Reasons Why Best Mattress For A Heavy Person Is Getting More Popular In The Past Decade

Reasons Why Best Mattress For A Heavy Person Is Getting More Popular In The Past Decade

Dec 01, 2023

If you’re of the larger person variety or have become that way.


You are not alone, and sometimes you find that things have to change one thing that is important is, what is the best mattress for a heavier person.


You may not think that this is a big issue but think again.


We spend a lot of our lives in bed just sleeping.


Yes!


Snoozing away.


But with the best of us whether it be tall, skinny, or of the bigger size.


We’re going to have issues laying for such a long time.
So…


Let’s have a look at what’s out there mattress-wise and the reasons why you need a good mattress.


Heavier People And Their Sleeping Habits For Health

Whether you like it or not, being on the heavier side is going to cause you certain health issues, and when it comes to bed.


Well…


It’s also a problem.


So let’s talk about it.


While in bed you have a greater chance of having acid reflux or breathing problems,
Carrying that extra weight can contribute to a host of health problems you are probably aware of when it comes to laying down.


But let’s go through some:


Heavier people can experience back and joint pain, acid reflux, breathing trouble while laying on their back, and other ailments that make it difficult to sleep.


Being extra padded can also not help when it comes to sleeping hot.


But look on the bright side when others are shivering away, you can smile while you are blissfully unaware that the weather has become a lot colder.


Unless you’re someone who just does not feel the cold, so that’s something else again.


One thing about larger people is that they seem to realize they often go through more furniture and mattresses more quickly than others.


Funny that…


So finding the best bed for a heavy person is looking pretty good right now.
It will last longer and also be kinder on your wallet.


I bet when you have been looking for a good mattress for your weight you have come across things such as the:

  • best mattress for the obese
  • best mattress for morbidly obese
  • best beds for plus size
  • best mattress for a heavy person
  • best mattress for overweight
  • best bed for a heavy person


And it might make you feel…


Well…


Not so good.


But think about what they’re saying about really skinny people or really short people.


So don’t feel too put out as it’s a title that has to be plastered on to sell it – or you could say put it into a category.


The Best Mattress For A Heavy Person And You

When it comes to choosing a suitable mattress for heavier people such as yourself,
you need to consider a few different factors than with those thin people out there.
Let’s face it…


We all want to have a good night’s sleep, don’t we?


And being able to wake up refreshed and rested ready to face the day.


But what if your beds start to sag in the middle, or on the outside after a few months, it’s just not going to work…


I would look for a refund though, if they are reluctant you could always drop the mattress of the bed outside their office with cheapskates to it.


Not that I want to be giving you ideas or something.


It can be relative to what really is considered overweight or a heavy person these days…


Just when you think you are heavy, then someone else comes along and takes the title.


So how do you really know?


Some people might be regarded as heavy at 150 pounds while others are not even at 200.


Gets confusing, doesn’t it?


Even though a mattress can support up to let’s say… 300 lbs, we are going to say that 200+ pounds are considered heavy/larger or you could say larger than the average.


Can Extra Weight Cause Sleep Apnea?

According to the research out there, excess weight can definitely put you at the risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea because those softer issues in your mouth and throat, yes, can obstruct your breathing, which affects your oxygen levels getting through to you in your sleep.


You have also probably heard that one of the most common suggestions for reducing these such symptoms of OSA is weight loss.


Unfortunately, all this creates a frustrating cycle because the insufficient sleep you might be getting can cause you to gain weight and that extra weight can stand to make your condition worse.


Hard isn’t it?


But the intervention of your doctor for one or both of these conditions should put you on that road to recovery.


So I would suggest going and seeing what your doctor can do for you.


Mattress Edge Support For Heavier People

Lots of us like to use the bed in the daytime for a nap. If you frequently like to sit on the edge of your bed, this can play a significant role in making your bed sag.


So looking for a mattress that is stronger on the edges, your mattress should be more durable and last longer, and it is usually an indication of a quality product produced.


This brings me to the Hybrid and coil-on-coil construction which has historically provided great edge support for its sleepers, so they can be a good start looking for a mattress that can take your weight more readily.


Cooling And Temperature Regulation For Bigger People

One of the most common complaints from larger and overweight people is that they get too hot during sleep.


So only to exasperate the problem with your extra padding is that it usually happens when your mattress doesn’t have enough room to breathe and to provide enough air circulation for your body when you’re lying down on it.


So in most cases, foam material “sleeps hot” when compared to the innerspring mattress, latex mattress, and even the hybrid mattress.


