As a sleep writer I spend a lot of time emphasizing the importance of choosing the best mattress for your sleep needs. But if you have a heavier build (over 250lbs) you might have found there's only one thing worth considering when choosing a mattress: does it support your weight or not?
With most standard mattresses having a total weight capacity of around 500-600lbs, heavier people have often been limited to a handful of specialist (and more expensive) beds. That means fewer choices and less ability to prioritize your sleep comfort.
But I've been monitoring the best mattresses for heavy people for a while and I've noticed an increase in sleep brands offering beds for bigger bodies, including more firmness levels, diverse designs and lower prices. Of the sleep trends I've observed this is by far my favorite — here's why.
A more inclusive mattress market
Good sleep is vital to our wellbeing. By providing targeted support and comfort, the right mattress for your sleep needs can help you drift off, reduce night time awakenings and even contribute to fresher mornings.
For the most part, mattresses for heavy people have been priced in the upper mid-range to premium category. In other words, you can expect to pay over $1,200 for a queen size. This high cost prevents many heavier people from choosing a mattress that meets their needs — it's either overspend or sacrifice comfort.
The growing market means an increase in more budget-friendly mattresses for heavy people. For example, the Titan Plus Mattress is roughly $936 for a queen. While these still aren't 'cheap' beds (and I know that cheap mattresses tend to lack durable support), mid-range models make these specialist mattresses more accessible.
More choice for bigger bodies
Most mattresses for heavy people are firm. This is to prevent the body from 'sinking' too far into the mattress, which can lead to sagging and back pain. But while this firmer feel has its supportive advantages, side sleepers with bigger builds might find these hard beds lack necessary pressure relief at the shoulders and hips.
More variety ensures sleepers with bigger builds can choose a mattress to meet all their sleep needs, not just their weight
As the market expands, I'm beginning to see greater diversity in firmness and feel among mattresses for heavy people. Big Fig's recent mattress launch, for example, included a plush pillowtop design for side sleepers and an extra firm feel for back sleepers.
Even the type of mattress is growing: beds for heavy people have traditionally been hybrid mattresses, but now durable memory foam mattresses have better weight capacities too.
There are many factors that go into finding a mattress, beyond body type. More variety ensures sleepers with bigger builds can choose a mattress to meet all their sleep needs, not just their weight.
