When people are considering a new mattress, it’s important to consider their 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 people are lightweight, what is the right kind of mattress for them? 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? Read on to find out.
GREAT SUPPORT | ||
Lull  | 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  | 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  | 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  | 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  | 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  | 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 people are 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 people are on their back, their hips sink in just the right amount. At the same time, the top foam layer conforms to the shape of the body, so people feel nice lumbar support. When they are on their stomach, their hips shouldn’t sink in too far and they should feel very well supported.
The mattress has a bit of that soft memory foam feel, but the mattress is responsive overall and sleepers shouldn’t get the feeling of getting stuck in the mattress. People shouldn’t have too much difficulty moving around at night, so it will be easy to switch positions.
In the end, the mattress is a great value when people consider how comfortable it is, in addition to its lower price point.
What Makes The Lull Stand Out?
- The Lull is a somewhat firmer option for lightweight back and stomach sleepers, and it is supportive while still featuring a good amount of contouring.
- The mattress has a balanced foam feel where people get some of that soft foam feel without feeling stuck.
- The cover is breathable, and the foams are open-celled, so sleepers shouldn’t be overheating on the Lull mattress.
- It is a very good value at only $750 for a Queen mattress and it should last longer than many other bed-in-a-box mattress
Check out the full breakdown and Lull mattress review here.
Purple
The Purple features a very unique, hyper-elastic gel polymer in its comfort layer that 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 someone’s back, the gel collapses under their hips but still supports their lumbar area, and the rest of the mattress supports the other parts of the body. When people are on their stomach, the mattress typically shouldn’t collapse under their hips.
This gel grid is also very responsive, so it is very easy to move around on the Purple mattress and people shouldn’t feel stuck when they 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, as it is supportive but still allows the hips to sink in.
- The mattress is bouncy and responsive, so consumers can move around without the feeling of getting stuck in the mattress.
- The hyper-elastic gel polymer is a very durable material, which means the mattress should be longer-lasting and could be a great long-term investment overall.
- The gel grid allows for quite a bit of airflow, making this a temperature-neutral mattress, so people shouldn’t be overheating on the Purple.
Read the full breakdown and Purple mattress review here.
Casper
The Casper mattress includes a Zoned Support system in its construction. 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 and an especially good match for people who switch positions throughout the night.
When people are on their back, the mattress supports their lumbar area but lets their hips sink in just the right amount. While side sleeping, they feel great pressure relief on their shoulders and hips. Moving to their stomach, people should feel well supported overall.
The mattress is also responsive, and it is very easy to move around on the mattress. People get some of that comfortable foam feel without getting stuck.
It is also softer-than-average, with a 3″ comfort layer, so 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, making it perfect for lighter-weight sleepers.
- The Casper has a balanced foam feel, so 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 therefore shouldn’t worry about overheating on the Casper mattress.
Read the full breakdown and Casper mattress review here.
Layla
The Layla mattress is very unique in that it is flippable, with 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, which 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, and 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, and 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, so sleepers shouldn’t overheat throughout the night.
- It is affordable for such a quality mattress and an excellent value overall.
Read the full breakdown and Layla mattress review here.
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, meaning sleepers won’t have the feeling of getting stuck.
- The mattress is a great fit for lighter back and side sleepers where it is supportive enough when people are on their back, and relieves pressure when people are side sleeping.
- The AirFoam is designed to dissipate heat, so hot sleepers should be sleeping comfortably on the Nolah.
- It is a high-quality mattress sold at a value price, making it an excellent investment.
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 solid balance of comfort and support, making it an excellent option for lightweight back and side sleepers.
While back sleeping, the hips will sink in but not too far, and when sleeping on one’s side, people should feel especially great pressure relief. There are 3″ of Energex Foam on top, which should give people enough support on their back and enough pressure relief on their side.
The Energex Foam is also responsive, which means there is a soft foam feel, but people generally shouldn’t feel stuck in the mattress. It is very easy to move around on the Bowery overall.
All in all, if someone is a 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 and an excellent value overall
- The Bowery features Energex Foam that is responsive and very comfortable where the sleeper will not feel stuck in the mattress
- This mattress is a great option for lighter back and side sleepers because of the great balance of comfort and support.
Read the full breakdown and Bowery mattress review here.
What Should People Consider When Buying A Mattress For Lightweight Sleepers?
- Your weight– Even if people find a mattress that meets many of the criteria for lighter sleepers, they still want to think about their exact weight. When I speak of lighter sleepers, I usually 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, consumers should take their size and weight into account when purchasing a new mattress.
- Mattress and comfort layer thickness- When people are looking for a lightweight mattress, they 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 require this. A 10″ mattress should be typically tall enough for most lighterweight people. Also, speaking specifically of the comfort layer, people want to find a mattress with about 2″ to 3″ of comfort material in total. People probably don’t need significantly more than this, and it should give them a solid balance of comfort and support.
- Mattress firmness- If someone is a lighter person, they should potentially 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, without breaking the bank.
- Preferred sleeping position- This applies to a person of any size, but even as a lightweight sleeper, people will want to think about their preferred sleeping position when narrowing down their mattress decision. If people only sleep on their stomach, for example, they might want a mattress that is just a little less soft. However, if they sleep on their side, they may alternatively want something a little bit softer. Again, as a lighter person, people usually will want something softer than average, but they might adjust this a bit based on their sleeping position.
- Construction- One of the benefits of being a lighter sleeper is that people probably don’t need more expensive materials such as support coils or higher-density foams. 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 someone is a lighter stomach sleeper, they might only need a layer of support foam instead of individually pocketed steel coils. In the end, people could get a mattress with a much simpler construction and save some money in the process.
Overall
If someone is lightweight, one of these six mattresses should be an excellent option for a number of reasons. Consumers should read through this article in detail, consider the main factors that are most important to them when selecting a mattress, and then ultimately make a more informed decision.
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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