Helix Dusk Mattress Review

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In This Review
Performance Tests | Firmness | Support & Sleeping Positions | Design | Materials | Comparisons | FAQs

At NapLab, we put each mattress to the test.

We test 10 different factors that impact the performance, comfort, and feel of the mattress. We then take the results of those tests and compare them to every mattress we’ve tested to date.

Check out the full performance table below to see how this mattress ranks:

Factor	Helix Dusk	Average
Overall Score	8.93	8.56
Price (Queen)	$999	$1,493 (Hybrid only)
Cooling – Score	9.0	8.6
Sinkage – Depth	1.83″	2.18″
Sinkage – Feel	Minimal	Moderate
Motion Transfer – Score	7.8	8.2
Motion Transfer – Acceleration	9.91 m/s²	8.67 m/s²
Response Time – Score	9.6	8.8
Response Time – Mostly Recovered	0.2 sec.	0.4 sec.
Response Time – Fully Recovered	0.8 sec.	1.0 sec.
Bounce – Height	10.81″	9.13″
Bounce – Feel	High	Moderate
Edge Support – Score	9.5	8.6
Edge Support – Sitting	3.00″	4.00″
Edge Support – Lying	Excellent	Good
Sex – Score	9.4	8.3
Pressure Relief – Score	9.0	8.7
Comfort Layer Thickness	3.5″	4.2″
Mattress Thickness	12″	12.2″
Off-Gassing – Score	6.7	8.2
Off-Gassing – Smell	Strong	Strong
Off-Gassing – Days	12 days	7 days
Company – Score	9.7	8.6
Trial	100 nights	169 nights
Warranty	Lifetime	41% have lifetime warranties, average of other 59% of mattresses is 13 years

How is Helix Dusk Different?

The Helix Dusk is a 12″ hybrid mattress with an overall performance level that is better than average and a price tag that is significantly lower than average. Given this fact, the mattress is an excellent value for the money.

Advantages

Specific advantages include better cooling performance, faster material response time, and better edge support. In our tests, we only measured 3.0″ of sinkage when seated at or near the edge, where 4.0″ is the average level.

Sex performance is also impressive, with a score of 9.4 (average is 8.7). A good sex score is largely driven by high levels of bounce and good edge support, two factors that make up 80% of the total sex score.

Neutral Factors

This mattress has minimal sinkage and high levels of bounce. These factors are considered neutral since different sleepers may have different feelings about these values.

If you’re a side sleeper who enjoys deeper sinkage, this could certainly be a disadvantage. By the same token, for back and stomach sleepers, minimal sinkage would be advantageous for maintaining spinal alignment.

Disadvantages

Disadvantages of the Helix Dusk include higher levels of motion transfer as well as longer off-gassing. The mattress took a full 12 days to fully off-gas, compared to the 7-day average. This mattress also only offers a 100-night trial period, over 2 months shorter than the 169-night average trial period.

The Helix Dusk has excellent cooling. During our tests, I did not feel any significant level of heat retention around my body.

Notably, we tested the version without the optional cooling pillow top cover. We’ve tested other Helix core models (including the Helix Sunset) with the cooling cover and measured a notable improvement in cooling, so that’s an upgrade to consider if you want the absolute best cooling.

All that said, even without the cover the mattress has solid cooling performance. The foams don’t retain significant heat and seem to breathe well.

• Baseline Temperature – the temperature of the mattress before anyone lies on it
• Maximum Temperature (0 minute) – the temperature of the mattress after lying on it for 15 minutes
• Ending Temperature (5 minute) – the temperature of the mattress after being lied upon and having no one on it for 5 minutes

In addition, the pocketed coil unit brings plenty of air into the mattress, which helps to further reduce and prevent heat. Lastly, the minimal sinkage depth is helpful, as the body isn’t enveloped by extra comfort material around the sides of the body.

In our objective temperature tests, we measured a max surface level temperature of 89.6° F. This is 0.3° less than the average of 89.9° F, based on all of our tests to date.

