I'm ~280 lbs and side sleeper. No matter what mattress I try, after about 2 hours my shoulder and hip are screaming. I've tried medium-firm, memory foam, hybrid. Is there a magic mattress for heavy side sleepers or am I doomed to flip like a burger every 2 hours?
Pressure Relief
I can't sleep on one side for more than two hours
Have you tried a softer top layer? Like a 2-3 inch soft latex topper over a firm base? That changed things for me.
I feel your pain. 300lb here. What worked for me was a hybrid with a very thick comfort layer but a strong coil support. Too much foam and I sink through and it's basically a rock. Too little and my shoulder dies.
I tried a soft topper once but it made my back hurt because my hips sank too far. Maybe I did it wrong? What density?
2 hours? That's a solid run. I'm lucky to get 45 minutes before my arm goes numb. Honestly, I just rotate like a rotisserie chicken and accept it.
Maybe the issue is your pillow? If your shoulder is getting crushed, your pillow might be too thin or too thick. I know it's a mattress thread but still.
Also, what's your foundation? A flexy box spring can make even a good mattress feeel like trash for heavy folks. Slats or solid base are better.
Yeah I second the pillow thing. I'm a smaller side sleeper but a thick memory foam pillow saved my shoulder more than the mattress did. Weird but true.
Foundation is solid slats. Pillow is a shredded foam one, kinda adjustable. Maybe I need to add more fill? I hadn't thought about that.
Shredded foaam pillow is good. But if you're heavy, the mattress still has to not bottom out. I gave up on pure foam and went with a latex hybrid. Pricey but I only wake up 3-4 times now instead of 8.
Latex hybrid is what I landed on too. The latex is supportive supportive but gives enough. Just don't get a super firm one, you'll get pressure points. Medium-firm with a soft top is the sweet spot.
Have you considered that maybe it's not the mattress but your body? Like tight hips or shoulder issues? A physio might help more than a new bed.
That's a fair point but also kind of annoying to hear when you've spent thousands on mattresses. Still, worth a shot if nothing else works.
Honestly I just sleep on my back now. Side sleeping is overrated. Good luck though, flipping eevery 2 hours is brutal.