When you’re considering a new mattress, it’s important to consider your size and weight. A mattress that is perfect for someone over 200 lb might be a poor match for someone under 150 lb, for instance.
If you are a lightweight sleeper, what is the right kind of mattress for you? While there are many good bed-in-a-box options out there, six mattresses really stand out among the rest.
Which of these six mattresses is best for you? Read on to find out.
GREAT SUPPORT | ||
 | Lull The Lull mattress is a bit firmer-than-average and is a great supportive option for lighter back and stomach sleepers. | Doesn't expire |
MOST DURABLE | ||
 | Purple The Purple contains a unique gel grid that is both firm and pressure relieving at the same time. The mattress is a great match for lighter back and stomach sleepers. | Doesn't expire |
ZONED SUPPORT | ||
 | Casper The Casper features a zoned construction and could be a great fit for lighter people who sleep in all three positions. | Doesn't expire |
GREAT PRESSURE RELIEF | ||
 | Layla The Layla is a flippable mattress with two firmness options in one. It is also a very comfortable mattress with amazing pressure relief. | Doesn't expire |
BALANCED FOAM FEEL | ||
 | Nolah The Nolah is a very comfortable mattress with a balanced foam feel. It is a great choice for lighter back and side sleepers. | Doesn't expire |
MOST AFFORDABLE | ||
 | Brooklyn Bedding Bowery The Brooklyn Bedding Bowery is a great value mattress that could be a good pick for lightweight back and side sleepers. | Doesn't expire |
Top Picks Explained
Lull
The Lull is an all-foam mattress with a 3″ comfort layer, which is right around what you’re looking for as a lightweight sleeper. While the mattress is a bit firmer than most of the mattresses on this list, it is a great match for lighter back and stomach sleepers.
It is a supportive mattress, so when you are on your back, your hips sink in just the right amount. At the same time, the top foam layer conforms to the shape of your body, so you feel nice lumbar support. When you are on your stomach, your hips shouldn’t sink in too far.
The mattress has a bit of that soft memory foam feel, but the mattress is responsive overall. You shouldn’t have too much difficulty moving around at night.
In the end, the mattress is a great value when you consider how comfortable it is.
What Makes The Lull Stand Out?
- The Lull is a somewhat firmer option for lightweight back and stomach sleepers. It is supportive while still featuring a good amount of contouring.
- The mattress has a balanced foam feel. You get some of that soft foam feel without feeling stuck.
- The cover is breathable, and the foams are open-celled. You shouldn’t be overheating on the Lull mattress.
- It is a very good value at only $750 for a Queen mattress.
Check out the Lull mattress review.
Purple
The Purple features a very unique, hyper-elastic gel polymer in its comfort layer. The polymer creates a gel grid that is both firm and comfortable at the same time. It is designed to stay flat and supportive until a certain amount of pressure is applied. When this happens, the grid collapses in that area, while the rest of the mattress is unaffected.
Lighter-weight back and stomach sleepers should find the Purple mattress to be a good fit. On your back, the gel collapses under your hips but still supports your lumbar area. The rest of the mattress supports the other parts of your body. When you are on your stomach, the mattress shouldn’t collapse under your hips.
This gel grid is also very responsive, so it is very easy to move around on the Purple mattress. You shouldn’t feel stuck when you try to change positions at night.
What Makes The Purple Stand Out?
- Its gel grid makes this mattress a great match for lighter back and stomach sleepers. It is supportive but still allows your hips to sink in.
- The mattress is bouncy and responsive, so you can move around without feeling stuck.
- The hyper-elastic gel polymer is a very durable material. This means the mattress should be longer-lasting and could be a great long-term investment.
- The gel grid allows for quite a bit of airflow. This is a temperature-neutral mattress, so you shouldn’t be overheating on the Purple.
Read the full Purple mattress review.
Casper
The Casper mattress includes a Zoned Support system. This construction makes it so the mattress is firmer in the center lumbar area and soft near the shoulders and knees. Because of this, the mattress is a great match for all three sleeping positions.
When you are on your back, the mattress supports your lumbar area but lets your hips sink in just the right amount. While side sleeping, you feel great pressure relief on your shoulders and hips. Moving to your stomach, you should feel well supported overall.
The mattress is also responsive, and it is very easy to move around on the mattress. You get some of that comfortable foam feel without getting stuck.
It is also softer-than-average, with a 3″ comfort layer. Lighter combination sleepers or lightweight sleepers who use any sleeping position should like the comfortable Casper mattress.
What Makes The Casper Stand Out?
- The mattress features a zoned construction and is a great match for all three sleeping positions.
- It has a comfort layer that is not too thick and a softer-than-average firmness. This is perfect for lighter-weight sleepers.
- The Casper has a balanced foam feel. Lighter sleepers should feel comfortable while still being able to move around easily.
- The mattress contains open-celled foam, so it should be breathable. Hot sleepers shouldn’t worry about overheating on the Casper mattress.
Read the full Casper mattress review.
Layla
The Layla mattress is very unique in that it is flippable. You have a soft side and a firm side. The soft side has a 3″ comfort layer and is a great match for lighter back and side sleepers. The firm side has only a 1″ comforter layer, so lighter stomach sleepers can flip the mattress for more support.
This is also one of the most comfortable mattresses I have tried. On both sides of the mattress, there are layers of soft, copper-infused memory foam. This gives the mattress that classic memory foam feel where you slowly sink into the mattress. In addition, it is great with pressure relief, especially on the soft side.
In the end, the Layla is a very innovative mattress. When you think about the complex construction and overall comfort, it is a great value.
What Makes The Layla Stand Out?
- It is flippable and has a soft side and a firm side.