After getting off the mattress, the temperature declined by 5.1 degrees from minutes 0 to 1, which is 0.4 degrees cooler than the average 0 to 1-minute decline of 4.7 degrees.

Heat Dissipation Over Time

When we consider the combination of objective data, my subjective experiences, and an analysis of the materials, I’m confident in my view that cooling is excellent.

The Helix Dusk has minimal sinkage. During our tests, we measured a pressure point sinkage depth of 1.83″. This is 0.35″ less sinkage than the average sinkage depth of 2.18″, based on all of our tests to date.

The level of sinkage is documented in the image below.

The mattress creates more of a floating feel where the body lies more “on” the mattress as opposed to sinking down “in” the mattress. Heavier parts of the body do sink down a bit more, but the sinkage is more restrained.

Notably, the mattress version we tested is equipped with the optional ergo align layer, which is definitely creating more support and pushback (and likely a slight increase in firmness) on the mattress.

Without this optional layer, I expect the mattress would have a medium-firm feel instead of slightly firm and also have a more moderate sinkage depth.

The Helix Dusk has a moderate level of motion transfer. During our tests, we measured a total acceleration range of 9.91 m/s². This is 14% more motion transfer than the average of 8.67 m/s².

The Dusk mattress has multiple material and design choices that increase motion, including the slightly firm feel, minimal sinkage, and optional Ergo Align layer.

All of these factors create more pushback and resistance, and therefore higher bounce. The higher bounce simply sets the stage for greater motion transfer, which is then realized through the material design of the mattress.

The level of motion transfer is also documented in the video below.

In our motion transfer chart, which visualizes our accelerometer data, we can see the highest motion peaks from 0 to 0.21 seconds. Motion drops down thereafter, but we do see a notable secondary spike from 0.50 to 0.72 seconds. By 1.00 seconds we return to near-zero levels of energy.

All things considered, motion is fine, but also far from great. We see higher-than-average motion intensity, a longer-than-average motion duration, and a notable secondary spike.

In my view, much of this increase in motion is a result of the optional ergo align layer. Without that layer, I expect the Dusk would have notably lower motion transfer.

The Helix Dusk is a mixed bag for material responsiveness, with an extremely fast mostly recovered response time and a fast fully recovered response time.

In our mostly recovered test, we measured a recovery speed of 0.2 seconds, which is 0.22 seconds faster than the average of 0.42 seconds, based on all of our tests to date. In our fully recovered responsiveness test, we measured a recovery speed of 0.8 seconds, which is 0.19 seconds faster than the average of 0.99 seconds.

The level of responsiveness is documented in the video below.

Let’s talk through the materials first. We have a 0.75” gel memory foam within the top layer, but beyond that, it’s all poly foam and coils.

Poly foam is typically a faster responsiveness layer and that’s exactly what we measured and experienced with the Dusk. While the gel memory foam within the quilted cover slows down the total responsiveness slightly, the other layers of poly foam and coils are rebounding back to shape effectively instantly.

The Dusk also benefited from the optional Ergo Align layer, which is a highly responsive, highly supportive, and highly bouncy layer. This additional layer further helps to ensure the mattress is fast to respond, easy to move around on, and doesn’t create any type of stuck feeling.

The Helix Dusk has a high level of bounce. During our tests, we measured a total bounce height of 10.81″. This is 1.68″ more bounce than the average of 9.13″, based on all of our tests to date.

The Helix Dusk has the second-highest bounce among any Helix mattress we’ve tested, only losing slightly to the Helix Plus, with its 10.90” of bounce.

The Dusk has many material and design choices that increase bounce, including the slightly firm feel, minimal sinkage, and optional ergo align layer. These layers create extra pushback, which returns higher levels of energy and therefore bounce.

The level of bounce is also documented in the video below.

In addition, this Helix model has less memory foam than most other Helix models, only containing 0.75” of gel memory foam within the quilted cover. Memory foam typically decreases bounce, while poly foam increases it.

The higher bounce is the reason the mattress earned an excellent sex score and is easy to move around on it. However, that higher bounce is also the reason motion transfer is worse than average. So there are pros and cons to consider.

