This article contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. If you weigh more than 250 pounds, then you’ll likely find that most standard mattresses aren’t able to keep you comfortable and supported throughout the night. Unfortunately, many mattress manufacturers design their mattresses for individuals who weigh 250 pounds or less. An individual’s body weight can greatly impact how a mattress feels; the majority of individuals who weigh more than 250 pounds will feel most comfortable on a firmer and more supportive mattress. Mattresses that aren’t firm enough or aren’t constructed using the right materials are also more likely to sag after a short period of time, especially under the weight of a heavier individual.
Finding the best mattress for heavy people can be a challenge. As we mentioned above, most standard mattresses are only designed with a recommended weight limit of 250 pounds. Fortunately, there are some companies that design their products to support individuals weighing 300 pounds or more.
If you’re on the hunt for the right mattress to support a more solid or muscular body type that won’t sag, we’re here to help. We’ve put together a list of some of the best mattresses on the market that will offer the support, bounce, and comfort you’re searching for. We’ve also included some information to help you learn more about why mattresses sag, which materials will increase the lifespan of a mattress, and some shopping tips to keep in mind as you look for the best mattress for your body shape.
Why Do Mattresses Sag?
Before we share our picks for the best no sag mattresses, let’s take just a moment to discuss some of the reasons that mattresses lose firmness and support over time. Nearly all mattresses will sag a bit as they contour to your body from repeated use. Foams and other fabrics naturally soften over time, and the coils on innerspring and hybrid mattresses may lose a bit of tension over the years.
A small amount of sag in a mattress is normal. For those people who sleep on their side, a little sag can actually be a good thing in helping the mattress to better conform to the body and relieve pressure.
However, while very mild sag is common and not a huge concern, a mattress that sags too much can prevent individuals from keeping their spine in alignment as they sleep. This sagging can make it difficult to get comfortable overnight and can also cause back, neck, hip, and shoulder pain the following day.
There are a few main reasons why a mattress may sag too much: use of lower quality materials, uneven loads, damage from liquids, and poor foundations.
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Use of lower quality materials: One of the primary reasons mattresses sag is due to cheaper materials that are not made to withstand to the weight of one individual (or two individuals) laying on the mattress repeatedly. For example, some cheaper mattresses are made using polyurethane foam or lower density memory foams. These foams just can’t compare to higher quality foams in terms of their structural durability and lifespan. More durable materials help prevent indentations and sagging.
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Uneven loads: When the load on a mattress isn’t evenly spread out, it can sometimes lead to sagging. The more highly used areas will become less supportive than the rest of the bed. Turning a mattress (or flipping it if the design allows) can help ensure more even use and limit sagging.
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Damage from liquids: If liquids penetrate a mattress’ cover, it can cause damage to the materials in the mattress and compromise their ability to provide the intended level of support. While some mattress covers are water resistant, it still may be a good idea to purchase a separate waterproof cover to prevent this potential problem.
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Poor foundations: Placing your mattress on the wrong foundation can deprive it of the critical support needed to prevent sagging. For example, foundations that have slats, especially ones that are more spaced out, can cause the mattress to sag in the gaps between the boards. Many mattress manufacturers recommend a specific foundation type for their products; check with these recommendations to help prevent sag (and in some cases to avoid invalidating your warranty).
The Science Behind Long-Lasting Mattresses
When you’re looking for mattresses that don’t sag, paying close attention to the materials used to construct each option is important. Some materials are less prone to sagging and more likely to help mattresses last beyond the average 7-to-10-year lifespan.
Below are a few things to consider as you’re shopping for a mattress that won’t sag and will last a long time:
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Foam type: Some foam types are less likely than others to sag. Latex foams tend to be more durable and longer lasting than memory foam or polyfoam. Memory foam can stop returning back to its original shape with repeated use. Overtime, this wear can lead to more sagging.
While latex may sag slightly after about 5 years of use, its degradation should be much less noticeable than memory foam. If you prefer the feel of memory foam, look for mattresses made with high-density foam.
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Coils: Coils can help with preventing sag due to the additional support that they provide. Pocketed coils are less likely to sag than mattresses with innerspring coils because each coil is responds to motion independent of the other coils on the bed. Choosing a hybrid mattress could allow you to enjoy a softer foam or latex sleep surface along with more supportive and sag-resistant coils.
The Best Mattresses for Heavy Individuals
Our top three picks for the best mattress for heavy people are featured below. These mattresses offer a higher weight limit than standard options on the market and can provide the support heavier individuals need to sleep comfortably and wake up without pain.
