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Written by
Lauren Fountain
Please note: For the purposes of this page, we are talking about individuals who weigh 130 pounds or less. Although we use the terms “light” or “lightweight” for brevity and convenience on this page to describe sleepers, we do not use weight categories such as “average” or “overweight” as they can be misleading and dependent on the individual. We use 130 or fewer pounds as a practical standard of size when discussing how mattresses interact with sleepers’ bodies. We have found that individuals who weigh under 130 pounds will have similar needs for a mattress in terms of firmness, thickness, and other factors with small individual variations.
Lightweight individuals have the same requirements as other sleepers — a supportive and comfortable mattress. However, a model that provides this balance looks different for sleepers within this weight group. The wrong mattress can create pressure points or cause the spine to curve, leading to aches or discomfort.
We’ll cover mattress construction and performance, which models best suit different sleep positions, and what to consider when shopping for a mattress. We also review and update our top picks consistently to reflect the best models on the market for lightweight sleepers.
Best Overall
Why It’s Best Overall
The Helix Sunset has the soft (3) feel preferred by many lightweight sleepers with the additional benefit of a pocketed coil support system. The comfort system includes plush foam formulated with lightweight sleepers in mind, providing pressure relief and deep cushioning.
What It’s Made Of
The Sunset begins with a breathable, stretchy cover made from polyester and a comfort system that includes three foam layers. The top layer consists of a soft memory foam engineered to compress easily, making it more effective at relieving pressure points for lightweight sleepers. A polyfoam transitional layer creates a comfortable buffer between the memory foam and support core, preventing sleepers from sinking too deeply into the mattress.
The support core includes 8 inches of pocketed coils that provide responsive support. Individually wrapped coils that move independently from one another reduce motion transfer. Additionally, a reinforced perimeter provides increased edge support. A thin, durable layer of polyfoam completes the base.
How It Performed
Side and combination sleepers are likely to enjoy this mattress the most, as the memory foam comfort system hugs the body to prevent and address pressure points. However, the Sunset might not provide enough support for stomach sleepers, who may feel as if they’re sinking into the bed.
In addition to pressure relief, this model excels at isolating motion. The wrapped coils and foam layers work together to absorb movement, preventing disturbances from partners who toss and turn.
Helix backs the Sunset with a 10-year warranty and 100-night sleep trial. Free shipping is available to shoppers in the contiguous U.S.
Best Value
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The all-foam Nectar Mattress delivers above-average pressure relief at a below-average price-point. The medium firm (6) mattress is a versatile model that provides significant pressure relief as well as substantial support for lightweight sleepers. With its high-quality construction and affordable price tag, shoppers looking to stay under budget should consider the Nectar Mattress.
What It’s Made Of
The Nectar’s cover includes patented cooling technology engineered to wick heat and moisture away from your body while you sleep. Its construction includes three foam layers, each with a different density. The top layer of gel-infused memory foam is designed to regulate temperature. The mattress also provides a comfortable level of contouring that’s suitable for a variety of sleeper types.
A polyfoam transitional layer adapts to your body’s unique shape and increases the mattress’ overall resilience. The support core consists of 7 inches of sturdy polyfoam that contributes to the Nectar Mattress’ durability. The base uses a nonslip material to keep the mattress securely in place.
How It Performed
All-foam mattresses often excel at isolating motion and relieving pressure, and the Nectar Mattress is no exception. Each foam layer works together to absorb movement, making you less likely to disturb your partner. The medium firm feel provides a balance of support and pressure relief that many lightweight sleepers will find comfortable.
Nectar includes a generous 365-day sleep trial and a limited lifetime warranty with each mattress purchase. The Nectar Mattress ships free within the contiguous U.S.
Best Luxury
The Saatva Classic is a premium innerspring mattress available in three firmness levels. Each model targets a different type of sleeper, though they all perform exceptionally well in various categories, including support, pressure relief, responsiveness, and durability. Though this model has an above-average price-point, the added cost may be worth it to shoppers who want a high-end model that’s likely to have a longer lifespan.
