Most mattresses are designed to support up to around 230 lb. on both sides. For adults who weigh more than 230 lb., many mattresses offer too little support and can cause pain, discomfort, and disturbed sleep. Here are our top picks for the best organic, non-toxic mattresses for heavier adults.
PlushBeds Botanical Bliss 12-inch
Highlights: Fantastic mattress for heavier adults. Choose the 12-inch build in a medium-firm if you’re over 230 lb., and enjoy superior temperature regulation, moisture-wicking, and excellent support and pressure relief.
At a glance:
- Pricing: $2,799 – $3,798 (Queen $3,299 – $2,049 on sale at time of writing!)
- Materials: GOTS cotton, GOTS wool, GOLS latex
- Certifications: GOTS, GOLS, GreenGuard Gold, Eco Institut
- Sleep Trial: 100-night sleep trial
- Firmness: Medium / Medium-Firm / dual firmness option
- Depth: 12-inch (9-inch and 10-inch options also available)
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King, Split Queen, Split King, Split Cal King
- Best for: Heavier adults of any sleep-style
- Available in medium-firm (recommended for heavier adults) and medium
- Made with denser Arpico latex that resists indentation and sagging
- Can customize both sides
- Can adjust layers and flip for different firmness
- Excellent for heavier adults over 275 lb.
- Free shipping, free returns, and a free 100 night sleep trial
- Free comfort exchange program (switch out layers!)
- 25-year warranty
- Can unzip to move a layer at a time
- Sturdy, well-placed handles
- Quiet (more discreet than innersprings)
- Very heavy full latex mattress
- More expensive than hybrid latex/coil mattresses
- Too springy or bouncy for some adults
- Home assembly is more challenging than it looks
- Less edge support than mattresses with reinforcing coils
I followed the guidelines keeping in mind that I have a large butt and a bad lower back so contour is a problem. I sleep mostly on my back, occasionally on side. I am 230 pounds but chose the medium over medium firm. It seems soft when I sit on it but when I lay down I can feel a uniform support all the way from hips up my spin. Love it.
Linda J., 2020
I weigh over 250 lbs and I like a plush, pillow top feel. This mattress is amazing. It gives me that plush, pillow top feel and it also manages to give me support at the same time. It’s hard to find a mattress with this combination. Typically if a mattress is a plush pillow top mattress, it lacks support for my weight. 100% natural latex is the way to go. I have never slept better!
Melissa W., 2020
PlushBeds offers the Botanical Bliss in a 9-, 10-, and 12-inch build. For heavier adults weighing more than 275 lb. we recommend the 12-inch model only. This build provides excellent pressure relief and firm underlying support for proper spinal posture.
The Botanical Bliss is firm enough that heavier adults won’t get trapped in a sweaty sinkhole of insulating foam. In fact, this breathable mattress helps larger adults better regulate body temperature for a more comfortable sleep. The denser Arpico latex also means the Botanical Bliss has slightly more edge support than many all-latex mattresses.
PlushBeds makes its mattresses to order in a GOTS certified factory. The mattresses are GreenGuard Gold and Eco Institut certified and comprise only organic, non-toxic materials. This mattress features ultra-dense Arpico latex, which is more resistant to indentation and sagging and offers more robust core support and comfort for larger bodies
PlushBeds typically recommends the following builds based on body weight:
| Adult weight | Recommended mattress height |
|---|---|
| Up to 225 lb. | 9-inch |
| 225-250 lb. | 10-inch |
| 275 lb. or more. | 12-inch |
The Botanical Bliss is also available in split sizes as a dual-firmness mattress. This means that heavier adults with lighter sleep partners don’t have to compromise on comfort!
Naturepedic EOS Organic Mattress
Highlights: An organic, non-toxic, eco-friendly hybrid coil and latex mattress made in Ohio. Fully customizable and ideal for heavier adults including side-sleepers. Can be made vegan and latex-free!
