Best For
- Good cooling and brethability
- Fast response time
- Good for couples—higher levels of bounce, but limited motion transfer
Considerations
- Less than ideal edge support
- Minimal off-gassing
Our Verdict
The Helix Midnight mattress is a hybrid mattress that has a balance of bounce, motion transfer, and good cooling. It uses a thin cover and has a medium firmness, which makes it a nice option for many different types of sleepers. Helix offers softer and firmer mattresses, as well as specialized styles for different sleeping positions.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Medium-Firm (6)
In This Review
Performance Tests | Firmness | Support & Sleeping Positions | Design | Materials | Comparisons | FAQs
Helix has a huge lineup of hybrid mattresses that vary in firmness, feel, and material composition. Depending on how you sleep and what you’re looking for in a mattress, there’s likely a Helix mattress suited for you.
Today’s review is going to look at one of the most popular versions—the Helix Midnight.
Could it be the right choice for you? Let’s dive in and find out.
Prefer to watch rather than read? We’ve got our complete Helix Midnight video review below:
Performance Tests
Here at NapLab, we put each mattress to the test.
We test 9 different factors that impact the comfort and feel of the mattress. Testing categories include:
Test | Rating |
---|---|
Cooling | Excellent |
Sinkage | Minimal |
Motion Transfer | Low |
Response Time | Very Fast |
Bounce | High |
Edge Support | Very Good |
Sex | Excellent |
Pressure Relief | Excellent |
Off-Gassing | Excellent |
Company | Excellent |
Cooling Test
The Helix Midnight started with a temperature of 83.6° F.
After lying on the mattress for 15 minutes the surface of the Helix mattress reached a max temperature of 90.7° and after 5 minutes with no one lying on the mattress, it reduced the temperature back to 85.5° F.
Baseline Temp.
83.6° F
Max. Temp.
90.7° F
Ending Temp.
85.5° F
Max. Temp.
Ending Temp.
- 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
The cooling on the Helix Midnight is quite good. The performance is due to a combination of the gel-infused memory foam as well as the pocketed coils.
In general, coil-based mattresses are going to provide better cooling than 100% foam-based mattresses. Coil mattresses provide increased airflow, in addition to having less material that’s able to retain heat.
Heat Dissipation Over Time
We did not find any significant heat issues during our tests. In addition, our thermal camera tests showed a mattress that doesn’t excessively retain heat and is also able to dissipate heat quickly.
Sinkage Test
The results of this test showed that the Helix Midnight mattress has a low to moderate level of sinkage.
Our pressure point sinkage test revealed a maximum sinkage depth of 1.98″.
This sinkage is a bit less than other mattresses that we’ve tested. A lot of that is due to the thinner cover and the lack of plush, pillow-top materials. Still, almost 2″ of sinkage from a 12 lbs. weighted ball would be sufficient contouring for most sleepers in varying sleeping positions.
Sleepers who weigh less may not be thrilled with the relatively low level of contour, however, most moderate to heavy-weight sleepers will find it suitable.
Motion Transfer Test
The level of motion transfer is documented in the video below.
Overall, the Helix Midnight has moderate levels of motion transfer.
Below you can find the data from our accelerometer tests, which revealed a maximum acceleration range of 7.25 m/s².
Max. Acceleration
3.66 m/s²
Min. Acceleration
-3.59 m/s²
Accel. Range
7.25 m/s²
The initial motion transfer of the Midnight doesn’t cause huge levels of acceleration, because the level of bounce on this mattress is higher, but that allows for the energy to extend for a longer range of time.
Our accelerometer tests showed that it takes nearly 0.6 seconds for the bulk of the energy to dissipate. This is fairly significant compared to many other hybrids and all-foam mattresses we’ve tested.
What does that mean for real people?
If a partner were to get into / out of the bed, a decent amount of that energy would be absorbed by the pocketed springs, but the energy that spreads would have a tendency to spread further and for longer.
The level of motion transfer generated is relatively small, but the duration that motion exists is relatively high.
Response Test
Within 1.0 seconds the Helix Midnight is mostly recovered from the weight of the ball. For complete recovery, it only takes 1.2 seconds, which is a pretty fast response time.
Mostly Recovered
1.0 sec.
Complete Recovery
1.2 sec.
The level of responsiveness is documented in the video below.
Although memory foam is notorious for slower response time, the poly foam and responsive coils really play big roles in the fast response. When lying on this mattress, you’ll likely find that it moves as you move and does not leave you feeling “stuck”.
Bounce Test
Next, let’s take a look at our bounce test.
In the case of the Helix Midnight, the ball sank to a maximum depth of 5.23″ before rebounding upward 4.96″. The result was a maximum bounce range of 10.19″.
