Heavy people need a firmer mattress for support with a thick comfort layer to relieve joint pressure.
The last thing you want is a rock-hard mattress, but if you choose a too-soft one, you will sink straight into it. Falling into a mattress is terrible for your back and can make you toss and turn, reducing your sleep quality.
Best mattress firmness for heavy people
We recommend a medium-firm mattress for people up to 220 lbs and a firm mattress for people over 220 lbs. Avoid soft and medium mattresses if you are over 200 lbs.
The ‘firmness’ refers to the support level (the amount it sinks under your weight) and does not reflect the plushness of the top cover. The plushness of the top surface is determined by the type of padding and its thickness.
Best mattress technology for heavy people
From a longevity perspective, foam mattresses are best for heavy people because they don’t have springs that can fail and squeak.
Pure memory foam mattresses contour your body and relieve pressure on your joints, an essential quality when you are heavy. If you don’t like the squishiness of memory foam, get a reflex foam mattress instead.
That’s not to say sprung mattresses (pocket or open coil springs) are bad for heavy people, but they are more susceptible to wear. Also, they are bouncy, accentuating when you are heavy. Not everyone likes a bouncy mattress!
A good middle ground is a hybrid mattress with a compact spring and dominant foam systems. Hybrid mattresses are popular because of mattress-in-a-box brands, but they are available from many brands.
Pillowtop mattresses are also a good option if you sleep with pain, with a thick cushioned top layer that delivers a sumptuous sleep.
Mattresses for heavy people recommendations
We’ve split our mattress recommendations into medium-firm and firm lists:
Best medium-firm mattresses (people under 220lbs)
These are our favourite medium-firm mattresses for heavy people:
Giltedge Beds Cellflex
Technology: Reflex foam
Price: £263 (double)
Pictured: Giltedge Beds Cellflex Mattress
The Giltedge Beds Cellflex is a cheap and cheerful pure reflex foam mattress that delivers more bounce than memory foam. It’s great for heavy people because the foam springs back, giving you lots of support when you toss and turn.
The Giltedge Beds Backcare Supreme mattress pairs pocket springs with comfort. It solves the heat issue of memory foam, keeping you cool on hot nights with outstanding support and comfort for heavy people.
The Silentnight Miracoil Geltex Carme has a Miracoil (open coil) spring support system and a gel-infused pillowtop for comfort in all seasons. The 4cm Geltex comfort layer delivers a soft and cloud-like sleep despite the medium-firm support.
These are our favourite firm mattresses for heavy people:
Sleepsoul Comfort
Pictured: Sleepsoul Comfort Mattress
Technology: Foam
Price: £319 (double)
The Sleepsoul Comfort is a reflex foam mattress with a soft quilted top cover. It looks and feels twice as expensive, delivering outstanding support for heavy people. However, our next mattress is better if you like a plusher feel.
These are one of our favourite firm mattresses for heavy people:
Sleepeezee Jessica
Pictured: Sleepeezee Jessica Support Mattress
Price: £599 (double)
Technology: Pocket springs and fibre
The Sleepeezee Jessica is an excellent mattress for heavy people because it has 800 zoned pocket springs for support and thick layers of platinum fibre for comfort and response. Fibre fillings are more breathable than foam fillings - ideal for hot nights.
The Giltedge Beds Tranquillity has 2,000 pocket springs for support and a memory foam top layer that contours to your body. The zoned support is ideal for heavy people, and the sheer thickness of the mattress delivers a luxurious sleep.
Need a few more ideas? You can browse our complete collection of mattresses here.