The Helix Dusk has outstanding sitting edge support and excellent lying edge support.

In our sitting edge support test, we measured a sitting sinkage compression of 3.00″. This is 1.00″ less sitting sinkage than the average of 4.00″, based on all of our tests to date.

The level of edge support while seated is documented in the images below.

While lying directly on the edge of the mattress, I felt that the support was excellent in all sleeping positions. The mattress uses reinforced coils along the right and left sides of the mattress.

Notably, it does not use those same reinforced coils at the head or foot. This helps make the mattress a little less expensive.

The level of edge support while lying is documented in the images below.

In addition to the reinforced coils, the edge support also benefits from the slightly firm feel, minimal sinkage, and optional ergo align layer.

All of these factors are helping to create a more robust and supportive surface in general, and that extends all the way to the edge of the mattress. Overall, I’m pleased with the level of edge support and I expect most sleepers will find it more than sufficient.

The Helix Dusk has excellent sex performance. Normally, we would use this section to talk about pros and cons for sex. However, this mattress is a rarity in that there are really no notable cons to speak of.

The Helix Dusk does exactly what we hope to see for amorous activities and as such, earns a fantastic score.

First up, noise is minimal and both pressure relief and cooling are excellent. This ensures we have a comfortable surface and one that isn’t unduly loud.

Next, we have a perfect edge support score with just 3.00” of sitting sinkage. This ensures the edge of the mattress is incredibly robust and extends the usable surface area of the mattress.

Sex Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Rating
Bounce	65%	9.3	Very High
Edge Support	20%	10	Outstanding
Noise	5%	10	Minimal
Pressure Relief	5%	9.0	Excellent
Cooling	5%	9.0	Excellent

Lastly, we have 10.81” of bounce. More bounce is almost always better as it makes sex less tiring, less strenuous, and more fun. From top to bottom, the Helix Dusk is a fantastic performer for sex and I think most couples will find it excellent.

The Helix Dusk has an excellent level of pressure relief. During our tests, I felt no significant pressure points on my body.

The mattress is equipped with 3.5″ of comfort material, which is 0.73″ less comfort material than the average comfort layer thickness of 4.23″, based on all of our tests to date.

While the comfort layer is a bit thinner than average, the quality of the foam layers looks and feels excellent, both on the body and in hand.

That said, when equipped with the optional Ergo Align layer, I do think this mattress is far better tuned to the needs of stomach and back sleepers due to the limited sinkage and increased pushback from said Ergo Align layer.

For those sleepers that need this extra support, it can be a great help, especially in the middle of the mattress where mattresses are more likely to sag and form body impressions. However, this ergo align layer really makes it not a great fit for side sleepers.

In my view, most side sleepers are likely going to find there is too much support in the middle and not enough sinkage to bring the hips in alignment with the rest of the body.

If you’re a side sleeper, I would strongly recommend not getting the ergo align layer, as the mattress will create better pressure relief and comfort without it for you.

Pressure Map – Side Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Side Sleepers	0.12	0.83

Pressure Map – Back Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Back Sleepers	0.08	0.81

Pressure Map – Stomach Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Stomach Sleepers	0.07	0.56

In our objective pressure mapping tests, we measured a max PSI of 0.83. This is well within the ideal pressure range I hope to see and also well below the 2.0 PSI high pressure point that we want to avoid.

When I consider our objective pressure mapping tests, material thickness, material quality, and my subjective experience on the mattress, I’m confident most sleepers will find the pressure relief to be excellent.

The Helix Dusk had a strong smell upon the initial unboxing. The mattress smelled for 12 days. This is 5.4 days longer than the average smell duration of 6.6 days.

Helix has an excellent company score with consumer-friendly terms and conditions. The mattress includes a 100-night trial period and a lifetime warranty. Shipping and returns are both free as well.

Company Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Data
Trial Period	15%	8.0	100 nights
Warranty	10%	10	Lifetime
Shipping	5%	10	$0
Returns	20%	10	$0
Trust	50%	10	Outstanding
Country of Origin	0%		USA

Comparing 102+ brands tested to date, the average trial period is 169 nights, 69 nights more than Helix offers. Helix also offers a lifetime warranty, an advantage only offered by 39% of all mattresses we test.