To solve this problem, don’t buy cheaper mattress options and opt for more premium mattress products out there today.


Most of these mattresses also have a gel layer or infusion on the top of it which serves as additional cooling material on the top of your bed.


This can also be an issue for anyone, whether large or thin or small, that’s why manufacturers have created specialized “cooling” beds to improve the heat distribution and airflow properties in the beds these days.


Firmness Of Your Mattress

Did you know that you can decide the ideal firmness level of your mattress by first determining your ideal sleeping position?

Really!


The best mattress for a heavy person will typically require a medium to a medium-firm mattress.


A higher the body weight tends to create more sinkage in the mattress and hug, now this sinkage can cause you to experience back pain if you are not properly supported.


You can expect an additional 1-2” of sinkage if you are over 230-250 lbs.


However, you can help to compensate for that when it comes to what we call a firmness scale by choosing around about 7-8 out of 10.


Just remember that depending on the mattress brand and its overall construction, there can be some exceptions to this.


Best Mattress For Heavy Couples Considerations

Different body sizes out there do require different blends of support and comfort,
you could say, and a bed with enough support for a heavier person may feel more like a rock-hard mattress for someone who is much lighter in the frame, which can be understood.


Couples who are very different in size are not going to agree on a very soft bed for the heavier person – else they may sink in and disappear.


While the person of the couple is not going to be very impressed if they feel when they lay on a hard

mattress that they consider getting out of bed and laying on the floor complaining to their partner that they might as well.


As the beds like a rock to them anyway…


Well, they could.



For this reason, did you know that there are mattress brands out there that offer dual-sided firmness so that each partner may select what works best for them?


I hear you breathing a sigh of relief, knowing that a nightmare is going to be diverted when next buying a mattress.


The choices are there for just a case such as the mattress wars!
But if you and your partner are on the heavier side, or you could say substantially heavier than average…


YES!


You do have a handful of options available to you out there.


In recent years, the online market, as it is has invented and introduced such beds designed specifically for this solution for heavier people with that all needed enhanced!
I can say…


Support systems and the durability that is needed.


Mattress Thickness

If you are less than say… 200 lbs, a 10” bed is more than enough in most cases, simple enough…


Yet, if you are on the heavier side, then the usual side, you might just need to consider a 12” or thicker with good deep compression support to make those nights comfortable for you.


Also, remember that there are some products out there today that do offer extra-thick layers in their mattresses that give you enough support even at 10-11”.


Mattress Quality Materials

This is quite important in many cases as we have discussed before using lower quality or inferior materials will most likely result in that mattress sagging on you,

and the worse sleep experience you most probably get in a space of time.


See also Mattress Toppers with Egg Crates: The Pros and Cons Explained
Most beds out there on the market do last for well over five years plus these days, but if you go out and opt for the cheaper low quality cheaper product materials.


You are asking for it when it comes to you having to go and buy a new mattress because you were a cheapskate at the time.


So when you think of it like that, you are really not saving money in the long run are you?


Having to change it after only 2-3 years and that’s not an experience you want to do very often. Unless you like to of course…


Sleeping Positions For Heavier People

It’s more than just your body shape and size when it comes to choosing a mattress for heavier people.


You would also consider what sleep positions you tend to find yourself in.


Now I am not saying that you might be sleeping on your head, of course not, half of the bed, well that could be a consideration.


But because your weight is distributed in so many different ways (And I’m not judging…) will require different support and comfort considerations when it comes to choosing a mattress.


Heavy People Side Sleeping

You might be more of a side sleeper, than on your back most of the time.


And pressure relief is the key because in this side sleeping position your full body weight is pressing into a narrower surface of your mattress area.


So, for many sleepers in this position, a plusher bed is most probably a better match choice as the softness of the mattress allows all your weight to sink in and conform to its curves to minimize that pressure.


A heavy person does need to be wary that their weight does not bottom out in the softer materials, so a firmer bed may be better suited for your body weight, even when you are lying on your side.


Make sense…


Heavy People Sleeping On Their Back

People who sleep on their backs, or you could call them ‘back sleepers’ tend to be everywhere on this planet.


So depending on where you might carry your weight and what you feel you like and what is the best choice for you.


Many back sleepers do prefer a firmer bed that puts that ever greater emphasis on support, but, as with anything, a firmer bed just might not be as comfortable as you would like.


And especially with heavier people pain in their joints.


So you will want to look for that right balance of mattress to cradle your shape while also supporting your lumbar and spine alignment while sleeping on your back for extended periods of time.


