When shopping for a new mattress, there can be a lot of factors that seem to complicate things, but your weight shouldn’t be one of them. In many cases, the best mattresses for heavy people tend to have a lot of the same attributes of a good mattress for thinner people as well. However, there are different functionality and design needs that a mattress should have in order to provide an optimal sleeping experience for heavier, overweight, and larger than average sleepers.
Best Mattress for Heavy, Large, and Overweight People
There are a lot of quality mattresses out there that are great for a heavier sleeper – but some people find it useful for a short list. Thus below are some of my favorite mattresses for heavy persons, though note this list is not comprehensive, and naturally reflects some of my own biases and preferences. So the top picks:
Staff Pick | ||
Helix Nightfall Mattress  | Helix Nightfall Mattress Its cooling properties and deep pressure relief make the Helix Nightfall great for heavier side sleepers who need help keeping cool throughout the night! Enjoy $75 off a standard mattress or $125 off a LUXE mattress by using either SLEEPOPOLIS75 or SLEEPOPOLIS125! | |
Best for Back and Side Sleepers | ||
WinkBeds Plus Mattress  | WinkBeds Plus Mattress The WinkBed Plus was designed to be bouncy, cooling, and particularly supportive for heavier sleepers! This mattress is a take on the original Winkbeds mattress for folks that are 250 lbs or more. | |
Best for Heavy Couples | ||
Casper Wave Mattress  | Casper Wave Mattress Casper's most luxurious mattress, the Wave is built with pressure relief in mind. Though not designed specifically for heavy sleepers, Casper pulled out all the stops with the Wave, so it should prove comfortable for a sleeper of any weight. Plus with a balanced foam feel minimizing motion transfer, you won't feel your partner tossing and turning throughout the night! | |
Best for Side Sleepers | ||
Bear Hybrid Mattress  | Bear Hybrid Mattress Specifically designed for athletes, the coils in the Bear Hybrid allow sleepers to change position easily, without any stuck feeling. Enjoy $225 off your purchase with code SLEEPOPOLIS225. | |
Designed for Heavy Sleepers | ||
Big Fig Mattress  | Big Fig Mattress Designed specifically for heavier sleepers, the Big Fig is a fantastic, supportive option. The mattress has a quality construction that should help improve comfort and durability for sleepers that are 300 lbs or more. | |
Best Hybrid | ||
DreamCloud Mattress  | DreamCloud Mattress DreamCloud is a tall hybrid mattress combines foams with pocketed coils for a luxuriously supportive sleeping experience. This mattress is high quality and should be a great option for heavy and average weight sleepers alike. | |
Best Budget | ||
Ghostbed Mattress  | Ghostbed Mattress For the GhostBed Price range, you'd be hard pressed to find a mattress built as solidly. The combination of bouncy latex and body-hugging memory foam offer sleepers a nice, balanced feel with materials that should prove it very durable and long-lasting. | |
Best for Sleeping Cool | ||
Purple Mattress  | Purple Mattress Built with a temperature neutral top layer, the Purple is fantastic at cooling. Underneath you have some high quality foam layers that can handle a heavy sleeper. Check out the Purple 2/3/4 that has added springs for even more support. | |
Best Memory Foam | ||
Nest Bedding Alexander Signature Mattress  | Nest Bedding Alexander Signature Mattress A layer of memory foam over base foam makes the Nest Bedding Signature mattress ideal for sleepers that want both pressure relief and great support. |
Read on for more information on each of these top picks, or click here to skip to my mattress buying guide for heavier people section.
Staff Pick
Helix Nightfall
The Helix Nightfall is another strong member of Helix’s hybrid line. Using an extra layer of quality high density foam on top the Nightfall to better support heavy sleepers and for some added durability over time.
The Nightfall was specifically designed with big and tall sleepers in mind and with strong support it does a good job of maintaining spinal alignment. Along with the strong support, the foams on top of the mattress provide nice pressure relief and comfort.
Click here to check out my full review of the Helix Nightfall
Back and Side Sleepers
WinkBeds Plus
WinkBeds Plus is an innerspring mattress made specifically for heavy sleepers – particularly with back and side sleepers in mind.