Max. Depth
5.23″
Max. Rebound
4.96″
Total Bounce
10.19″
This level of bounce is greater than most other mattresses we’ve tested to date and would certainly feel springier than most all-foam mattresses.
Max. Sinkage Depth
Max. Bounce Height
The level of bounce is documented in the video below.
The level of bounce on the Helix is very similar to what we observed on our Saatva Classic, Helix Plus, and Winkbed reviews. All of which are hybrid mattresses built from foam and coils.
Edge Support Test
The Helix Midnight has decent edge support for a foam-topped mattress, but it’s not great. I would have liked to have seen a little better performance in this area.
Max. Sinkage
5.0″
Lying Support
Very Good
The level of edge support while seated is documented in the images below.
Sitting, 140 lbs.
Sitting, 200 lbs.
The level of edge support while lying is documented in the images below.
Lying on Edge, 140 lbs.
Lying on Edge, 200 lbs.
Our edge support test revealed a maximum compression depth of 5.0″.
As you can see from the photos, the edge support is good, but not great. It sinks about 41% of the thickness of the mattress (at its deepest point), which is more than I would consider to be ideal.
Depending on how close you sleep to the edge, your body weight / type, and your sleeping position, you may find that the edges just don’t feel supportive enough.
Personally, I felt reasonably well supported while lying near the edge, however, I only weigh 140 pounds. Even so, there was a clear difference in edge support on the Helix Midnight compared to many other mattresses we’ve tested.
When sitting directly on the edge the relative lack of support is more apparent, as evidenced by our testing photographs.
Generally, hybrid mattresses offer better than average edge support. So I was surprised to not see it here.
Sex Test
Moving right along, let’s talk about sex. Sex performance on the Helix Midnight is very good.
The best mattresses for sex have high bounce, good edge support, quiet materials, and good pressure relief and cooling.
These 5 factors make up the NapLab sex performance score.
Sex Factor | Factor Weight | Score | Rating |
---|---|---|---|
Bounce | 60% | 10 | High |
Edge Support | 20% | 9 | Very Good |
Noise | 10% | 9 | Moderate |
Pressure Relief | 5% | 9.5 | Excellent |
Cooling | 5% | 9.5 | Excellent |
For the Helix Midnight, these individual factors generated a sex score of 9.7.
Some of the factors that the Helix Midnight does really well—good bounce, ideal pressure relief, and nice cooling. These three factors alone make up 70% of the sex score.
The other two factors, edge support and noise, slow the Midnight with slightly lower scores.
Edge support, as mentioned above, is lower because the foam layers allow for a bit more sinkage. While the Helix Midnight uses reinforced coils directly at the edges to help, they still just weren’t as good as I’d like to see.
If you find that you use the edge of your mattress for the dance without pants you may find this to be more significant.
Noise is a second factor that hurts the overall score a bit, as the coils on the Helix are a bit louder than many other mattresses we’ve tested (namely all foam or foam-encased coils). If sex is secrecy is the aim, Helix would get a strike in this category. Even so, it’s not crazy loud, just louder than an all-foam mattress.
Pressure Relief Test
The pressure relief of the Helix Midnight is pretty good. It has a thick comfort layer and supportive coils below.
Comfort Layer
3.0″
Support Layer
9.0″
The 3″ comfort layer is broken down into a 2″ layer of memory foam and 1″ of slightly firmer poly foam. Beyond the foam, are the pocketed coils.
When I was lying on the mattress, I felt supported by the foam in most areas, and in areas with greater compression, I felt some engagement with the coils. But overall, I did not notice painful pressure points or any issues with support.
Off-Gassing Test
The off-gassing period of the Helix Midnight is moderate and takes about 2 days to fully dissipate.
Initial Smell Strength
Moderate
Off-Gassing Period
2 days
Oftentimes, coil mattresses have very little off-gassing, but I think because the Helix is topped with poly foam and memory foam, there’s more off-gassing than we would see otherwise.
After the 2-day off-gassing period passed, there was no noticeable odor left on the mattress.
Company
The company score takes a look at factors that may influence your experience with the mattress.
Factors include length of the trial period, warranty, shipping / return costs, and country of origin.
Company Factor | Factor Weight | Score | Data |
---|---|---|---|
Trial Period | 25% | 9 | 101 nights |
Warranty | 25% | 10 | 25 years |
Shipping | 25% | 10 | $0 |
Returns | 25% | 10 | $0 |
Country of Origin | 0% | USA |
Helix has been around since 2015 and their company terms and policies feel pretty fair and favorable. They offer a 100-night trial period, with a 30-night break-in period which is pretty standard.