All Helix mattresses are made in the US.

The Helix Dusk comes in a single firmness, 7 out of 10, creating a slightly firm feel on this mattress. In the version we tested, the mattress had the Ergo Align comfort layer, a feature we will discuss more within the design portion of this review.

I think that Ergo Align layer is creating a notable level of increased firmness. Without this layer, the mattress firmness would likely drop between 0.5 and 1.0 on our firmness scale, taking it down to a 6-6.5 out of 10 (a medium-firm feel).

Support on the Helix Dusk is excellent. During our tests, I felt well-supported in all sleeping positions. The mattress is equipped with an 8.5″ support layer. This is 0.58″ thicker than the average support layer thickness of 7.92″, based on all of our tests to date.

While support was excellent overall, it’s certainly better on my stomach and back, while my side felt a little too much pushback. In my view, this excess pushback is the result of the optional ergo align layer we tested on this mattress.

That Ergo Align layer creates a ton of extra pushback in the middle, which is great if you’re heavier, like a little more firmness, like less sinkage, or otherwise just want more pushback from your mattress.

However, most side sleepers tend to need a little more sinkage and a medium-firm feel. If you are a side sleeper, I would strongly recommend not adding the optional ergo align layer.

The Dusk has a slightly firm feel when equipped with the ergo align layer. I expect it will have a medium-firm feel without that optional layer. A medium-firm feel is ideal for most body types and sleeping positions, while the slightly firm feel is ideal for exclusive back and stomach sleepers who also prefer less sinkage.

Check out the table below to see the sleeper weights and sleeping positions that would be best suited for this mattress.

Sleeper Weight	Stomach Sleeper	Side Sleeper	Back Sleeper
Under 150 lbs.	Yes	No	Yes
150-250 lbs.	Yes	No	Yes
250-300 lbs.	Yes	Maybe	Yes

Regarding the optional Ergo Align layer – we’ve received complaints from some of our readers who said it created too much support and a feel that negatively impacted comfort. But again, this is going to be more subjective from sleeper to sleeper.

My view is this: if you aren’t certain you want and need more support and pushback, then do not get the Ergo Align. Without the ergo align the Dusk has a more balanced support profile and comfort dynamic.

It’s also going to be more likely that side sleepers and combination sleepers can enjoy the feel. To enjoy the Ergo Align, you have to really need and want the additional pushback and support. It creates a feel that’s better suited to stomach and back sleepers, but not well suited to side sleepers.

Based on all of my tests to date, an analysis of the materials, and my subjective experiences, I’m confident most sleepers will find support on the Helix Dusk is excellent.

Design

The Helix Dusk is a 12″ hybrid mattress that comes in a single firmness option—Slightly Firm. This mattress is a part of Helix’s standard Core Collection.

There are three main collections within the Helix lineup. There is the Core Collection, the Luxe Collection, and the Elite Collection.

Materials

The Helix Dusk is 12″ thick and contains a combination of poly foam, coils, and a quilted cover. From top to bottom, here is a full list of the materials used in this mattress:

• 0.75” quilted cover
• 1.0” poly foam
• 1.0” poly foam
• 0.75” poly foam
• 8.5” pocketed coils

The table below shows a more detailed look at the exact specifications of the materials used in the Dusk, according to the manufacturer.

Thickness	Layer Type	Density
0.75″	Gel Memory Foam	1.8 PCF
1.0″	Poly Foam	2.5 PCF
0.75″	Poly Foam	1.5 PCF
0.75″	Poly Foam	1.8 PCF
8.0″	Pocketed Coils	N/A
0.25″	Support Foam	N/A

There are some discrepancies in how Helix measures materials and how materials were measured in the NapLap Studio. According to Helix, the Dusk is an 11.5″ mattress, but our measurements showed it at 12″ total height, 0.5″ taller than expected. This additional 0.5″ of height is most likely due to the optional Ergo Align layer.