At a glance:
- Pricing (with Pillow-Top): $2,199 – $4,299 (Queen is $3,499)
- Materials: Organic cotton, organic latex (optional), organic wool (optional), pocket coils
- Certifications: GOTS, GOLS, Made Safe, GreenGuard Gold, Formaldehyde-Free (UL, Member of the Green Business Network in Green America, Organic Fraud Prevention Partner, 1% for the Planet, Rainforest Alliance, FSC
- Sleep Trial: 100-night sleep trial
- Firmness: Customizable (plush, medium, cushion-firm, firm extra-firm)
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Double/Full, Queen, King, Cali King
- Depth: 15-inch, 12-inch, 10-inch
- Best for: Everyone! (Including vegans!)
- Fully customizable (can choose firmness on both sides!)
- Made in the U.S. with organic latex, wool, and cotton
- Can be made vegan or latex-free!
- MADE SAFE certified as truly non-toxic
- Can swap and replace layers at a later date
- Reinforced edge support
- Breathable and temperature-regulating
- Excellent pressure point relief with good underlying spine support
- Very heavy and has no handles
- On the higher end of the price scale
- Ships in a lot of plastic (that’s hard to recycle in most places)
Naturepedic’s EOS mattress in a 12-inch or 15-inch Classic or Pillow-Top option is a great mattress for heavier adults.
You can fully customize your EOS (Ergonomic Organic Sleep) mattress, including choosing between five firmness levels from extra-firm to plush. We recommend at least a firm design for anyone over 230 lb., regardless of sleep position. For stomach-sleepers over 230 lb., the extra-firm may be the best choice.
Sleep partners with different sleep needs can choose a dual firmness design, and you can switch out layers years after your initial purchase, should your sleep needs change.
Note that while the EOS is available as a vegan, wool-free mattress, this is just 9 inches deep, which makes it unsuitable for most heavier adults. Similarly, the latex-free EOS may not be firm enough for heavier adults.
Plush options aren’t well suited to heavier adults as they permit too much sinking, which makes it hard to move around and can put the spine out of alignment. Plush options are also too squishy to support active sex for most adults.
The EOS provides a comfortable top layer for pressure relief and excellent underlying support for posture in heavier adults, at least in the 12-inch and 15-inch options. The 10-inch isn’t deep enough to prevent the mattress bottoming out, which means side-sleepers in particular might feel pressure on joints from the bed slats or base.
The EOS offers full edge support, especially in the firmer builds. This is a very breathable mattress that helps hot sleepers stay cool. The high coil count and zoning also helps with motion isolation.
Obasan Organic 13-inch Deluxe
Highlights: Deluxe 13-inch all-latex layered mattress perfectly tailored to each sleeper’s needs. Ideal mattress for heavier adults, providing zoned support and options for later reconfiguration and dual firmness for lighter sleep partners. Made in a carbon-neutral factory in Canada!
At a glance:
- Pricing: $2,599 – $6,499+ (Queen from $4,299)
- Materials: Organic latex, organic cotton, organic wool
- Certifications: GOTS, GOLS
- Sleep Trial: 180-night sleep trial
- Firmness: Whatever you want!
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cali King
- Depth: 13-inch (recommended; 10-inch also available)
- Best for: Everyone!
- Totally customizable (on both sides)
- Re-customizable at a later date!
- Zoned for tailored comfort and support
- Free of any toxic chemicals and materials
- Organic and eco-friendly
- Made carbon-neutral in Ottawa, Canada
- 180-night sleep trial and 20-year warranty
- One-time free comfort exchange
- Very expensive compared to off-the-shelf mattresses
- No manual customization option (all through its automated system)
- No returns unless there’s a manufacturing defect or product is unopened
- Comfort exchange only applies after 180 days
The beauty of an Obasan mattress is that you get all the zoned support of an innerspring mattress without the innersprings. The smart all-latex design features a mid-layer of latex comprising three separate pieces, available in different firmness levels to suit your needs.
Obasan offers an automated online design tool that helps you configure your mattress perfectly. For heavier adults, we recommend the Obasan Deluxe mattress, offering 13 inches of comfort and support.
A typical set-up for the Obasan Deluxe includes a firm base layer, firm mid-layer with zoned support, and softer top layer for pressure relief. If you’re a much heavier stomach sleeper, however, you might want a medium-firm top layer for more surface support.
The Obasan Deluxe has a built-in pillow-top featuring soft latex and wool. This makes the mattress surface even more breathable, supports better temperature regulation for hot and cold sleepers, and helps to wick away moisture for a more comfortable sleep. Heavier adults won’t sink into the Deluxe as much as with memory foam and won’t experience the same sweaty and trapped feeling synthetic foam creates.
Heavier adults with larger hips and shoulders can enjoy more support in those areas to keep the spine in proper posture. There’s also a little more edge support with the firmer Deluxe build than with many other all-latex mattresses made with softer latex. And the layer of wool also helps to minimize motion transfer.
We love Obasan for its carbon-neutral factory, exemplary customer service, and quality craftsmanship. These folks have been making mattresses using organic materials in Ottawa for decades. The mattresses are also reconfigurable by switching layers around and through replacement layers even years after initial purchase.
Savvy Rest Serenity Spring
Highlights: Superb 12-inch latex and coil mattress available with firm coils for robust core support. Customizable on both sides and for coils and latex layers, making it a great mattress for heavier adults with lighter sleep partners, as well as for heavier, older adults and those with back and joint issues. White glove set-up available and a comfort layer exchange program!
Savvy Rest is offering LeafScore readers 20% off their purchase using coupon code LEAFSCORE at checkout.
At a glance:
- Pricing: $1,599 – $3,299 (Queen from $2,199)
- Materials: Organic latex, organic cotton, organic wool, recycled steel coils
- Certifications: GOTS, GOLS
- Sleep Trial: None
- Firmness: Whatever you want!
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cali King, Split-sizes
- Depth: 12-inch
- Best for: Everyone!
- The most customizable latex hybrid mattress available
- Can customize coil and latex layers on both sides
- Made with organic, non-toxic, recycled materials
- GOTS and GOLS certified
- Choice of Talalay and Dunlop latex in soft, medium, firm
- Reconfigurable to meet changing sleep needs
- Made by a Staff-owned B Corp in the U.S.
- 90-day comfort exchange
- 20-year warranty
- White glove delivery and set-up available
- No returns
- No handles
- Not suitable for adjustable or Murphy beds
- Upgrade fee for Talalay exchanges
- Shipping fees for latex exchanges
The Savvy Rest Serenity Spring mattress is a rare hybrid mattress offering dual firmness options, a choice of innerspring coil unit, and a choice of latex comfort layer. Better still, the home-assembly design means you can reconfigure the mattress, even years after initial purchase, in case sleep needs change (such as with weight loss or a change in sleep style or sleep partner).
Heavier adults who find most hybrid mattresses uncomfortable may be surprised by the Serenity Spring. Unlike many other latex hybrid mattresses, which are typically about 9- or 10-inches deep, the 12-inch Serenity Spring has enough depth to comfortably support larger bodies.
For heavier adults, a firm coil unit is almost certainly best as this provides robust core support for spinal posture. We recommend the following set-up for heavier adults based on sleep preferences.
| Layer choices | Side-sleepers | Back-sleepers | Stomach-sleepers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pillow-top recommended? | Soft Talalay | No | No |
| Latex top layer | Medium Talalay/Dunlop | Medium Talalay/Dunlop | Medium Dunlop/Firm Talalay |
| Innersprings | Firm | Firm | Firm |
Thanks to those coils, latex, and the wool batting, the Serenity Spring is excellent for breathability and thermoregulation. Heavier adults who sleep hot will be better able to keep their cool on this natural mattress, especially compared to insulating and sweaty polyfoam. On the flip side, if you sleep cool, the wool layer will help you maintain a steady body temperature while wicking away any moisture, so you don’t feel cold and clammy at night.
PlushBeds Luxury Bliss
Highlights: A latex hybrid mattress with a medium-firm option well suited to heavier adults. Dual-firmness options available. Offers excellent edge support and reduced motion transfer. GOTS, GOLS, GreenGuard Gold, and Eco Institut certified.
At a glance:
- Pricing: $2,399 – $3,598 (Queen is $2,999 – $1,499.50 at time of writing!)
