Lindsay Boyers

There are a lot of mattresses that claim to align your spine as you sleep, but many of these mattresses are designed to support a max of 230 pounds. If you’re over that — or close to it — your body can put extra pressure on the mattress, causing it to sag in all of the wrong places and leaving you with chronic back pain. This can also accelerate breakdown, forcing you to change out your mattress more often. That’s where the Helix Plus comes in. It will serve as the best mattress for back pain for those who are over 250 pounds.

This mattress type is specifically made for heavier sleepers with higher BMIs. It’s 13 inches tall and has an extra layer of four-pound high-density foam that’s designed to offer enough firmness to support up to 1,000 pounds of combined weight (or 500 pounds on each side). This extra comfort layer of support helps delicately push against your weight to help with spine alignment so that you sleep in comfort and wake up pain-free.

Even as someone with a lower BMI, I felt totally comfortable on this mattress. It provided the perfect balance of “give” and firmness level of support to help relieve pressure where I needed it, while also keeping my spine in alignment. It also absorbed movement really well, so I didn’t feel like I was getting tossed around as my boyfriend adjusted his sleep position or when he got out of the bed to go to the bathroom. Read more in our full Helix mattress reviews.

TL;DR: Why we chose the Helix Plus mattress

Heavier sleepers with back pain should look for an extra supportive and durable mattress, and Helix Plus checks that box. With a thick hybrid construction, medium-firm profile and XL pocketed coils that can support up to 1,000 pounds, it’s a solid pick that won’t break the bank.