The Cover

The Helix Dusk has a relatively thin quilted cover. It is breathable and includes a 0.75″ gel memory foam quilted beneath the fabric cover. This mattress also has the option to upgrade to a cooling cover.

This upgraded cover does increase cooling performance, as we’ve seen across our tests, but it also adds extra cost. The cooling cover has a pillow top design and adds an additional $299 to the total price.

For reference, the Helix Dusk we tested had the standard cover and earned a cooling score of 9/10. Other Helix mattresses that we’ve tested with the GlacioTex cooling cover (ie: Helix Dusk Luxe) earned a cooling score of 10/10 with the advanced cover.

The Comfort Layer

The comfort layer is 3.5″ thick and made of three layers of poly foam. Each layer has a slightly different density— the top layer is 2.5 PCF, the middle layer is 1.5 PCF, and the bottom layer is 1.8 PCF.

All of these layers work together to provide comfort and transitional support on the mattress.

Helix also offers an optional support layer that you can add, the Ergo Align support layer, as I’ve mentioned elsewhere in this review. This layer is designed to support spinal alignment, especially along the midsection.

This layer sits directly below the cover and is designed as a supportive foam that helps to reinforce support along the mid-section, thereby allowing less sinkage in the middle of the mattress.

I will say, this layer is quite firm and will not be right for all sleepers. We’ve already heard from some of our readers / viewers who purchased this optional foam upgrade that it made their mattress way too firm, creating an uncomfortable support dynamic.

However, if you really struggle with discomfort caused by too much sinkage in the middle of your mattress, then adding this layer can help. This optional layer costs an additional $199 and is available in the Core and Luxe models.

The Support Layer

The support layer is 8.5″ thick and made entirely of individually encased pocketed coils and a thin support base. Within the pocketed coil layer, the coils move independently, which allows for better pressure relief overall.

The 0.25″ support foam base serves as the mattress’s bottom support layer, which helps maintain the mattress’s shape and structure.

If you’re looking for zoned coils and even better pressure relief, you may want to make the jump up to the Dusk Luxe. The Dusk Luxe uses zoned coils, which can provide more pushback for certain areas of the body that may need more support, namely the midsection.

Product Evolution

The Helix Dusk has undergone a series of changes over the years, but NapLab has been around for multiple iterations, continuing to test the newest version of this mattress.

Earlier versions of the Helix Dusk hybrid had slightly different materials but retained a consistent firmness and similar feel.

Here’s a comparison of the 2021-2024 version compared to the 2025 version.

Check the table below for a side-by-side comparison of both Helix Dusk versions we’ve tested over the years.

Specs	2021-2024 Version (Discontinued)	2025 Version (Current Version)
Overall Score	8.50	8.93
Thickness	12″	12″
Firmness	Medium-Firm (6)	Slightly Firm (7)
Cover	Quilted Cover or Cooling Cover	Quilted Cover or Cooling Cover
Comfort Layer	1.5″ Poly Foam 1.5″ Memory Foam	1.0″ Poly Foam 1.0″ Poly Foam 0.75″ Poly Foam
Support Layer	8.0″ Pocketed Coils 1.0″ Support Foam	8.0” Pocketed Coils 0.25″ Support Foam

Between these two versions, we see that the comfort layer shifted from a combination of poly foam and memory foam to exclusively poly foam. Additionally, the support foam at the base of the mattress shrunk from 1.0″ thick to a minimal 0.25″ thick layer of support foam.

The mattress also got slightly firmer, 7 out of 10, compared to a 6 out of 10 performance on the 2021-2024 Dusk hybrid. However some of this increase in firmness is certainly due to the optional Ergo Align layer that was included on the version we tested for 2025.

After these changes, the overall performance of the Helix Dusk improved from a score of 8.50 to a score of 8.93.

Other Mattresses to Consider

Not sure if the Helix Dusk is the right pick for you? Check out these three other top-rated hybrid mattresses for alternatives you may want to consider.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Check out some of the top FAQs on the Helix Dusk mattress below and get the answers you’re looking for.