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Mattress Reviews > Best Mattress For Large People
Mattress Buyer's Guide For Heavy, Big People
What You Need To Know
1. Based on our mattress research, the mattress types, brands and models that rate highly tend to be suitable for nearly everyone, including heavy and big people. On the flip side, mattresses that rate poorly tend to be at least somewhat less than suitable for nearly everyone, including heavy and big people.
2. Heavy and big persons should, our research shows, pay special attention to mattress thickness because it can strongly affect owner satisfaction. (See details below.)
3. If you are over 450 pounds as an individual or you and your partner together weigh over 750 pounds, your options are unclear because mattress manufacturers often say that these are the weight limits for their mattresses.
Proper Mattress Thickness Important
A mattress is often available in different thicknesses, such as 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 inches and even thicker. Our collected owner experience data confirms that the heavier a person is the thicker the mattress they will need.
Sleeping on a mattress that is too thin for a person's weight will often result in excessive firmness and lack of comfort. If you prefer a firm mattress, however, then it is possible you may be satisfied with a thinner model regardless of your weight.
The charts below show owner satisfaction levels for different mattress thicknesses based on weight categories.
As the above chart shows, 200-250 lbs individuals are often satisfied with a 9-, 10-, or 11-inch thick mattresses. Consequently, buying a thicker mattress than this may be a waste of money considering that mattresses are often priced by their thickness.
As the above chart shows, 250-300 lbs persons should probably not purchase a mattress that is less than nine-inches thick.
As the above chart shows, 300-400 lbs persons should probably avoid a mattress that is less than 10- or 11-inches thick.
As the above chart shows, 400+ lbs individuals should probably purchase the thickest mattress they can, or at least one that is 12-inches thick.
Mattress Type Suitability For Large Persons
Memory Foam
| Suitable For Big People Score: 83 out of 100 |
Our collected owner experience data suggests that memory foam mattresses may be particularly well suited for heavier people.
Memory foam, especially higher density memory foam, is pressure and weight sensitive. This means that the heavier a person is, the more contouring supportiveness they will likely receive from the mattress. Good contouring supportiveness can result in comfort, pain relief, including back pain relief, and minimization of pressure points.
By contrast, lighter people are more likely to find memory foam, especially higher density memory foam, uncomfortable and unsupportive because they may not weigh enough to benefit from the contouring properties of the foam.
On the downside, the fact that heavier people may sink substantially into the foam may make moving on the bed or getting up off the bed somewhat of a struggle, especially with higher density memory foam.
Latex
| Suitable For Big People Score: 78 out of 100 |
Latex mattresses tend to be strong, durable and dense. This may allow a large person to get a relatively thin latex mattress without sacrificing comfort. However, latex beds are somewhat known to compress resulting in the creation of body impressions, and large people may be more likely to create such impressions. These impressions can result in the mattress losing some of its comfort and supportiveness.
Air
| Suitable For Big People Score: 77 out of 100 |
Our collected owner experience data suggests that permanent-use air beds, such as the Sleep Number Bed and Comfortaire, tend to support heavy, large owners fairly well.
Water
| Suitable For Big People Score: 77 out of 100 |
Owner experience data tends to suggest that strength of construction is more important than the thickness of a waterbed. This means that heavier persons should avoid the less expensive waterbeds which often skimp on strength of material and construction.
Futon
| Suitable For Big People Score: 66 out of 100 |
Futons mattresses tend to not be well suited for larger, heavier people because they often lack adequate thickness. However, if a big person seeks a firm mattress, then a futon mattress may be suitable. Also, futon mattress foundations typically lack sturdiness of construction.
Innerspring
| Suitable For Big People Score: 62 out of 100 |
Innerspring mattresses are the lowest rated mattress type because they are at least 2-3 times more likely than other mattress types to sag and, as a result, become uncomfortable or pain causing.
Mattress Lifespan / Longevity and Owner's Weight
Our collected owner experience data shows that people of all sizes and weights tend to keep their mattress about the same length of time.
This suggests, rather surprisingly, that a person's weight does not tend to be much of a factor in how long a mattress lasts.
In other words, overall, heavier people do not go through mattresses significantly faster than lighter people. The main mattress longevity problem, mattress sagging or compression, occurs at about an equal rate for both heavier and lighter people.
The fact that heavier people tend to buy thicker mattresses than lighter people may help explain why the sagging rates are about the same as greater thickness may provide more durability.
About our research
Our mattress research is based on over 15,000 actual consumer experiences that were collected from diverse, credible sources. Learn more about our research methodology.
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