GhostBed Flex Luxury Hybrid Mattress
When you’re searching for the best mattress for heavy people, one of the top options on your list should be the GhostBed Flex. This mattress is able to support up to 750 pounds when used with a strong foundation. GhostBed recommends that individuals weighing over 300 pounds purchase the king-size GhostBed Flex with their king GhostBed All-in-One Foundation to minimize sag and provide the best support,
This hybrid mattress offers seven different layers with a total height of 13 inches to ensure that all individuals, including those with a heavier body weight, can sleep peacefully throughout the night. It has a medium firm level (a 6 to 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale) to provide enough support and to keep larger individuals from sinking too deeply into the mattress while still providing contouring to relieve pressure points.
The mattress features two layers of gel memory foam that work to cradle the body and to keep the spine in alignment. Beneath the two memory foam layers is GhostBed’s exclusive Ghost Bounce layer. This material offers additional support and responsiveness to keep heavier individuals comfortable. The Ghost Bounce material is able to contour to a body like memory foam while also being responsive to position changes like latex.
The high-density support layer combined with the individually-wrapped and reinforced coils are two additional features that make the GhostBed Flex a good choice for heavier individuals. The pocketed coils increase how supportive the mattress is and provide it with enhanced edge support. The high-density base further increases the overall durability of the mattress.
If you tend to get warm overnight, then you’ll also love the cooling features integrated into this mattress’ design. GhostBed’s Ghost Ice cover is cool-to-the touch, and a special cooling fiber is also woven into the cover to deliver bursts of air to prevent overheating.
DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress
The quality and durable materials used to manufacture the DreamCloud make it a great selection when you’re searching for mattresses that don’t sag for larger and more muscular individuals. This mattress features a 5-layer design to contour and support each sleeper’s body shape.
The cashmere and quilted foam cover is soft and breathable to keep individuals cool as they rest. A pressure-relief layer sits below the cover for added comfort. The gel memory foam of this layer allows it to contour to an individual’s body to deliver relief from pressure points and the pain that comes with them.
DreamCloud calls the third layer the “Sink-In-Just-Right Layer.” As the name suggests, this layer is designed to provide proper cradling, without causing individuals to sink too deeply and bottom out the mattress.
The individually-wrapped coils in the next layer are another feature that make this mattress a good choice for heavier individuals. These coils ensure that the mattress will deliver sufficient support to prevent sagging from higher body weights. Additionally, the reinforced edge provides sleepers with a larger usable sleep surface to more evenly distribute their weight and makes it easier to get into and out of bed. The final layer of the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress is the high-density base layer which increases the overall durability of the mattress and help the other layers function properly.
This mattress is rated as a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, which should accommodate sleepers of different weights as well as those with different sleep position preferences. This flexibility makes it a good option to consider for couples with different weights or sleep styles who share a bed.
Puffy Lux Hybrid Mattress
The Puffy Lux is another one of the best no sag mattresses for heavier individuals. The twin, twin XL, and full-size Puffy Lux can support individuals weighing up to 350 pounds. The queen, king, and California king sizes are designed to support up to 350 pounds on each side, for a total of up to 700 pounds.
The Puffy Lux is a hybrid memory foam mattress with a 6-layer system that allows it to contour to an individual’s body, alleviate pressure points and pain, and help regulate body temperatures for a cool and comfortable night’s sleep.
The top layer is a soft and hypoallergenic cover that keeps the mattress clean and promotes healthy sleep. Beneath the cover are three foam layers: a 1.5-inch Cooling Cloud Foam that is infused with gel to keep individuals cool overnight, a 1.5-inch Plush Dual Cloud Foam material to provide pressure point relief, and a 2-inch Climate Comfort Foam layer to wick moisture away and help individuals regulate their body temperature.
A 7-inch layer with contour-adapt coils and high-density foam forms the mattress’ base. These materials help increase the overall support the mattress offers for heavier individuals, help it to adapt to changes in sleeping positions throughout the night, increase its stability, and provide edge support.
How Do Companies Set Weight Limits for their Mattresses?
You may be wondering how companies determine the weight limit for a mattress and whether you can really trust the claims various manufacturers make. Mattresses are tested to see how well they will hold up with repeated use and some companies may share these reports with their customers.
One test that is used during the process is the rollator test. For this analysis, a machine runs a heavy roller repeatedly across a mattress as a way to simulate years of use (the specific number of cycles can vary by manufacturer). Whereas many manufacturers use a roller weighing about 240 pounds, some mattress companies will use a heavier roller to simulate a larger individual sleeping on the bed.
After the rollator test is conducted, the mattress is evaluated for loss of firmness and changes in mattress height. Mattress companies use this information to determine whether their mattresses can support individuals with higher weights.
A second test, called the Cornell test, is also conducted to assess the impact of individuals sitting on the mattress. After each simulation, the mattress is again checked for changes in firmness and surface height.