- The soft side is a great match for lighter back and side sleepers. The firm side could be a better fit for lighter stomach sleepers.
- The memory foam is very soft and provides great comfort and pressure relief.
- This is a cooler-sleeping mattress. The memory foam is infused with copper and the cover is breathable.
- It is affordable for such a quality mattress.
Read the full Layla mattress review.
Nolah
The Nolah is a great option for lighter sleepers who want a comfortable mattress but don’t want to sink in too far. The mattress contains a proprietary AirFoam that is very responsive, so you sleep more on top of the mattress. It is also very easy to move around.
The AirFoam is soft and pressure-relieving but is only 2″ thick. Your hips sink in just a bit when you are on your back. When you are on your side, lighter sleepers should still feel nice pressure relief. It really is one of the more comfortable mattresses out there.
The Nolah is also a good value. It is a very comfortable mattress but is also quite affordable.
What Makes The Nolah Stand Out?
- It features a proprietary AirFoam that is soft but also very responsive.
- The mattress is a great fit for lighter back and side sleepers. It is supportive enough when you are on your back, and relieves pressure when you are side sleeping.
- The AirFoam is designed to dissipate heat. Hot sleepers should be sleeping comfortably on the Nolah.
- It is a high-quality mattress sold at a value price.
See the complete Nolah mattress review here.
Brooklyn Bedding Bowery
When you take deals into account, the Bowery is the most affordable mattress on this list. It’s also a quality mattress with a good balance of comfort and support. Because of this, it’s a good option for lightweight back and side sleepers.
While back sleeping, your hips will sink in but not too far. When you move to your side, you should feel great pressure relief. You have 3″ of Energex Foam on top, which should give you enough support on your back and enough pressure relief on your side.
The Energex Foam is also responsive. You get the soft foam feel, but you shouldn’t feel stuck. It is very easy to move around on the Bowery.
All in all, if you are lightweight sleeper looking to save some money, the Bowery is a great option.
What Makes The Bowery Stand Out?
- It is a very affordable mattress.
- The Bowery features Energex Foam that is responsive and very comfortable.
- This mattress is a great option for lighter back and side sleepers.
Read the full Bowery mattress review.
What You Should Consider When Buying A Mattress For Lightweight Sleepers?
- Your weight. Even if you find a mattress that meets many of the criteria for lighter sleepers, you still want to think about your exact weight. When I speak of lighter sleepers, I mean anyone below 150 lb. However, there is a big difference between a 100 lb person and 150 lb person. (A 150 lb person might need more support than a 100 lb person, for example.) As always, take your size and weight into account when buying a mattress.
- Mattress and comfort layer thickness. When you are looking for a lightweight mattress, you also want to think about the overall thickness of the mattress and the thickness of the comfort layer. While larger people may require a taller mattress with a thicker comfort layer, lighter people generally don’t need this. A 10″ mattress should be tall enough for most lighter people. Also, speaking specifically of the comfort layer, you want to find a mattress with about 2″ to 3″ of comfort material. You probably don’t need much more than this, and it should give you a balance of comfort and support.
- Mattress firmness. If you are a lighter person, you should look for a mattress that is softer than average. While heavier people run the risk of bottoming out on softer, less supportive mattresses, lighter people don’t have to worry about this quite as much. A softer mattress can offer a lightweight sleeper comfort and still be supportive enough.
- Your preferred sleeping position. This applies to a person of any size. Even as a lightweight sleeper, you want to think about your sleeping position when narrowing down your mattress decision. If you only sleep on your stomach, you might want a mattress that is just a little less soft. However, if you sleep on your side, you want something softer. Again, as a lighter person, you usually want something softer than average. However, you might adjust this a bit based on your sleeping position.
- Construction. One of the benefits of being a lighter sleeper is that you probably don’t need materials such as support coils. These supportive materials are more expensive, and larger people might have to pay more to find a mattress to meet their needs. For instance, if you are a lighter stomach sleeper, you might only need a layer of support foam instead of pocketed coils. In the end, you could get a simpler mattress and save some money.
Overall
If you are a lighter person, one of these six mattresses should be a great fit for you. And when you take these criteria into account, you should be able to find just the right one. You should be sleeping comfortably in no time.
Featured image: fizkes/Shutterstock
Joe Auer
Joe Auer is the editor of Mattress Clarity. He mainly focuses on mattress reviews and oversees the content across the site.
He likes things simple and take a straightforward, objective approach to his reviews. Joe has personally tested nearly 250 mattresses and always recommends people do their research before buying a new bed. He has been testing mattresses for over 5 years now, so he knows a thing or two when it comes to mattress selection. He has been cited as an authority in the industry by a number of large publications.
Joe has an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and an MBA from Columbia University.
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Hi Joe!
Thanks for this incredibly informative review! All of the mattresses in your review sound great. . But here’s my challenge, which I’m hoping you can help me with:
*I’m a really lightweight sleeper – 100 lbs. – so, pretty darn low on the lightweight spectrum.
*I also have lower back issues, so pressure relief is important.
*I sleep on my back and side. Temp regulation isn’t an issue for me.
*I don’t like feeling as though I’m lying ‘on top’ of the mattress.
*And finally, I’ve been sleeping on a traditional mattress (Beautyrest) I’ve had for waaaay too long. Like, forever. So I definitely need a new mattress and I’m totally open to whatever material you think would be a good match.
What are your top recommendations?
(Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!)
Check out the 10″ Nolah!
I will – thanks! 🙂
I sleep about half on my back and half on my side while my wife only sleeps on her side. We always sleep snuggled together in the same spot on the bed. What mattress would work the best for both of us? Also what pillow would be the best for me for back and side sleeping?
Maybe the Casper?