The mattress comes with all sorts of reinforcement to ensure the mattress is both comfortable for heavy sleepers as well as durable.
The extra bit of foam on top gives it a nice plush feel initially, helping ease those pressure points and provide a comfortable sleeping experience. Learn more in our full WinkBeds Plus review.
If you’re a heavy sleeper and looking for other picks for back and side sleepers, I’d have a look at the Brooklyn Bedding mattress.
The WinkBeds Plus was designed to be bouncy, cooling, and particularly supportive for heavier sleepers! Save $200 on your order with our exclusive discount code SLEEPOPOLIS200!
Best Mattress for Heavy Couples
Casper Wave
The Casper Wave is the top of the line mattress from Casper, which also has the Casper and the Casper Essential.
The Casper Wave has 5 quality layers of foam with zoned construction to offer different levels of support along your body as you lay on the mattress.
In addition to offering great support and comfort for any sized sleeper – the Casper Wave is all foam, and performed very well on our motion transfer test, making it a great option for couples. Learn more about this luxury mattress in our full Casper Wave review.
Other mattresses I’d suggest for heavy couples are the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora and Tempur-Pedic.
Casper's most luxurious mattress, the Wave is built with pressure relief in mind. Customers in the US can use code SLEEPOPOLIS to save $200!
Best Mattress for Side Sleepers
Bear Hybrid
If you’re a side sleeper you know that pressure relief is the main thing you’re looking for out of a comfortable mattress. With your weight concentrated over a smaller surface area you end up pushing further into bed and can start to feel pressure form in places like the shoulders and the hips. The Bear Hybrid helps avoid the formation of those high pressure areas with soft foams on top, so you won’t feel jammed up at the shoulders.
While a plush feel is great for side sleepers, you don’t want to sacrifice support. The Bear Hybrid’s coil support system helps to keep the sleeper’s hips from sinking too far into bed, which helps keep good spinal alignment. Overall I would say the soft foams and coil support of the Bear Hybrid are a great combo for the heavier side sleepers out there.
Click here to read my full Bear Hybrid review.
Specifically designed for athletes, the Bear Hybrid is a great supportive option for active sleepers. Enjoy $225 off your purchase with code SLEEPOPOLIS225.
Designed for Heavy Sleepers
Big Fig
Big Fig is specifically designed for heavy sleepers – they’re the only site (to my knowledge) that actually feature bigger people on the site! The team is laser focused on this demographic – and it shows, with a mattress that is clearly one of the sturdiest on the market, rated for up to 500 lb individuals or 1000 lb couples.
The Big Fig also has a foundation add-on that provides additional support. Though the foundation makes the bed extremely high, it definitely has the look and feel of a mattress that can support the heaviest of us. Learn more in my full Big Fig review.
The only other mattress I’ve reviewed that specifically mentions design for heavy people is the WinkBeds Plus.
Best Hybrid for Heavy Sleepers
DreamCloud
Hybrids have recently started popping up in the market and many of them could be considered good options for heavy people. Out of all of these entrants in the market the DreamCloud really sticks out because of its quality materials and strong construction.
The DreamCloud is a bit on the firmer side, which is good for heavy sleepers as it provides a bit more support. I’d also like to point out the edge support layer, which makes the bed feel a bit bigger by allowing sleepers to lay comfortably all the way to the edge of the bed. You can read my full review of the DreamCloud to learn more.
Some other hybrid options that would be good for heavy people would be the Nest Bedding Alexander Hybrid and Tomorrow Sleep.
The combination of plush foam and a pressure-relieving coil system makes this mattress particularly great for side sleepers! Save 8% on your Nest purchase with the code SLEEPOP8!
Best Budget Mattress for Heavy Sleepers
GhostBed
Many mattresses in the lower budget range, though still good mattresses, won’t get it done for heavy people. GhostBed is an exception, with a quality 11 inches thick latex-over-memory-foam construction.
The GhostBed is priced at $795 for a queen (without discount), making it priced significantly lower than other mattress options on this list. Learn more about the GhostBed in my full GhostBed mattress review.
Two other lower-cost options that might be a good option for heavier sleepers are Zinus and Nest Bedding Love & Sleep.