What to Consider When Shopping for a Mattress for Heavier Individuals
We’ve put together a brief buying guide to help you select the best mattress for heavy people. Using the criteria outline below can help you identify which features to look for in a mattress to ensure you are satisfied with the selection you make.
Support
Finding a mattress that is supportive enough to hold the weight of a heavier individual is essential. Mattresses that aren’t supportive enough can cause, or exacerbate existing, back pain. Choose mattresses with high-grade, individually pocketed coils, combined with high-density foam to ensure you receive the support you need to sleep comfortably and wake up without pain.
Durable Materials
The extra weight placed on a mattress by a heavier individual can put greater strain on the underlying materials and cause them to degrade more quickly. Choosing mattresses made using high-quality and durable materials will minimize the effect of the additional weight on the mattress and help it to last longer without sagging or other issues.
Again, mattresses made using high-density foams and individually pocketed coils will be more durable and longer-lasting than lower density foam options or innerspring mattresses. Options with more tightly packed pocketed coils can have a longer useful life.
Mattress Thickness
Generally speaking, a thicker mattress (with a taller height) will be a better choice for a heavier individual. The added height and layers can help ensure the mattress offers the optimal support for a bigger individual. With a mattress that is too thin, a heavier person’s weight could cause them to sink through multiple layers of the mattress, even potentially down to the foundation.
Also look at how thick the comfort (or top layer) on a mattress is. Choosing a mattress with a thicker comfort layer can be a good choice for heavier individuals. Thicker comfort layers can also prevent sleepers from ‘bottoming out’ the mattress by pressing their body weight through the entire comfort layer, making the mattress feel too hard.
Edge Support
If you’ve ever sat on the edge of a bed and felt like you were sliding off, it probably means that the mattress had poor edge support. Edge support specifies how supportive the outer seam of a mattress is. Mattresses with good edge support will make it easier to sit on the edge of the bed and get into and out of bed without feeling like you’re going to fall off. Greater edge support also provides a larger sleeping surface because you can use more of the bed’s total width for sleeping.
Choosing a hybrid or innerspring mattress will typically provide the greatest amount of edge support. Some manufacturers also design their products with reinforced edges to provide additional stability.
Cooling Properties
A mattress with cooling features that help dissipate heat can be a good choice for individuals who tend to get too warm when they sleep. Gel-infused foams, air channels, phase-change materials, and coils can all help prevent you from overheating as you sleep.
Sleeping Position and Firmness
Finally, don’t forget to think about your preferred sleeping position and the firmness of each mattress. Spinal alignment is key when considering alternative firmness levels. Thinking about your sleep position and which parts of your body should, or should not, sink into the mattress can help you determine the ideal firmness for your body
If you sleep on your side, then you’ll want to ensure that you choose a mattress with some cushioning and softness to offer pressure relief for your shoulders and hips. A thicker comfort layer will be important to prevent softer mattress from sagging down to the foundation from the additional weight.
If you are a back sleeper, you’ll likely prefer a firmer mattress. However, it will need to be soft enough to ensure the spine stays in alignment by allowing the hips to sink in a bit. Stomach sleepers do best on a firm mattress that will keep their hips from sinking in.
Combination sleepers that switch between two or more sleep positions overnight will need to balance these firmness needs. Many hybrid mattresses with a medium firmness rating will provide the most comfort for combination sleepers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a heavier person use an adjustable base?
Definitely! Adjustable bases are great for bigger people and can easily handle the weight of even the largest folks. I go more in-depth here and id suggest checking this article out, there are a lot of benefits to an adjustable base that are worth looking into.
How can you stop a mattress from sagging?
Once a mattress has started sagging (especially with an indentation of over 1 inch), there isn’t much you can do to reverse the decline. However, there are steps you can take to protect a newer mattress from sagging. These include:
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Changing the position where you sleep and/or switching sides with a partner every week
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Choosing a supportive foundation (many manufacturers recommend specific foundation types for their mattresses)
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Choosing slatted frames with less than 3 inches between the slats
Do memory foam mattresses sag?
Yes, memory foam mattresses can sag. Over time, memory foam won’t completely return to its original shape. This issue can be especially true if the same area of the bed is slept on each and every night. Changing the part of the bed you sleep on and choosing mattresses made with high-density memory foam can help minimize sag.
Do mattresses have a weight limit?
Yes, all mattresses have a weight limit. However, the weight limit can vary quite a bit between different models and manufacturers. Many standard mattresses are only designed to be used by individuals who weigh up to 250 pounds.
What is the best type of mattress for a heavy person?
Hybrid mattresses are better for heavier individuals than all-foam models. The coils on hybrid mattresses enable them to support more weight.