Heavy People Who Sleep On Their Stomach

Yes…


There are those too.


And if you are one of those stomach sleepers, and being a big person, in particular, do need to be mindful of your stomach sleeping.


Because if you have a bed that is not firm enough, it can leave you with your hips uncomfortably dipped inside the mattress, yes! it happens.


And it may be happening to you.


Making it difficult for your spine to remain in that all-important neutral position.


So if you are one of these people who carry most of their weight in your hips and abdomen, you will likely want to look towards a firmer bed to support you in these circumstances.


Combination Mattress For Bigger People

You might be one of these people who adopt all sleeping positions, with the exception of sleeping on your head. I don’t really think this is possible…


Anyway, if you are flipping around on your bed that is most of the night, you should probably consider beds that are aimed at versatility.


You want to think about which sleep positions you sleep in most of the time if you even know.


How do you know if your asleep, you figure that out?


Foundations For Heavier People

Now a mattress is only as good as its foundation you know.


If you don’t have a very good foundation for your mattress then your bed might collapse.


No, not really…


So say that you are using a simple boxspring bed or slatted base with one of those memory foam beds that needs a solid foundation under it.


You might in fact not be getting the best support you can get out of that bed you are sleeping in.


Just remember that the manufacturer’s recommendation usually isn’t just a suggestion you know…


It’s necessary to have that proper support for your bed.


Using the wrong foundation could even void a mattress warranty!


So have a look into the foundations offered by the same company you buy your mattress from to see what they recommend.


Memory Foam Mattresses For Big People

Memory foam is one of the best bed types out there for many bigger people.
Why?


These memory foam mattresses, hard or soft-sided, are designed to even out those pressure points of your body.


One of the biggest complaints that obese sleepers do have is that certain areas such as their back and hips start hurting in bed.


A memory foam mattress works to provide that evening support all over so that the contours to the body will not sag into the bed in specific areas.


One of the downsides with these mattresses is that this mattress style can cause people to feel hot due to the lack of breathability in the material that is used.
But don’t worry, as there are some great cooling memory foam options out on the market today.


Latex Mattresses For Heavy People

Overweight people and latex mattresses are a really good option as well if you did not know…


Latex does tend to be a much better optional material for keeping you cool, unlike so many of the traditional foam beds out there today.


There is a difference though when it comes to the feel of the mattress that is quite different from the feel of the one we just discussed above.


Right above, that’s right!


Innerspring Mattresses For Heavy People

If you go down the innerspring mattress road then do make sure you are looking at the higher quality option OK…


One of the signs of this type of quality mattress is a coil-on-coil method.


This technology uses springs which does make the whole support much better for you if you are a big person.


When going with a coil-on-coil vs. those cheaper alternatives.


The reason why I say get the more expensive mattress is complaints from people that the traditional innerspring that gives you the support and comfort you need.


Hybrid Mattresses For Big People

The hybrid mattress is, as I have explained previously a combination of two or more types of material.


Unless you know the exact bed that you have chosen, you can’t say whether it’s a perfect match for you personally or not.


One of the best options when it comes to a hybrid mattress is latex, memory foam or foam/coil combination.


Did you know that foam can offer great pain relief, which is something heavy people have to deal with at some time or the other while sleeping in their beds?


So the coils or latex can help keep your body cooler during the night while adding more bounce for your buck.


The Benefits Of Owning A Bed For Heavy People

Being the owner of a product that is really not that good for you is that you might not realize it straight away until you get one that makes that whole lot to you in a negative sense when you do.


I can see why this is so common because you get used to your old bed and do not realize until you try one of the newer models out there, that you have been losing out on with a much better mattress to sleep on.


If you are a heavy person, or you are more in the morbid obesity category, it can get even worse when you have a bad mattress.


You can suffer from such things as lack of support, annoying and sweaty high temperatures during sleep time, backaches, and stiffness when you get up in the morning, which can make your nights anything but enjoyable.


Taking that extra time to do your homework on what you are looking for in buying a new bed can pay greatly with a good night’s sleep and no achy joints when you get up in the morning, or the middle of the night.


Such things such as neck stiffness and those lumber pains could disappear most of the time. I am not going to say that you are not going to get these pains at some time or the other, that’s the reality of it.


But not putting up with them most of the time is a big plus don’t you think?


When it comes to the best mattresses for a heavier person, you will start to see the benefits of a better bed as it can improve your sleeping patterns for your health.


And body posture and as your health improves and your mental health will improve as well.