Choose a Mattress Based On Body Weight
The more you weigh, the firmer your mattress should be. This golden rule of mattress matchmaking is critical to choosing a mattress that will support you. Otherwise, you could have a willowy mess or a rock-hard slab.
The critical thing to remember is that mattress firmness is relative to body weight – for example, a firm mattress feels soft to someone over 280 lbs, while a medium mattress feels firm to someone weighing 130 lbs.
The good news is that most people fall within a standard weight range, so there is no need to choose a mattress at the end of the scale.
This article explores choosing a mattress based on body weight to help you buy the right mattress.
Less than 130lbs
If you weigh less than 130 lbs (9.2 stone), you should look at soft-medium mattresses offering medium support for lighter people.
Lighter under 130 lbs need a softer mattress because it is the only sleep surface providing balanced comfort and support. The next step up, medium, is too firm and doesn’t support side sleeping for light people.
If a soft mattress suits you, check out the Sleepeezee G4 (£1,099, king), which has 4,200 pocket springs, and the Giltedge Beds Majestic (£499, king).
Between 135lbs and 180lbs
People weighing between 135lbs and 180lbs should look at medium mattresses, which are around 50% firmer than soft mattresses.
Medium mattresses offer balanced support and comfort for most people, straddling the line and helping couples of different weights get comfortable.
Another reason to choose a medium mattress is if you are a side sleeper – side sleepers do best with medium mattresses because they keep the spine in a neutral position.
Check out the Giltedge Solo Memory Plus (£349, king) or the Birlea Bliss (£599, king) if you want a medium mattress with good support.
Between 180lbs and 235lbs
If you weigh between 180 and 230 lbs, a medium-firm mattress will support you in multiple sleeping positions.
However, if you weigh towards the bottom end of that range, we recommend trying both medium and medium-firm mattresses to get a sense for them – side sleepers prefer a soft sleep surface, while back sleepers prefer a firm one.
Medium-firm mattresses also suit back sleepers best, with studies showing that medium-firm is the best for reducing back pain.
If a medium-firm mattress suits you, check out the Sleepeezee G2 (£789, king), which has 2,200 SoftTech springs and 2cm of graphite memory foam.
Over 240lbs
You should look at firm mattresses if you weigh over 240 lbs to avoid sinking into the mattress. A medium-firm mattress won’t have a robust enough support system to keep your body in a healthy sleeping position.
Firm mattresses are usually associated with older people and orthopaedic beds, but they are also recommended for heavy people.
To someone over 240 lbs, a firm mattress feels relatively soft, and you can accentuate this by choosing a mattress with a thicker layer of soft foam.
For example, the Sleepeezee Hybrid 2000 has 5cm of soft foam and 4cm of Staycool gel to provide a soft, temperature-regulated sleep.
When to break the rules
Although choosing a mattress based on body weight is best, you might prefer a soft or firm mattress. In this case, breaking the rules isn’t so bad – providing you don’t jump to extremes (medium to very firm).
It is generally okay to go up or down a firmness rating to suit how you like a mattress to feel, even if it goes against expert advice. Remember that your weight might change, so going for a soft or firm mattress could leave you in the lurch.
Most people should choose a medium or medium-firm mattress. If you want a softer surface, look for mattresses with a thick layer of soft foam or memory foam; if you want a firm surface, look for mattresses with fibrous fillings.
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