Best for Heavy Sleepers to Sleep Cool
Purple
The Purple mattress is another option for heavy sleepers. Its specialty gel comfort layer is temperature neutral, making it for a big person prioritizing sleeping cool.
On top of sleeping cool, the gel layer of the purple mattress is great for pressure relief. If you are looking to resolve those pressure points as a heavy person, Purple is definitely an option to consider. Learn more in my Purple mattress review.
Some other good options for sleeping cool for heavy sleepers are the GhostBed Luxe and the Zenhaven.
Get $100 off coupon all Purple Mattresses (excluding Twin and Twin XL Mattresses which are $50 off + Free Sheets with Purchase). Limited Memorial Day offer!
Best Memory Foam for Heavy Sleepers
Nest Alexander Signature
A high quality mattress with dense foams is a good and durable option for heavy sleepers. One of our top picks for this is the Nest Bedding Alexander mattress, one of the most popular in the Nest Bedding line.
This mattress comes in 3 firmness options, but I would recommend heavy sleepers going with the medium or firm version.
Learn more about this mattress in our full Nest Alexander mattress review.
For other memory foam options for heavy sleepers, I would suggest looking at Amerisleep and Novosbed.
This mattress is offered in three different firmness levels so that sleepers can be sure to pick the one that's just right. Save 8% on your Nest purchase with the code SLEEPOP8!
Mattress Buying for Heavier People
Whether you’re shopping online or in-store, there are a few factors that are critically important for overweight or large sleepers. As you’re beginning your research and shopping experience you’ll want to make sure to consider all of the following factors. These factors and attributes are of critical importance and purchasing a mattress with these characteristics will ensure the best sleep for heavy people.
An important note – “heavy”, “‘large”, and “overweight” are a bit general as terms. For the purpose of this guide all three of these terms will mean sleepers above 200 pounds. Not ever sleeper over 200 pounds is overweight, by the same token, just because you’re 150 pounds doesn’t mean you’re not overweight. That said, to help keep things as simple as possible we’ll consider heavy / large / overweight as anything above 200 pounds. All mattresses discussed below can support up to at least 300 pounds, with several capable of supporting 350-450 pounds.
Mattress Thickness
This could seem obvious, but mattress thickness is a topic that many people may overlook. For sleepers under 200 pounds, a 10” mattress is usually sufficient. For heavier sleepers, you’ll want to look for a mattress that is at least 12” thick or thicker. What you’re really looking for in these thicker mattresses is deep compression support. Heavier sleepers (whether you’re overweight or simply larger) create a larger amount of pressure on the mattress and many thinner mattresses fall short in providing the support you may need.
Some 10″ mattresses that utilize advanced foams, an extra thick comfort layer, or other design specs that improve deep compression support can allow them to function well for heavier sleepers as well (depending on your firmness preferences and sleeping position). However, as a general rule it’s best to find a mattress with a thicker profile as it will more likely be able to offer consistent support and deep compression support. Deep compression support and the need for a thicker profile mattress only becomes more and more of an issue the heavier you are.
Firmness
The firmness level of your new mattress should be determined by what type of sleeper you are. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my mattress firmness guide. This informational guide will walk you through the steps of identifying the correct firmness for you. Most heavier sleepers tend to require and prefer a mattress on the medium to medium firm side (around a 4-7 on the firmness scale).
When considering the right firmness for you the most important factor to address is your weight with respect to the firmness and feel. The heavier you are the deeper and more pronounced the sinkage and hug you’re going to experience. Many sleepers associate increased sinkage with increased softness. For example, a mattress that is normally rated at an 8 out of 10 on the firmness scale might feel more like a 7 out of 10 for a sleeper that’s 250 pounds or more. All mattress reviews on Sleepopolis sinkage measurements and firmness ratings.
As a general rule, if you’re over 250 pounds you’ll experience 1-2″ of additional sinkage (varies by mattress and body type).
Edge Support
To ensure the best mattress for heavier, larger, and/or overweight people, be sure to consider the edge support as well. Mattresses are mostly used for sleeping at night, but your bed can play a lot of roles during the day. If you frequently find yourself sitting on the edge of your bed throughout the day, edge support will be that much more important. Edge support can also be important for amorous activities.
