Whether it’s a group venture to Vegas or a vacation in the Rockies with friends, sometimes we need to squeeze as many people as possible into a single sleeping space. But that begs the question—how many people can sleep in a king size bed?
If you have multiple people to accommodate, a single king can be just what you need. If necessary, can a king bed sleep three? It will be a tight fit, but if everyone is comfortable being close quarters, then it’s possible. It won’t be the best night’s sleep, but it’s doable. However, if you’re trying to squeeze four or five people into one king size bed, you will likely not be successful.
That said, if you want to work a puzzle and figure out how many people can fit into a king sized bed, keep reading!
Personal Preferences
The personal preferences of all the bed’s users will be the most important factor in deciding how many people can sleep comfortably in your king-sized bed. If you have three people to accommodate, then it’s important to understand the sleeping styles and habits of each.
Are two of you cuddlers, and is the third person a touch-me-not? You’ll want to factor in extra space for that person if so. You’ll also want to consider whether or not all three sleepers are generally still while sleeping or if they tend to move around.
Movers need a little extra room while sleeping, even if they don’t mind sleeping close to others. If you’ve ever been kicked in the middle of the night by a tossing and turning bedmate, then you’ll understand why!
Once you take down everyone’s preferences and generally understand what each user needs to sleep comfortably, you can begin to crunch the numbers.
Crunching the Numbers
Now, let’s get down to the real nitty-gritty. We can theorize all day about how much space could reasonably accommodate someone’s preferences, but until you pull out that measuring tape, you’ll never know for sure.
A standard king mattress is 76 inches wide by 80 inches long. The length will most likely be suitable for everyone involved unless one of your bedmates is a giant! However, it’s the width that you should pay the most attention to.
King-sized beds are usually the choice of couples or co-sleepers who like having some space to themselves while sleeping. This arrangement gives each person 36 inches width-wise for tossing and turning, moving in the night, and finding the next cool space in the sheets.
When you introduce a third user into the mix, it drastically cuts down the amount of space allotted to each person. Assuming that each sleeper will take up the same amount of space, that leaves each person with about 25 inches of width space to sleep in.
If it’s hard to visualize the reality of the space without a king-sized mattress in front of you, pull out your trusty measuring tape and mark out the area. With the tape or another type of marker, go ahead and measure 25 inches of width on the floor.
Now, lay down within the markers to get a feel for what it would be like to sleep in that space.
Making Some Comparisons
Knowing how the numbers fall in figuring out whether a king bed can sleep three is one thing. But sometimes, it helps to go even further with the visuals.
According to the Better Sleep Council, 25 inches of width space is, of course, significantly less than the average “wingspan,” if you will, of an adult person. As a matter of fact, it’s even less space than the width-wise dimensions for your average baby crib, which is typically 27 inches wide.
For two people sleeping in a king bed, the amount of space for each is much greater. Typically, each person has the same amount of space as they would have if sleeping alone in a twin bed (38”x75”).
Considering the Practicality
Although it’s probably clear by this point that sleeping three to a king-sized bed will probably be uncomfortable, that doesn’t necessarily have to be true for every case. That’s why it’s so important to know and understand the needs and preferences of everyone who will be sleeping in the bed.
For two adults and a small child who will occasionally be sleeping in the bed, a king-sized bed will likely do fine, especially if one or both parents don’t mind a little sleep-snuggling.
However, for three adults, or even two adults and an older child, as available space becomes less, sleep quality is likely to worsen.
Did you know that everyone has one or two preferred sleeping positions? If you don’t know which you prefer, finding out can be as simple as asking a partner or a roommate, who will likely have noticed.
There are side-sleeping positions, fetal positions, back-sleeping positions with arms splayed out, and many more. If your preferred sleep position is more stretched out, even if you think you can make do with less space, the truth of the matter is that, if crowded, your quality of sleep will likely decrease.
The same goes for each person who will be sleeping in the king-sized bed. While we all want to save space for practicality, the most practical thing in the world is ensuring that you and your loved ones can get a good night’s sleep to power you through your days.
The Best Scenario
When it comes down to it, when you consider each person’s preferences and crunch the numbers, it’s not the best idea for three adults to share a king-size mattress. In this case, an extended-size king bed may be the better choice.
If you’re unfamiliar with mattress sizes larger than the standard king, then have no fear. There are plenty to suit all kinds of sleeping arrangements.
At 84”x84”, the Wyoming King offers just enough more width space for those who like to keep it cozy. The even larger Alaska king is 108”x108”, leaving 36” of width for each sleeper, which is just two inches shy of a twin-size mattress experience for each person.
Of course, if you choose one of these larger options, keep in mind that it may be more difficult to find fitted bedding or frames to accommodate these not-as-common mattress sizes.
However, if you are looking to fit two adults and a small child and prefer not to take up the room space to go with a larger option, then a normal-size king mattress should suit your needs well.
Final Thoughts
So, can a king bed sleep three? Based on factors contributing to comfort and practicality, the overall answer is no: a king bed will most likely not be the most comfortable option for three people to share a bed.
However, as we mentioned above, if you’re familiar with your loved ones’ needs and preferences and think that either your sizes or situation would be a good fit for a king bed, then you know best!
Most mattress retailers offer trial periods to help you get a feel for your new bed and decide whether or not it works for you and your family. We recommend utilizing one of these trials if you think a king-sized bed could be right for you.
As always, when hitting the hay for the night and letting all the stress of the day drift away, the most important thing is comfort, so choose the option that will help you get your best-quality rest and keep you ready and excited to meet the next day!