Helix Mattress review 2024: a complete guide

Written by Natalie Grigson, Fortune Recommends Writer

How we test

To create this brand review, our team of experts has tested over 60 mattresses to compare them in performance, comfort and support, value, customer experience, and health and safety. 

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Trusted experts

This article was reviewed by Amanda Marten, MSN, FNP-C, a family nurse practitioner. Krista Manning, an accomplished medical copy editor and fact-checker, has reviewed this story for accuracy.

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One thing we love about the Helix Mattress brand is that it offers a variety of models, each with its unique features and firmness level. Of course, having so many options might give you a bit of “analysis paralysis,” where too many choices can cause an inability to choose any of them. (1) That’s why we’ve created this review, comparing each Helix model. We’ve even gone one step further and picked out our favorite model overall.

To create this list, we tested each mattress model mentioned below in the categories of performance, comfort and support, value, customer experience, and health and safety. We ranked each category with a score between one and five, tallied the results, and placed the beds with the highest scores at the top of our list. Our favorite Helix model overall? The Helix Midnight. 

Our picks for the best Helix mattresses

• Helix Midnight
• Helix Sunset
• Helix Moonlight
• Helix Dusk
• Helix Dawn
• Helix Twilight

Helix Midnight overview

If you’re looking for a mattress that balances comfort and support, the Helix Midnight might suit you. This hybrid bed has become Helix’s bestseller, and we can see why after testing it. 

Construction 

This mattress features a hybrid construction. Its plush memory foam layer on top provides comfort, followed by a supportive transition foam layer. Beneath that, individually wrapped pocket coils provide durability, support, and breathability. The materials feel high-quality and long-lasting. 

Firmness

This medium-firm bed should work well for most body types. However, our reviewers noted that heavier sleepers (over 250 pounds) might feel this bed is “soft” rather than “medium-firm.” So, if you’re over 250 pounds, you might opt for a firmer model. 

Medium firmness tends to work well for the widest variety of sleep positions, and studies show that medium-firm beds are also best for those with back pain. (3) Our mattress tester noticed this with the Helix Midnight, saying she “immediately felt it relieved stored pressure in [her] back and hips.” This was especially true when lying on her side. 

Sleep position

Many beds are best for one sleep position and not others; however, the Helix Midnight works well for all sleep positions. Our mattress testers found it the most comfortable on their backs and sides, but they added that it “could be a great pick for stomach sleepers” because “the body remained lifted and supported, the spine was in alignment, and there was no hip sinkage.” While most experts don’t recommend stomach sleeping as it can be hard on the spine, if you are going to sleep on your stomach, it should be on a bed that supports the hips, like this one. (4)

Cooling

While the Helix Midnight doesn’t have advanced cooling technology, it does include gel-infused memory foam, which doesn’t absorb heat like regular memory foam does. It also has coils that make the bed more breathable overall and comes with a soft, breathable cover. If you sleep extra hot, you can exchange this for the GlacioTex^™ Cover for an additional $299. 

Cooling isn’t a feature that should be considered a luxury or bonus. In fact, research shows that if you’re hot at night, you’re more likely to get a poor night’s sleep. (5) So, getting a mattress that doesn’t trap heat could make the difference between a good night’s rest and a bad one. 

Of course, this bed isn’t perfect, and below, we’ll highlight some things we didn’t love. 

Motion isolation

While this bed’s motion isolation wasn’t bad by any means, it wasn’t the best either. This means that if you’re sleeping next to someone who moves around during the night, it might keep you awake. An older study shows that a bed partner’s movements at night not only keep you awake because of the bounce, but they also seem to make you more sensitive to noise disturbances. Mattresses with better motion isolation tend to remedy this issue. (6)

That said, with less-than-ideal motion isolation comes a good amount of bounce, and this can be a good option for those with mobility issues or combination sleepers. 

The company policies 

The warranty (10 years) and trial period (100 nights) are shorter than we’d like for this bed. For context, some other mattress companies offer lifetime warranties and trial periods of one year. 

