdy edge, which is why I scored it a 4.5 out of 5 in this category.

We measure pressure relief with a test called the pressure map. It involves rolling a specialized mat over the mattress, which then reads how much pressure someone puts on the bed while lying down. It does this via color-coded thermal imaging. Blue means no pressure, green means a little pressure, yellow means moderate pressure, orange means high pressure, and red means very high pressure.

While lying on the Titan Plus Luxe, there was very little pressure on the map when Paulie was back sleeping and side sleeping. However, when he rolled onto his stomach, we noticed some flareups of red. Overall, I think the bed should relieve pressure for most heavy sleepers, but stomach sleepers may need something firmer with even more support.

As I mentioned earlier, we test motion isolation using a seismometer. Overall, I wasn’t super impressed with the Helix Plus’s performance on this test. There was quite a bit of spiking on the graph, which tells me you’re likely to feel your partner moving on the other side of the bed. These aren’t terrible results, but especially light sleepers may want to look for a bed with lower motion transfer.

I gave the Helix Plus five stars for support because it’s constructed with durable foams and a section of sturdy steel coils. The top layers of foam are dense and responsive, promoting spinal alignment, while the coils keep the sleeper from sinking in too far. Our heavyweight tester, Paulie, thought this mattress had a soft feel, yet still felt extremely supported.

Looking at the Helix Plus’s materials, I had high expectations for its cooling abilities. The coil layer makes up the majority of the bed and creates plenty of space for air to flow through without getting trapped. The Tencel cover is also very breathable, as Tencel is known for its temperature-regulating abilities. 

I then used a thermal gun to measure how much the Helix Plus heated up after laying on it for five minutes and found a temperature increase of 10 degrees. This qualifies as decent cooling, so I think hot sleepers could really appreciate this bed.

When I sat on the edge of the Helix Plus, I noticed some slight sinkage. However, I didn’t notice any sinkage when lying directly on the edge of the bed. I was super impressed with the edge support on this mattress and think it’s unlikely to sag.

When we look at Paulie’s Helix Plus pressure map, we see very low pressure buildup when back sleeping. However, we can see some pressure building at the hips and shoulders when side sleeping, so this position may not be ideal. Overall, the bed does a good job at cradling sensitive areas, but heavy sleepers with preexisting joint pain may want a mattress with deeper sinkage and body contouring.

The Nectar has average motion isolation, scoring a 3.5/5 in the category. When testing the bed, I tossed and turned next to my colleague, and we could slightly feel each other’s movements. While the results certainly weren’t awful, anyone who sleeps with a partner and wakes up easily might want to look for a bed with better-quality motion isolation.

Impressively, the Nectar received a 5/5 score when evaluating its orthopedic support abilities. The various support and comfort-based foam layers really impressed me when I laid down on the bed.

After I rested on the Nectar for five minutes, my thermal gun only noticed a 5.9-degree increase, which is impressive for an all-foam bed. This highlights the mattress’s ability to dissipate body heat, resulting in a 4.5/5 score for the bed’s temperature regulation.

I gave the Nectar a score of 4.5/5 for its edge support, with its sides only sagging 2 inches when I sat on them.

I gave the Nectar a 4.5/5 for its ability to relieve pressure due to impressive pressure map results. The graphic was almost entirely blue.

Due to the Saatva’s bouncy coil-on-coil construction, I assumed it wouldn’t do a great job at absorbing movement and preventing it from transferring to the other side of the bed. When I performed the seismometer test, my suspicions were confirmed as the spikes on the graph were quite large. If you’re a deep sleeper, you may not experience sleep disturbance, but light sleepers may want a memory foam mattress, which tends to absorb motion better.

This innerspring mattress is extremely supportive, especially in the 14.5-inch option. While the Plush Soft model may be too soft for heavy sleepers, I think the Luxury Firm or Firm models are just right. With not one but two layers of coils, this mattress stands strong and is sturdy enough to support up to 600 pounds.

Due to the double layer of coils, the Saatva mattress is super breathable and airy. When lying on the bed, I thought it felt quite cool. I tested the temperature regulation using my thermal gun and found a temperature increase of 9.3 degrees after laying on it for 5 minutes. This indicates good temperature regulation, and I think it’s a good choice for hot sleepers who enjoy an innerspring feel.

I think the Saatva has some of the best edge support I’ve ever seen in a mattress. This bed has a reinforced edge support system that combines coils with firm polyfoam to ensure every inch of the bed can support the sleeper. When I sat on the edge of the bed, I used a yardstick to measure the sinkage and discovered the layers had only sunk half an inch under my weight.

When it comes to pressure relief, I think the Saatva will benefit heavy back and stomach sleepers the most. The Euro top does a great job at filling in the space at the lumbar region and easing tension. Heavy side sleepers may find better pressure relief from a memory foam or hybrid mattress that contains more foam and cushioning.

When performing the seismometer test on the WinkBed Plus, I was pretty impressed. Although this bed contains tall coils, it was still able to effectively isolate motion. The seismograph displays some large spikes when the ball first hits the bed, but you’ll notice that they almost immediately dissipate. You may feel very large movements, but I think you’re unlikely to be disturbed by typical tossing and turning.

This mattress was designed with heavy sleepers in mind, so it’s no surprise that I gave it 5 out of 5 stars for support. The Euro pillow top is quilted with HD “anti-sag” gel foam that provides some initial support when the sleeper lays down. The zoned support latex foam fluctuates firmness depending on where your body needs the most support. The final layer of individually wrapped coils adds the supportive boost that heavy back sleepers need.

Looking at this bed’s materials, I think it’s an excellent choice for heavy back sleepers that run hot at night. The layer of pocketed coils adds room inside the mattress for air to flow in and out without becoming trapped. The cover is made from Tencel, a naturally cooling material, and the Euro top contains gel-infused foam for additional cooling. This bed also contains a layer of latex foam, which is known for being breathable. Overall, I think hot sleepers should have no problem staying cool on this bed.

I found the WinkBed Plus to have outstanding edge support. The supportive coils contain an Extra-Edge Support System that kept me feeling supported when sleeping and sitting near the edges. I think the mattress is unlikely to sag over time, and you should be able to use the entire surface of the bed.

Looking at Paulie’s pressure map, there’s only blue and green displayed at the lumbar region when back and side sleeping. However, we’re seeing more pressure building at the shoulder when he’s side sleeping, so sleepers with preexisting shoulder pain may need a softer bed. We’re also seeing some yellow at the hips when back and side sleeping, so those with preexisting hip pain may also want a softer mattress. I think stomach sleepers should find a lot of relief on this bed, but they may run into some issues if they carry their weight in the stomach area like Paulie does.