What It’s Made Of
While materials and specifications vary slightly between models, they all share the same basic construction. The Classic’s top layer consists of a Euro-top with polyfoam quilted directly into its organic cotton cover. With a memory foam layer below, the mattress provides cushioning and a plush feel. A patented spinal zone active wire and increased lumbar support are designed to keep your spine evenly aligned and help prevent back pain.
The support core features a coil-on-coil design that includes pocketed microcoils and innersprings surrounded by polyfoam that heightens edge support. The individually wrapped microcoils better adapt to your body’s unique movements and help prevent excess motion transfer.
How It Performed
The Saatva Classic’s thoughtful design resulted in it excelling during our in-house performance testing. The innersprings keep the mattress responsive, and the wrapped coils and memory foam give it above-average motion isolation. Air flows easily through the mattress core, helping to keep hot sleepers cool.
With three firmness levels to choose from, lightweight sleepers of all body types should be able to find a compatible model. Lighter side sleepers should consider the soft (3) feel, while the medium firm (6) option best suits stomach and back sleepers. However, many lightweight sleepers may find that they don’t weigh enough to compress the firm (8) model’s layers.
Saatva provides free White Glove delivery to shoppers in the contiguous U.S. Those wishing to take part in the 180-night sleep trial should note that they will be charged a $99 fee to return their mattress. Each Classic carries a 15-year limited warranty.
Most Comfortable
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The flippable Layla Mattress has two distinct feels that lend themselves well to lightweight sleepers of every sleep position. The medium soft (4) side includes foam layers that provide pressure-point relief for side sleepers, while the firm (7) side offers more robust support for back and stomach sleepers. The Layla also weighs less than an average flippable mattress, making it easier to switch sides.
What It’s Made Of
The medium soft side uses two comfort layers — memory foam infused with copper and cooling gel and zoned polyfoam. The 3 inches of memory foam cradle your body to alleviate pressure points, and the copper and gel are designed to wick away heat. The zoned polyfoam provides enhanced support beneath your midsection and lower back, while providing extra cushioning to your shoulders and legs.
The firm side has a 1-inch layer of copper and gel-infused memory foam, which offers subtle contouring and acts as a comfortable buffer above the polyfoam support core. The mattress is wrapped in a unique cover that includes proprietary cooling technology engineered to prevent heat retention.
How It Performed
Couples will likely enjoy the mattress’ versatility as well as its motion isolation. People who toss and turn are unlikely to wake their partner on the Layla because it absorbs movement rather than allowing it to move across the bed’s surface. The flippable design also makes it easy for couples to easily switch between firmness levels according to personal preference.
Layla provides free shipping and returns for customers in the contiguous U.S. Shoppers have up to 120 nights to test the mattress. A 10-year warranty covers manufacturer defects.
Best for Back Pain
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The GhostBed Classic is a well-rounded model that successfully blends support, pressure relief, and responsiveness. The medium firm (6) mattress has several unique features that benefit a wide range of lightweight sleepers.
What It’s Made Of
The comfort system’s top layer features 1.5 inches of synthetic latex that relieves pressure without sacrificing support. The gel-infused memory foam layer beneath also alleviates pressure buildup and evenly disperses your weight. The 7.5-inch high-density polyfoam support core helps keep your spine evenly aligned without forfeiting comfort. A breathable viscose and polyester blend cover encases the mattress.
How It Performed
Compared to other pressure-relieving mattresses, the GhostBed’s latex layer allows for a more responsive feel. This slightly bouncier surface may also be appealing for those who experience back pain. The latex layer and memory foam work together to keep the spine evenly supported while relieving pressure points.
The gel and cooling technology also contribute to the mattress’ above-average temperature control. Lightweight sleepers find the GhostBed equally comfortable regardless of their preferred sleep position.