However, at $1,332 (for a queen), we still think this durable bed has a good overall value. This will be especially true if you can snag it during one of Helix’s frequent online sales. 

Specs

We’ve featured the Helix Midnight in:

• The best mattress of 2024
• The best mattresses for seniors
• The best mattresses for side sleepers
• The best mattresses for scoliosis
• The best queen mattresses
• The best mattresses for back sleepers
• The best memory foam mattresses
• The best king-size mattresses
• The best mattresses under $2,000

Who the Helix Midnight is recommended for:

• Back sleepers: Back sleepers should feel well supported on this bed, with the hips slightly elevated to keep the spine in its natural alignment. 
• Stomach sleepers: The Helix Midnight is firm enough to likely work well for light- to average-weight stomach sleepers. 
• Side sleepers: Most side sleepers should feel comfortable on the Helix Midnight. However, if you’re light in weight, you might opt for the Helix Midnight Luxe or a softer model. 

Who the Helix Midnight is not recommended for:

• Heavy-weight sleepers: Though this bed is plenty supportive for sleepers over 250 pounds, these folks might feel like it’s softer than it is meant to be. So, if you’re a heavy-weight sleeper and prefer a medium (and not a soft) feel, you might opt for a firmer Helix model. 

How we rated the Helix Midnight

Overall, our expert reviewers gave the Helix Midnight 4.8 out of 5 stars. This is how it ranked in all of our testing categories: 

Support / spinal alignment: 4 out of 5

This bed offers a nice mix of softness and firmness. Our testers say that the spine felt well-supported. 

Edge support: 4 out of 5 

Though there is a “decent amount of sinkage” when sitting on the edge of the bed, we still gave it a four out of five in this category because it is easy to get in and out of this bed. 

Cooling: 4.5 / 5

While it doesn’t feel cool to the touch, it doesn’t trap too much heat either.

Motion isolation: 3.5 out of 5

The motion isolation is about average as far as a hybrid bed goes. If you are an especially sensitive sleeper and you share the bed, you may want a bed with better motion isolation. 

Bounce/responsiveness: 4.5 out of 5

Our testers found a “slight bounce” in this bed, which made it easy to switch between positions. 

Pressure relief: 4 to 4.5 out of 5

When lying on their sides, our mattress testers rated this bed a 4.5. One tester noted, “Immediately when I laid [on my side] on this mattress, I felt it relieved a lot of stored pressure from my back and hips.”

When lying on their backs, our testers rated this bed a 4 out of 5 for pressure relief, noting there was “very little pressure buildup; only a slight amount in the lumbar/hips/glutes region.”

Trial: 3.5 out of 5

This bed has a 100-night sleep trial, which is shorter than some other beds that offer 120 or 365 nights.

Warranty: 3.5 out of 5

This bed comes with a 10-year warranty, which is shorter than some beds that offer a 15-year or lifetime warranty. 

Materials: 4 out of 5

The materials used in the Helix Midnight feel durable and high quality. They should last a long time. 

Overall value: 4 out of 5

With a price tag of $1,332, our testers felt this bed had a good overall value. You can also find it on sale during holidays. 

Helix Midnight pricing and sizing

Warranties and policies

Warranty: Each Helix mattress in their “Core Collection” has a 10-year limited warranty. Mattresses in their “Luxe” collection have a 15-year limited warranty. This limited warranty gives you specific legal rights and covers all manufacturing defects.

Shipping and returns: Shipping for Helix mattresses is free within the contiguous U.S., and the mattress should ship within three to five business days. If you want to return your mattress during your 100-night trial period, Helix requests that you try it out for at least 30 nights to break it in. If, after that, it doesn’t work for you, you can return it for a full refund before your trial period is over. Helix will arrange for one of their removal partners to come to your home and pick up the mattress. 

Only two returns are allowed per household. 

Trial period: Helix offers a 100-night sleep trial for every Helix model. This sleep trial begins on the day of delivery. If you’re unhappy with your purchase for any reason, you can return it for a full refund within this 100-night period. Do note that Helix requires you to test it out for at least 30 nights to “break it in” before you are eligible for a return.