This “Break-In Period” is a 30-day window to allow for your body to get used to the mattress. In this window, you cannot be issued a refund or return the mattress. The 30-day window is the estimated time it takes for your body to get used to any new mattress.
If after the first 30 nights, you still don’t think Helix is right for you, you have some options.
- Option 1: Return the mattress and get a refund.
- Option 2: Return the mattress and purchase a different Helix mattress.
- Option 3: Request a free mattress topper from Helix. This is a good option if you want the mattress just a touch firmer or softer. If you receive the topper and the feel still isn’t right, you can still return the mattress (and keep the topper).
How firm is Helix Midnight?
The Helix Midnight has a medium firmness. We rate it at a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale.
If this sounds like it may not be the right fit, you could try some of Helix’s other mattresses below. Here’s a complete list of Helix mattress types and firmness for a quick comparison.
Mattress Type | Firmness | Best For |
---|---|---|
Helix Sunset | Soft | Side sleeper |
Helix Moonlight | Soft | Back or stomach sleeper |
Helix Midnight | Medium | Side sleeper |
Helix Dusk | Medium | Back or stomach sleeper |
Helix Twilight | Firm | Side sleeper |
Helix Dawn | Firm | Back or stomach sleeper |
Support & Sleeping Positions
Depending on your body weight and personal sleep position preferences, you may find that certain firmnesses are better suited for you than others.
We try to take the guesswork out by providing the table below. Use this chart as a guide to help decide if the Midnight is a good fit for you.
Helix Midnight
Sleeper Weight | Stomach Sleepers | Side Sleepers | Back Sleepers |
---|---|---|---|
Under 150 lbs. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
150-250 lbs. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
250-300 lbs. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Over 300 pounds? For heavier sleepers, Helix offers the Helix Plus which is designed to support plus-sized or Big & Tall sleepers. This mattress is 13″ thick compared to the 12″ thickness of the standard Helix mattresses.
Design
The design of the Helix Midnight mattress is a hybrid blend of foam, pocketed coils, and a high-density foam base. It’s designed primarily for side sleepers and is one of the most popular mattresses in the Helix collection currently.
Here is some additional information about the specifications of the Helix Midnight.
Type
Hybrid
Thickness
12″
Firmness
6
Materials
Next, let’s talk about the materials used in the Helix Midnight mattress.
There are five layers in the Midnight including:
- 2.0″ memory foam
- 1.0″ poly foam
- 8.0″ pocketed coils
- 1.0″ support foam
The Cover
The cover of the Helix Midnight mattress uses a pretty typical thin, soft, breathable fabric. Helix doesn’t specify what textile the cover is made from.
The cover is unupholstered and pretty basic, but also seems well made. No major complaints from me, but also nothing to write home about. The more advanced Helix Midnight Luxe uses a Tencel cover, a more impressive performance textile.
The Comfort Layer
Right below the cover is a 2.0″ layer of gel-infused memory foam for pressure relief and contouring.
Next is a sublayer of 1.0″ thick poly foam, which is a little firmer and designed to provide ergonomic support.
The Support Layer
Below the comfort layer is the supportive layer of coils. This layer includes hundreds of pocketed coils that move independently to provide pressure relief and support.
Along the perimeter of the mattress, these coils are reinforced to improve edge support and limit motion transfer.
At the very bottom is a high-density foam base that provides support for the coils and foam layers above.
Product Evolution
When Helix first launched in 2015, it was originally designed to be a custom mattress supplier. Consumers would take a quiz on sleep preferences and personal specifications, which would then generate a custom mattress firmness recommendation.
You could even specify each side of the mattress to meet the needs of different sleepers, which was pretty revolutionary for couples with different needs… and on a budget.
After years of doing business in customs, Helix realized that the majority of sleepers fell within a handful of different needs. Helix then dropped the 100% custom approach and launched 13 separate models.
If you know your firmness preference and sleep position, you can easily select the right mattress for you. And if you’re not sure, you can still take the Helix Sleep Quiz which will recommend one of their mattresses for you.
The complete lineup of Helix mattress models includes:
For Back and Stomach Sleepers
Model | Feel |
---|---|
Helix Moonlight | Soft |
Helix Moonlight Luxe | Soft Luxury |
Helix Dusk | Medium |
Helix Dusk Luxe | Medium Luxury |
Helix Dawn | Firm |
Helix Dawn Luxe | Firm Luxury |
For Side Sleepers
Model | Feel |
---|---|
Helix Sunset | Soft |
Helix Sunset Luxe | Soft Luxury |
Helix Midnight | Medium |
Helix Midnight Luxe | Medium Luxury |
Helix Twilight | