After an intense day at the gym, there is nothing better than getting a full night sleep so you can feel refreshed for another day. That is one of the reasons why a bed that facilitates deep sleep with recovery is so important. Additionally, depending on your size, you may also be larger than most folks. Unfortunately, most mattresses are built for medium sized people so having more body mass can cause sagging, and misalign the spine.
Take a look at the chart above. It shows the best mattress firmnesses for side sleepers -- the most popular sleeping position. As you can see, slimmer people will need softer mattresses to be comfortable, while larger folks will do much better with a firmer mattress that provides more support for the spine. A little known fact is firmer mattresses will actually feel softer to larger folks. In addition to supporting your back, shoulders, and hips, firmer mattresses that provide cushion will actually feel just right for you, even if they feel less right to lighter people.
There are a few mattresses that were made especially for athletes and heavier folks. Our top pick is Bear mattress, which was made specially for athletes. It sleeps cool with a Celliant® cover that is the coolest in the industry. Also, it is specially designed for recovery. Another similar specialty mattress not mentioned below is the Spartan Mattress By Brooklyn Bedding. Also, it has the option to customize the firmness of the mattress to either side, which is great for those with smaller partners. The third is Big Fig, which is perfect for those that are heavy-weights and need the extra durability and support. Take a look at our full list below...
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Bear mattress offers three amazing mattresses. Their original memory foam has won acclaim with athletes on a budget, the Bear Hybrid is great for those looking for a pressure-relieving higher end feel, and their Bear Pro is perfect for those looking for an ultra-cooling contouring feel. From Celliant® to copper cooling, these mattresses also are designed to be superior at cooling, alleviating muscle pain, and supporting the spine. Also, with their all-inclusive and low priced Bear Bundle, folks love these beds.
Overall Score for Weightlifters: 9.8/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.6/10
Price Value: 9.5/10
Back Support: 9.6/10
Price: $590-$1690
Suffer from tossing and turning? It could be because your current mattress doesn't support and align the spine properly. That's where Level's TriSupport™ technology can help. Their technology is a marvel in zoned support with a high-end all-foam design made in the USA. While the shoulders and hips are relieved of pressure, the middle spine is supported properly. With a patented design that is supported by chiropractors, Level Sleep is worth consideration for back and side sleepers needing well-aligned support.
Overall Score for Weightlifters: 9.6/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.7/10
Price Value: 9.6/10
Back Support: 9.6/10
Price: $799-$1399
Big Fig is the premier mattress for those with a 'bigger figure.' They make a super durable and supportive mattress that is designed to support plus-sized sleepers. With capacity to withstand distrubuted weights of up to 500-1000lbs and a 20 year warranty, these mattresses are super durable and perfect for those that have suffered from a lack of support, hot sagging beds, or are looking for a firm mattress.
Overall Score for Weightlifters: 9.6/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.2/10
Price Value: 9.2/10
Back Support: 9.8/10
Price: $1299-$1999
Puffy is an online mattress brand that makes three mattresses: The Puffy Mattress, The Puffy Lux Mattress, and The Puffy Royal Mattress (Limited Time: Get $300 Off Mattresses). Each of these offer a high rated memory foam feel that are making a splash in the mattress in the box industry. With the recent addition of coil hybrid versions in their Lux and Royal, folks find these mattresses softer than other all-foam mattresses in a box, which is great for those with a lighter body type. With an aim at providing a higher end all-foam mattress for less than in-store, Puffy is a brand to consider and ships worldwide!
Overall Score for Weightlifters: 9.5/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.6/10
Price Value: 9.4/10
Back Support: 9.1/10
Price: $795-$1995
Meet Awara, the pressure relieving latex hybrid mattress, featuring certified organic latex, and a sustainable mission for a price point that comparatively carries much more value for its 13'' thick mattress than many other latex mattress companies. Whether you are sensitive to chemicals or enjoy the invigorating feel of latex, you can rest easy that your purchase is eco-conscious since Awara holds a certification with the Rainforest Alliance and a partnership with Trees For The Future that plants trees for every mattress purchased. With a universally comfortable medium-plush feel, Awara brings a comfy sigh of relief to its sleepers.
Overall Score for Weightlifters: 9.5/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.5/10
Price Value: 9.6/10
Back Support: 9.4/10
Price: $1299-$1799
Eight Sleep is at it again! After creating the only smart mattress in a box, 'The Pod', their smart, temperature regulating mattress, they've also released the re-engineered and re-designed 'Pod Pro' and 'Pod Pro Max'. Their mattresses feature an active grid on the top layer that can either cool or heat the mattress at the control of your fingertips with the Eight Sleep App. Additionally, with advanced sleep tracking that measures your sleep stages, sleep time, toss and turns, heart rate, and even heart rate variability (HRV), these mattresses really are a gadget-lover's great night sleep!
Overall Score for Weightlifters: 9.5/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.2/10
Price Value: 9.3/10
Back Support: 9.2/10
Price: $2295-$4095
Winkbeds started as a factory-direct luxury hybrid mattress brand competing with the luxury showroom market. With years of innovation, they have grown their offerings to include both a luxury-style all-foam and latex hybrid mattress in addition to their classic hybrid. With both reviewers and customers appreciating the quality of their mattresses for the price and reporting great customer service experiences, Winkbeds is a top brand to consider on your mattress search.
Overall Score for Weightlifters: 9.5/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.4/10
Price Value: 9.4/10
Back Support: 9.5/10
Price: $1049-$2199
DreamCloud is one of the most exciting mattress brands, with some of the best all-around hybrid mattresses available and one of the best pillow-top mattresses. They offer 2 mattresses: The DreamCloud, featuring the ultimate support and comfort of memory foam and pocketed coils with a quilted cashmere blend on top, and DreamCloud Premier, bringing luxury comfort with 1 extra inch of memory foam, 3x more cashmere, and the same pocketed coil system for support. Customers report their luxurious layers lead to deeper sleep, ideal for side sleeping. With 'Buy Now and Pay Later' financing through Affirm and a 365 day trial, this is one of the best luxury bargains anywhere.
Overall Score for Weightlifters: 9.5/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.6/10
Price Value: 9.7/10
Back Support: 9.3/10
Price: $799-$1599
Amerisleep offers a line of high-end memory foam and hybrid mattresses that offer the benefits of plant-based materials. Each mattress has a blend of bio-foams for comfort layers that are more eco-friendly than the traditional synthetic-based memory foam material. Amerisleep offers 5 different mattress firmness options in all-foam options, and 3 popular firmness varieties also in a pocketed coil hybrid build. Customers like their offerings and have good things to say about the quality versus better known name-brands.
Overall Score for Weightlifters: 9.4/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.3/10
Price Value: 9.3/10
Back Support: 9.3/10
Price: $899-$3798
Brooklyn Bedding is a quality-focused mattress maker with multiple mattress types and firmness options. They make all of their mattresses end to end in their own factory, passing on more price value to customers. Also, read about their specialty brands: ultra-firm Plank Mattress, plus-size friendly Titan Mattress, customizable Rubix Mattress, latex Bloom Mattress, eco-friendly Ecosleep, and cooling Propel Sleep.
Overall Score for Weightlifters: 9.4/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.4/10
Price Value: 9.5/10
Back Support: 9.6/10
Price: $499-$2899