GhostBed includes a 101-night sleep trial with each purchase as well as a 20-year limited warranty. Shoppers who live in the contiguous U.S. enjoy free shipping.
Best for Side Sleepers
The Original 10 is Nolah’s best-selling mattress, and for good reason. Its combination of pressure relief and durable support make it well suited to all lightweight sleepers, but particularly side sleepers. With a rating of 5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, a wide range of sleepers should enjoy the model’s balanced comfort.
What It’s Made Of
The Nolah’s three-layered design begins with 2 inches of AirFoam, a proprietary polyfoam. The foam is formulated to create the sensation of sleeping on rather than in the mattress, and is engineered to trap less heat than memory foam. Another polyfoam layer below functions as a comfortable and resilient buffer between the memory foam comfort system and the mattress’ base. The 7-inch high-density polyfoam core offers substantial support and durability.
How It Performed
The Nolah Original features a Tencel cover that promotes airflow and helps decrease heat retention, giving the model better-than-average marks for temperature control in a foam mattress. People who prioritize motion isolation should also consider the Nolah, as its all-foam construction successfully prevents motion transfer.
Nolah includes a 120-night sleep trial with each purchase. Those wishing to initiate a return must first test the mattress for 30 nights. A prorated lifetime warranty covers manufacturer defects. The Original 10 ships free within the contiguous U.S.
Best Cooling
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All-foam mattresses have a tendency to absorb more heat than other constructions. However, the Cocoon Chill lives up to its name by including multiple features designed to keep sleepers cool. Its medium firm (6) feel is an excellent option for lightweight back and stomach sleepers who typically prefer firmer support than side sleepers.
What It’s Made Of
The Chill’s stretch-knit cover is infused with phase change material. The fabric is designed to release body heat instead of trap it, helping to keep you at a comfortable temperature while you sleep. The top layer uses memory foam to provide subtle cushioning that prevents uncomfortable pressure points by evenly dispersing your body weight.
A responsive layer of polyfoam acts as a comfortable transition between the other two layers and prevents sleepers from sinking too far into the mattress. The polyfoam support core bounces back to its original shape faster than memory foam as well, enhancing ease of motion.
How It Performed
The Cocoon Chill had above-average scores for temperature control during our testing trials due to its Tencel cover and medium firm feel. The Chill is an excellent pick for hot sleepers who prefer foam, though some hot sleepers may need to opt for an innerspring or latex mattress to get the best temperature regulation possible.
Additionally, the foam layers keep motion contained and relieve pressure. It’s also nearly silent when you move around on the mattress, making it an excellent contender for couples looking for a quiet mattress.
The Cocoon Chill ships free within the contiguous U.S., and each purchase includes a 10-year warranty. The mattress comes with a 100-night sleep trial that includes a mandatory 30-night break-in period.
Our team of sleep experts at Sleep Foundation includes a wide range of body types, including lightweight sleepers. We’ve reviewed hundreds of mattresses over the years, performing numerous tests on each one. While we take all our testers’ rankings into account, the mattresses we’ve highlighted received the highest scores from lightweight sleepers.
In addition to lying down on each mattress and testing their physical feel and support level, we also rate them in a number of categories, including pressure relief — an important factor for lightweight sleepers. We use pressure point mapping to indicate whether or not a mattress is likely to cause hot spots or discomfort. We also review new mattresses often to ensure our readers are presented with the most thorough and up-to-date information available.
Maintaining proper spinal alignment is crucial for a comfortable and pain-free night’s sleep. Even spinal support from a mattress will ideally keep your spine in alignment, meaning your mattress supports your spine without allowing your body to sink too deeply at the midsection.
Both body weight and mattress firmness can affect your spine’s position. Sinking too deeply into a mattress will cause your back to curve, likely resulting in discomfort or pain. Since lightweight sleepers don’t compress their mattress as much as heavier sleepers do, they typically don’t require a robust support system. A softer mattress allows lighter sleepers to rest comfortably and get the most from each layer.
Your preferred sleeping position also factors into how much support you need from a bed. Side sleepers often prefer softer mattresses, as one that’s too firm can cause pressure points in the hips and shoulders. A mattress that’s too soft for stomach sleepers can cause their midsection to sink into the bed. Back sleepers usually enjoy a firmness level in between that adequately supports the lower back.
The best firmness level for lightweight sleepers will depend on their preferred sleeping position, but typically a firmness level between soft (3) and medium firm (6) offers the best support. While personal preference will affect which model you choose, mattresses softer than a 3 on the firmness scale can cause the spine to fall out of alignment. A firm or extra firm mattress can create pressure points in lightweight sleepers due to the lack of contouring on the surface.
We use a 10 point firmness scale to rank each mattress we review, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest. The majority of sleepers prefer a mattress that falls between 5 and 7 on the firmness scale. However, this is different for lightweight sleepers.
Most lightweight sleepers prefer a softer mattress, as they compress easier than firm mattresses and are less likely to cause pressure points. As a result, many lightweight sleepers enjoy a mattress that falls between 3 and 6 on the firmness scale.
There are a number of factors to consider when shopping for a new mattress. Lightweight sleepers should primarily consider whether the support level is appropriate and whether the surface provides adequate pressure relief.
We’ll explore what to look for in a mattress and give you the tools to help determine whether or not a particular model is a good fit for your individual needs.
Choosing a mattress that accommodates your sleep habits is the best way to ensure that you end up with a comfortable mattress. With so many mattresses available today, it can be an overwhelming decision to choose the right one for you. While there are many features to weigh, your sleep position and weight will be the most important factor in determining which mattress to buy.
Price
Mattress costs can vary widely. Shoppers wishing to save should consider buying from an online retailer, as prices are often lower because the mattress ships directly from the manufacturer. Many companies also offer significant discounts during holiday periods.
Sleeping Position
Your primary sleeping position will have the greatest impact on which firmness level you choose. Side sleepers typically prefer a plush mattress, while stomach sleepers prefer one with increased support. Back sleepers typically enjoy a firmness level between the two. The wrong support level can lead to pressure buildup or back pain.
Quality Materials
Many manufacturers use patented materials in their mattresses, but it’s important to examine whether or not they’ll hold up over time. Customer reviews often give an indication of how well a material will last. Durability testing from professional reviewers can be invaluable in determining a mattress’ lifespan as well.
Firmness Level
Lightweight sleepers will want to choose a firmness level that’s compatible with their weight. On the 1 to 10 firmness scale, this typically correlates to a mattress between 3 and 6 — which is softer than what people who weigh above 130 pounds generally prefer.
Pressure Relief
While all sleepers can experience pressure points, side and lightweight sleepers can be the most prone to it. Spending extended time on the same parts of your body on a mattress that doesn’t allow enough contouring can cause discomfort beneath the heavier parts of the body, such as the hips, shoulders, and back. A mattress that targets pressure relief can help significantly.
Motion Isolation
Movement can travel across a mattress that lacks substantial motion isolation. People who share a bed can benefit from a mattress that absorbs motion rather than one that allows motion to transfer across the surface, as couples are less likely to be disturbed by any movement.
Temperature Regulation
A mattress that allows air to flow freely through its core is less likely to retain heat, allowing hot sleepers to sleep cooler. Some mattresses also include cooling features like gel-infused foam or phase change materials that are designed to wick away heat and moisture. Hybrid and innerspring mattresses generally offer better temperature regulation.
Edge Support
Edge support can make a difference for people who struggle to get in and out of bed, as well as couples who prefer using the entire mattress. Reinforcing a bed’s perimeter can increase edge support significantly and allow people to sit or sleep on the edge of their mattress without it sagging.