- Materials: GOTS cotton, GOTS wool, GOLS latex, steel coils
- Certifications: GOTS, GOLS, GreenGuard Gold, Eco Institut (latex), GreenGuard Gold
- Sleep Trial: 100-night sleep trial
- Firmness: Medium / Medium-Firm / dual firmness option
- Depth: 12-inch
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King, Split Queen, Split King, Split Cal King
- Best for: Heavier adults (med-firm), couples with different sleep needs
- A hybrid latex and coil mattress made with organic materials
- Excellent for heavier adults (combined weight of 600 lb.)
- Much firmer than competitors’ mattresses
- Impressive edge support and reduced motion transfer
- Available in a split firmness design and in medium firmness
- Free shipping, free returns, and a free 100-night sleep trial
- Lifetime mattress warranty
- Lighter and easier to move than an all-latex mattress
- No chemical flame retardants or other toxic materials
- Much more expensive than Avocado
- Too firm for some side-sleepers
- No option to switch out comfort layers
I have been using this mattress for the last 2 years and I still congratulate myself for making a great purchase. I am a side sleeper and I used to have back problems. My partner is a back sleeper, tall and relatively heavy. The mattress is extremely comfortable for both, has the right balance of support and softness, and does not transfer movements from one person to another. It has excellent temperature and humidity regulation – latex does not feel hot, unlike the memory foam I had used before, plus it is natural). The quality and build are both excellent, we will be enjoying this mattress for a few good years.
Andra C., 2022
The Luxury Bliss is a top choice for a dual firmness mattress-in-a-box for heavier adults, especially if they have a lighter sleep partner. This mattress comes in a medium-firm (best for larger bodies) and medium (great for lighter adults). The pocket coils and latex provide superior pressure relief with zoned support for the lower back and spine.
The Luxury Bliss medium-firm mattress rates around 8/10 for firmness, which is much firmer than most mattresses and ideal for heavier adults needing firmer core support to avoid ‘bottoming out’ and feeling the bed slats or base.
The top comfort layer is made with softer Talalay latex, which helps to relieve pressure on joints, whatever your sleep position. Thanks to the coils underneath, though, heavier adults won’t just sink into the mattress.
We love PlushBeds’ lifetime warranty, 100-night sleep trial, and the high coil count and sturdy handles on this gorgeous mattress. Stand out features of the Luxury Bliss include wider gauge coils at the mattress edge, for sturdier support for heavier adults.
The Luxury Bliss costs more than the Birch or Avocado Green, but it’s worth it for more customization options and greater depth and support for larger bodies. For even greater customization, though, the Botanical Bliss, Obasan, or Naturepedic EOS are the best mattresses for heavier adults.
Birch Luxe Natural Mattress
Highlights: Well-designed latex hybrid mattress ideal for heavier adults requiring zoned shoulder and hip support and better edge support. Great for hot sleepers and seniors too, and sustainably made in the U.S. with GOTS and Greenguard Gold certifications.
At a glance:
- Pricing: $1,449- $2,849 (Queen is $2,449)
- Materials: Organic Fair Trade cotton, organic wool, organic cashmere, Talalay latex, steel coils
- Certifications: GOTS, GreenGuard Gold, Eco Institut, Fair Trade
- Sleep Trial: 100-night sleep trial
- Firmness: Medium-firm
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Double, Queen, King, Cali King
- Depth: 11.5-inch
- Best for: Heavier adults needing more support
- Made with certified organic materials
- Fully reinforced perimeter for edge support
- Zoned support at hips and shoulders
- Great for heavier adults needing more support
- Breathable design for fantastic temperature regulation
- Vacuum-packed for easy delivery and set-up
- 100-night sleep trial and 25-year warranty
- Free ground shipping in contiguous U.S. and free returns
- One-sided
- No choice of firmness
- Couples can’t customize firmness on each side
For decades now, I have struggled with finding the right mattress – many stories of returning mattresses (when I could), trying to make it better with toppers (which often just ended up making them too soft), being too hot or feeling like I was lying on concrete. The first night I slept on the Birch Luxe, it was a perfect sleep – no morning tension, no tossing and turning all night, no insomnia. I look forward to sleep every night now. My husband finds it equally satisfying. I never thought this was possible. It’s all organic, to boot !!
