The 6 Best Mattresses for Plus-Sized Adults

Whenever you're buying a mattress, it's important to make sure it's personalized to some degree. After all, you'll spend some seven to nine hours per night lying on it (if you're scoring the recommended amount of sleep, that is).

Along with comfort, sleep position and personal preference, you'll want to consider the weight limitations of your mattress. Those made for individual sleepers are usually designed to hold up to about 250 pounds, while mattresses designed for more than one person (such as queen- and king-sized beds) typically have a 500-pound weight limit," says Sunjya Schweig, MD, an expert in complex chronic illnesses and founder and president of the California Center for Functional Medicine.

There's also a category of mattresses, known as "plus-size," that has higher weight limits (typically around 500 pounds per sleeper) and provides additional support, as well as extra cushioning around the areas where weight is most dense, such as the hip area. "To get the right mattress, a plus-size person has to look beyond traditional mattresses for models that offer the right combination of support, durability and comfort," Dr. Schweig says.

Plus-sized sleepers tend to deal with five major issues, he adds: mattress softening and breakdown, mattress sagging, poor or improper support, lack of edge support and heat trapping. When shopping for a plus-size mattress, it's crucial that it addresses all of these problems.

"These mattresses are usually thicker, made with sturdier materials and, in most cases, they also feature some type of cooling technology that helps dissipate heat and ensures the person (or couple) stays comfortable throughout the night," Dr. Schweig says.

Because getting a good night's sleep is so crucial for your overall health, it's important to choose the right mattress for you. With the help of a few experts, we've narrowed your search to the top six mattresses for plus-size people on the market now.

We reached out to various sleep and body-function specialists to better understand the specific mattress needs that can benefit plus-size sleepers as well as tips for how to find the perfect fit. We chose our top picks based on the following criteria:

• Support
• Level of firmness
• Pressure relief
• Durability
• High-tech capabilities

Find more information on how we choose products here.

This hybrid mattress was specifically designed for plus-sized sleepers with a weight limit of 550 on each side (1,100 pounds total). The mattress itself is 13 inches thick and combines three different layers of high-density foam for optimal comfort.

"It's heavy-duty foam prevents sagging and its excellent edge support makes it easier to get in and out of bed," says Jordan Duncan, DC, a chiropractor at Silverdale Sport & Spine in Silverdale, Washington.

This mattress is also an excellent choice for people who run hot through the night. Its fabric is treated with ThermoGel to help keep your body at a lower temperature, so you go to bed and wake up feeling cool and relaxed.

If you're looking for a mattress made with traditional coils rather than foam or gel, consider this luxury, heavy-duty mattress that was specifically designed for plus-size adults.

"This mattress is made from high-quality coils that are very supportive and firmer toward the center of the mattress," says naturopathic doctor, clinical nutritionist and sleep specialist David Friedman, ND, DC. "In addition to promoting proper lumbar support with a patented Lumbar Zone technology, the Saatva HD stands out because it has been designed especially for people between 300 and 500 pounds."

It has the additional support of a three-inch Euro pillow top for an added layer of comfort, as well as hand-tufted finishing to cut down on body impressions while keeping the mattress in place, so wrinkles and indents aren't created over time.

This mattress is designed for plus-size sleepers as well as the "big and tall" crowd. It's made with an additional, supportive layer of high-density foam for optimal comfort and support. This creates a sturdy surface to prevent slouching — something that can help side sleepers who could wake up with hip pain if their midsection is not supported and properly aligned.

It also has cooling features thanks to a breathable Tencel cover that allows air to flow freely while you sleep, thus preventing night sweating and overheating.

One feature that sets this mattress apart from the rest is an "anti-sag" foam that helps prevent what Friedman refers to as the "hammock effect." It is made from a high-density foam cushioning that the brand claims is 50 percent more dense than the foam commonly found in standard innerspring mattresses. The mattress is also made from seven-zoned latex that's supported by a layer of zoned coils specifically designed for long-term durability. In other words, you can expect this mattress to last you a decade at least.

"For people that sleep hot, this latex layer is combined with a Tencel cover, which works to keep you cool through the night," Friedman says. "The construction of this product has exceptional bounce, offering top-notch lift with features that provide superior motion-isolation technology, which makes it a terrific option for couples."

If you and your partner can't decide between memory foam and traditional coils, this is a great mattress that bridges the gap. "This mattress combines the cushion of memory foam with the stability of coils, which creates a feel that is both pressure-relieving and supportive," Duncan says.

It has multiple layers to provide that support, including a gel-infused layer that helps keep your body at a comfortable temperature through the night, allowing for a cool, comfortable sleep.

This is an ultra-supportive mattress that is specifically designed for people weighing more than 230 pounds.

"This mattress is medium-firm, making it more comfortable and offering more support for heavier individuals, and it has a gel-infused memory foam quilted into the cover that is followed by a comfort layer of TitanFlex polyfoam," Friedman says. The TitanFlex foam contours to the body and feels responsive, so you can feel fully supported while you slumber.

"The support core contains 8-inch pocketed coils and a base layer of high-density polyfoam, resulting in excellent overall stability," Friedman says. "The thick coil system protects the edges against excessive sinkage and makes it easy for most people to move across the surface."

Before you set out to buy the best plus-size mattress to relieve your hip pain or just help you get a good night's sleep, here are some important factors to keep in mind to help guide your purchase.

As with any big purchase that is made to withstand your body weight, it's important to check the weight limitations on any mattress you're considering. The mattress should be specifically designed for someone that is within your weight limits, Duncan says.

When it comes to finding a memory foam mattress for a heavier person (weighing more than 250 pounds), Dr. Schweig recommends looking at the foam density.

"Typically, a foam density of 2.2 pounds or higher (4 to 5 pounds is ideal) will provide optimal support for a person over 250 pounds," he says. "Again, this varies based on an individual's body size and sleep preferences, but it is an important quality to look for when comparing different mattresses."

When shopping for a plus-size mattress, firmness matters significantly. Not only does a firm mattress prevent night-wakes for those who sleep with a restless bed partner, but it also provides the right level of support for heavier bodies.

"A soft mattress actually causes a 'hammock effect' for plus-sized people, which makes the body sink into the mattress too deeply, into a slouched position," Friedman warns. "A firm or medium-firm mattress can help prevent and even alleviate chronic back pain compared to sleeping on a firm or a mattress that's too soft."

Sleeping on a mattress made with springs can lead to irritating "trigger points," which can cause tossing and turning all night, Friedman warns. Also, he points out that these springs tend to wear out more often when used by individuals weighing over 230 pounds.

"The best plus-size mattresses are hybrid models, meaning they are made out of multiple layers that combine foam, gel, an innerspring system or other materials," he says.

Research in the ‌Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine‌ notes that a higher BMI may be linked to an increase in night sweats. What's more: Dr. Schweig notes that traditional memory foam mattresses can often cause body temperature to rise throughout the night.

For this reason, he recommends heavier sleepers consider mattresses with cooling features like gel-infused memory foam and moisture-wicking technology.