Contouring
Many mattresses that include foam in the comfort system have some level of contouring. A mattress with deep contouring will give sleepers a hugging sensation that often feels as if they’re sleeping in the mattress. Those who prefer sleeping on their mattress should choose a mattress that offers less contouring.
Mattress Type
Today, shoppers have the option of choosing between a wide range of mattress constructions. Each sleeper has different needs and preferences. People who prioritize responsiveness and temperature regulation may prefer an innerspring or hybrid. Those seeking enhanced pressure relief may enjoy a foam or latex model, while airbeds might be a better option for shoppers who want maximum customization.
While each mattress within a particular style shares broad characteristics, their exact specifications can differ greatly from one another. We’ll examine the most common mattress constructions and discuss how they can benefit lightweight sleepers.
These mattresses usually have a construction made up of multiple foam layers. The two most popular types of foam are memory foam and polyfoam, both of which can be formulated with different densities to give sleepers varying levels of support and cushioning. Foam mattresses generally excel at relieving pressure, an added benefit for lightweight sleepers.
Foam also absorbs motion well, making it an excellent choice for couples wanting fewer disturbances from their partner’s movements. Foam mattresses that don’t have temperature regulating features can sleep hotter than other mattress constructions, as the foam tends to trap body heat.
Hybrid mattresses blend the constructions of multiple mattress types — innerspring, foam, and latex. This style uses a support core made from coils that provide the bounce and responsiveness for which innerspring mattresses are known.
However, on top of the coils, hybrids often include comfort systems that incorporate foam, latex, or wool. Hybrid manufacturers mix and match these materials to create a distinct feel and performance. They also tend to sleep cool, since air circulates freely within the mattress core.
Similar to foam models, latex mattresses provide sleepers with pressure relief, but with increased responsiveness. This type of mattress is an excellent choice for hot sleepers, as it tends to not trap heat. Latex is also a great option for sleepers who want to alleviate discomfort stemming from pressure buildup, but not at the expense of a mattress’ durability. However, latex mattresses can be heavy and unwieldy, and moving one may require help.
Innerspring mattresses have support cores made from coils that flex and compress as weight is applied. Today’s models are designed to offer responsive support. Unlike older models, you’re unlikely to have an excessively squeaky bed or springs poking out from the core in a modern innerspring mattress.
Innersprings generally incorporate a layer above the coils to create a comfortable surface. These materials generally include pillow-tops, foam, or wool, creating a buffer between your body and the mattress springs.
Memory foam mattresses can be an excellent choice for lightweight sleepers, since they relieve pressure buildup so well. Memory foam offers contouring and provides a hugging sensation, helping to evenly disperse weight across the mattress.
Softer memory foam models feature thicker layers of memory foam that are formulated to be less dense. This type of surface offers substantial give and creates a plush feel, giving lightweight sleepers heightened contouring and pressure relief.
For lightweight sleepers, a thicker mattress model can be a better option since a mattress typically becomes softer with additional layers. If there aren’t many layers between a mattress’ core and your body, the surface is likely to feel firmer. When comfort systems and transitional layers are added to a mattress, it can soften its overall feel and give you a plusher surface to sleep on. Your weight and sleep style also have an impact on which firmness level will likely work best for you.
Lightweight sleepers often require a softer mattress because they don’t place enough weight on a firm mattress for it to compress. This can result in pressure points or an uneven spinal posture. However, the sleeping position you prefer also affects which firmness level you should consider.
Stomach sleepers need the most robust support to keep the spine properly aligned, while side sleepers require a softer mattress that cushions their hips and shoulders. Back sleepers generally prefer a mattress in the middle that offers a combination of support and pressure relief.
Certified Sleep Coach
Lauren is a Certified Sleep Science Coach with extensive experience researching and testing a wide variety of sleep products.
Certified Sleep Coach
Lauren is a Certified Sleep Science Coach with extensive experience researching and testing a wide variety of sleep products.
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