Lastly, in addition to simply sitting on the edge of the mattress, a mattress with strong and stable edges will help to prevent any significant sagging or collapse when sleeping near the edge of the mattress.
In general, mattresses built from springs, coil-on-coil construction, or hybrid designs (utilizing springs + foam) will offer the best edge support. Most foam mattresses tend to struggle with edge support, especially with heavier sleepers. This is simply a byproduct of the foam design. This is less of an issue for thicker foam mattresses, but still something to keep in mind.
Sleeping Hot
A common complaint from heavy people is the nightly reality of “sleeping hot.” This term is used for mattresses that do not ventilate or breathe well throughout the night. Add two warm bodies, sheets, a comforter, pets, kids – well, you see how this can get uncomfortable quickly. For heavier sleepers, there is more mass, hence more heat is generated. Without a mattress that breathes, you may find yourself waking up in the middle of the night and quickly throwing off all the covers.
Foam mattress tend to sleep warmer than spring / hybrid mattresses. However, many advanced foam mattresses have largely solved the problems with heat retention. I would recommend avoiding inexpensive memory foam mattresses and more traditional / basic memory foams. These types of foam mattresses are more likely to be the type of basic memory foam that absorbs and retains heat.
Innerspring and hybrid mattresses don’t absorb heat as much and inherently help to keep the mattress cool. Additionally, foams like latex, Avena, advanced open cell memory foam, or mattresses that utilize gel or other cooling layers (do your research on the gel though, many gels don’t do what they claim) will improve cooling.
Mattress Types
As with any shopper looking for a new mattress, there are many choices in what type of mattress to choose. To give an overview of your options, the most popular mattresses on the market are memory foam, latex, innerspring, or hybrids (utilizes a combination of materials).
Memory Foam
Memory foam mattresses are great options for larger sleepers. These mattresses can be super soft or very firm, depending on the make and material content. Foam mattresses are supportive and are known to relieve pressure points by providing even, consistent support that contours to your body, no matter what position you sleep in. With memory foam, be aware of breathability. Search for brands that outwardly address how they solve the “sleeping hot” issue so you know you will be comfortable throughout the night.
Look specifically for memory foam mattresses with an open cell structure, gel / other cooling layers, and/or a cover that uses a cooling material or textile.
Latex
For larger and heavier people, a latex mattress can be good option. Latex offers great comfort and good cooling (it does not absorb heat the same way most memory foams do). Additionally, it tends to offer better bounce than memory or other poly foams (not at the same level as spring mattresses, but not bad). Additionally, latex tends to have less of a pronounced contouring hug than memory foam. The hug on latex foam is more of a rounded contour vs. the sharp contour of memory foam. If you prefer a more balanced sinkage / hugging contour support latex is a great compromise.
Innerspring
Innerspring mattresses can be both very good or very bad for obese people. Lower quality innerspring mattresses can create pressure points or inconsistent support due to the nature of their construction. If you do elect to go with an innerspring try to look for coil-on-coil construction. This type of mattress uses two layers of springs which improves the feel, support, deep compression, and overall build quality of the mattress.
Innerspring mattresses do typically offer better edge support than foam mattress. If you sleep very close to the edge or otherwise use the edge of your mattress a great deal this can be a big pro.
Hybrid
Hybrid mattresses can utilize both coils and/or layers of foam. These types of mattresses have many of the same benefits that innerspring mattresses have, including: better cooling due to improved airflow from the coils, better edge support, more bounce, and better deep compression support. Hybrids generally use layers of memory, latex, or other foam. The result is a mattress that is designed to minimize some of the negatives of foam and coil mattresses, while emphasizing their pros.