Alicia B., 2021
My Birch mattress is the 9th, yes 9th, mattress brand I have tried in the last 12 months. I returned all the others for various reasons, and so far Birch is the first I’m likely to keep. I’m 6’ 1” and 270 lbs and while I can’t say it perfect, I still get a better nights sleep than all the other memory foam and hybrids.
Kraig K., 2021
If you’re considering a Birch Living mattress and are a heavier adult or older adult with back issues, spend wisely and go for the Luxe Natural versus the standard Natural. Unlike the cheaper mattress, the Luxe Natural has zoned support and better edging, with added top layers of cashmere and wool that make this a comfortable, breathable, moisture-wicking, temperature-regulating dream.
There are fewer than 1,000 coils in the mattress overall, but the Birch Luxe Natural coil unit is an upgrade from the Natural and includes zoned hip and shoulder support and reinforced edging at all four sides.
The mattress rates around 6/10 for firmness, with a lot less springiness and bounce than many Talalay latex hybrid mattresses. This is because of the additional comfort layers of wool and cashmere. These layers also make the Luxe Natural a top choice for heavier adults who sleep hot.
Note that the Luxe Natural is less bouncy than the Natural, so may not be a good fit for couples who like a bit of bounce for sex. The upside is less motion transfer and easier movement across the mattress surface.
The Luxe Natural perfectly balances cushioning and pressure relief with robust core support for spinal posture. Heavier adults, seniors, and anyone with back and joint pain will likely find the Luxe a dream to sleep on.
Avocado Green Mattress
Highlights: A medium-firm mattress ideal for heavier adult back-sleepers and stomach-sleepers. Sustainably made by hand in California by an industry-leading B Corp, with Made Safe non-toxic certification. Great edge support and zoned pressure relief, and vegan-friendly option available!
At a glance:
- Pricing: $1,399 – $2,599 (Queen is $1,999)
- Materials: Organic Fair Trade cotton, organic wool, organic Dunlop latex, upcycled steel coils
- Certifications: GOTS, GOLS, Made Safe, GreenGuard Gold, Climate Neutral certified, FSC, Responsible Wool Standard, Formaldehyde Free (UL), Eco Institut, Fair Trade, 1% for the Planet, B Corporation, Sustainable Furnishings Council
- Sleep Trial: 365-night sleep trial
- Firmness: Medium-firm (gentle-firm available with Pillow-Top)
- Depth: 11-inch (13-inch with Pillow-Top)
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cali King
- Best for: Heavier back-sleepers and stomach-sleepers
- Latex hybrid mattress offering medium-firm support
- Made with all organic materials and upcycled steel coils
- Rare certification from Made Safe (free of toxic chemicals)
- 5-zoned support and reinforced edging
- Less motion transfer and partner sleep disruption
- Made in the U.S. by a carbon negative B Corp
- Affordable and durable with a 25-year warranty
- 365-night sleep trial
- Can be made vegan
- One firmness level (can’t flip for different firmness)
- Too firm for most heavier adult side-sleepers
- Can’t move comfort layers around
- Only two handles on long sides
- No split sizes (but can use two Twin XLs for a Split King)
Consumer Reports rated this as the best mattress for side sleepers. They didn’t explicitly say anything about it being good for big old fat guys, but you can kind of tell that’s what they were getting at. And they were right. I sleep great on my new Avocado Green.
Donald H., 2020
Heavier adults who sleep on their stomach or back will likely love the Avocado Green mattress with or without the Pillow-Top. This is a ready-made mattress-in-a-box in medium-firm (7/10) or gentle-firm (5/10) with the Pillow-Top. It is one of very few mattress with Made Safe certification as non-toxic.
Avocado is certified Climate Neutral and Fair Trade, and is an award-winning B Corporation and 1% for the Planet member. Its factory will soon be the first mattress factory in the world to be zero-waste certified and Avocado is the first mattress maker to use paper wrap for its mattresses!
There are more coils (up to 1,414) in the Avocado Green mattress than any other latex hybrid mattress we’ve seen so far. These are all individually wrapped 8-inch innerspring coils made with recycled or upcycled steel.
Avocado adds coils at the edges for full perimeter support and uses coils with different gauges (width) to create zoned support for shoulders and hips, to prevent you from sinking into the mattress and putting strain on your joints and back. This is all great news for heavier adults who need more robust core support and better weight distribution in their mattress.
The main caveat with the Avocado Green is that heavier adult side-sleepers who weigh more than 230 lb. or so may find this mattress isn’t deep enough to properly support their weight.
FAQs
More body weight means more pressure on all the layers of a mattress. Softer, top layers compact more under greater pressure, which can mean you feel the underlying innersprings in a hybrid mattress or the underlying slats or bed base in a foam or latex mattress. Poor mattress infrastructure not designed with larger bodies in mind is a recipe for pressure, pain, and poor sleep. All that compression also degrades a mattress faster and means you’ll need to replace it sooner.
Adults who weigh more than 230 lb. tend to need a deeper mattress with firm underlying support and good cushioning on top. This combination helps to support proper spinal alignment and relieves pressure on joints and sore spots. Most heavier adults will sleep best on a mattress that rates at least 6/10 for firmness.
The ideal mattress design for a larger adult will also depend on their sleep style, however. Stomach sleepers weighing more than 230 lb. will usually need a firmer mattress than a side-sleeper of the same weight. Back-sleepers on the heavier side will need something in-between, with greater support in the hip region.
Heavier adults who sleep on their stomach may find that a latex or polyfoam mattress is too soft to comfortably support their weight. Stomach-sleepers on the larger side will usually sleep better on a firmer latex hybrid mattress that is deep enough for good cushioning with firm underlying support. Some all-latex mattresses made with denser latex may work for some heavier stomach-sleepers, however, such as the Botanical Bliss from PlushBeds.
Polyfoam can also trap heat, with heavier adults often finding polyfoam especially sweaty because they sink into the material more than lighter adults.
Yes! Heavier adults are best served by a mattress that is at least 12 inches deep, ideally much more. A deeper mattress helps provide better cushioning and support and prevents you from feeling the bed slats or bed base. A mattress that is too shallow can bottom out, meaning some of your weight rests on the bed base, creating pressure on your joints.
Heavier side-sleepers are especially likely to experience hip and shoulder pain on shallower mattresses that don’t provide enough support. If you weigh more than 230 lb. and have bigger hips, shoulders, or a combination of the two, you will definitely want to choose a mattress that provides enough cushioning for pressure relief and enough firm support underneath to keep your spine in alignment.
No! The softer a mattress, the more you sink in and the less support your body gets for good sleep posture. A soft mattress puts more strain on your body and knocks your spine out of alignment. Softer mattresses should be avoided by heavier adults as they frequently result in lower back pain and other joint issues.
Heavier adults will usually get better sleep on a mattress that is firm, medium-firm, or even gentle-firm. This kind of mattress typically comprises a softer top layer with sturdy support from a denser layer beneath. The denser layer helps to maintain proper spinal alignment while the top layer relieves pressure on joints.
Not necessarily! The durability of a mattress depends on how it is made as well as how it is used. Most mattresses are only designed to accommodate up to around 230-250 lb. Frequently bearing more weight than that can compress and degrade the mattress materials. This is especially true for low-density memory foam, where significant indentations can persist and make the mattress lumpy and uncomfortable after just a few weeks or months.
For heavier adults, the most durable mattress will be one made with denser latex (such as Arpico or Dunlop) and innersprings with a wider gauge. This kind of design will also provide more edge support and make it easier to get in and out of bed without sinking or rolling.
More body weight means more sinkage. This means heavier adults have more mattress material in contact with their body, and that material can trap heat and lead to sweaty, unpleasant sleep conditions. Memory foam is the main culprit here, creating a sweaty sinkhole that insulates and prevents airflow. Natural latex, ideally with an airier top layer and moisture-wicking wool, make for a more breathable mattress that helps heavier adults better regulate body temperature for a more pleasant sleep.