Best Mattresses for Heavy, Larger, & Overweight People
As you can see, there are so many factors to consider when shopping for the best mattress for heavy people. Overall, you’re going to want a mattress that fits the profile below. Sleepopolis recommends the following mattresses for heavier, larger, and overweight people:
| Mattress Brand | Description | Weight Limit* | Price*** | Coupon | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Hybrid design with coil on coil construction. There is a mix of gel and latex foams to provide cooling and bounce. The support system is zoned to provide extra support where needed most. | 450 lbs | $1,499 | See Current Offer | Coming Soon! |
 | Uses gel infusion in cover to promote cooling as well as high density foams to avoid sagging of the mattress over time. The support layer of the mattress consists of pocketed coils and there is a layer of edge support foam surrounding the coils to strengthen the side of the mattress. | 500 lbs | $1,499 | See Current Offer | Read My Review! |
 | Hybrid design using Aveena foam to provide cooling and memory foam below for pressure relief. The support system consists of a pocketed coil layer which helps with motion transfer and allows airflow for temperature regulation. | 350 lbs | $1,475 | See Current Offer | Read My Review! |
 | Comfort layer is latex foam to provide bounce and cooling to the mattress. There is a layer of memory foam below the comfort layer for pressure relief and contouring as you sink further in. | 375 lbs** | $795 | See Current Offer | Read My Review! |
 | Uses a combination of poly, latex and memory foams to provide comfort. The Wave includes a special polymer network in the construction to provide extra support. The base of the mattress is contoured to allow for pressure relief at the hips and shoulders. | Not Listed | $1,850 | See Current Offer | Read My Review! |
 | Comfort layer is made of a hyper-elastic polymer grid structure, creating columns of polymer that are supportive until a certain threshold of pressure is reached. Once that threshold is reached, the column releases to allow that area to sink in, providing pressure relief. | 300 lbs | $999 | See Current Offer | Read My Review! |
 | All foam design that uses high density memory foams to provide pressure relief. The high density of these materials improves the durability of the mattress, defending against the formation of imprints in the mattress. | Not Listed | $899 | See Current Offer | Read My Review! |
*These weight limits are based on one person sleeping on one side of the mattress. As a general rule, they can usually be doubled for the total supported weight of the mattress. Many of these mattresses are capable of supporting more weight, however, the weight limit is the manufacturer specific limit to which the warranty will be valid.
**Ghostbed lists suggested weight limit for entire mattress as 750 lbs. This number is meant to estimate the weight limit for a single sleeper on one side of the mattress.
***This is the default pricing for Queen size mattresses, be sure to check our Coupons page for available discounts.
The above mattresses:
- Are at least 12” thick (two exceptions, noted above)
- Provide an exceptional level of deep compression support
- Are 4-7 on the firmness scale, where 10 is the most firm (several available in harder or softer firmnesses if you need a firmness on the extremes)
- Provide great support to your spine, hips and neck
- Sleep very or exceptionally cool (due to a combination of construction and materials)
- All of these mattresses will work with an adjustable foundation
- Prices are Queen size and include the respective discount promo code (if available)
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Hi Sleepopolis,
This is a top notch review, congrats.
I need you help and guidance as i cannot find any information on this and i know I’m not the only one with these questions and health issues.
I live in Australia and just hoping that a least some of these mattresses are available over here, would you have any contacts in Australia? Also is it better to get a mattress with or without the top padding/comfort layer? These have a tendency to degrade earlier than the actual mattress. With this in mind which brand of mattress and type/name of mattress would be suitable for overweight/heavy/obese people with chronic back injuries whom can spend more time in bed than the average person?
Would you kindly reply in email as well as in your post, please.
Yours Sincerely
Mrs Helen Buchanan
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed this list! I wasn’t sure who shipped to Australia from this list and after checking with the companies it appears that only Nest has the ability to ship internationally. Even with that capability, I would assume there would be a huge price placed on that shipment so you may prefer to check out a local mattress company for a better value.
Now in terms of the degrading comfort layer, I would say that depends on the material used. Something like memory foam is a bit softer and can form imprints quicker if the mattress isn’t rotated properly. If you’re looking for durability I would check out something made from latex as it quickly springs back, it also has the added benefit of sleeping cooler than memory foam.
So given the requirements you mentioned I would say look for a latex hybrid or innerspring mattress to get the support you need and a material that will last a bit longer. Unfortunately I’m not very familiar with the Australian mattress market, but I hope I’ve sent you on the correct path on what to look for.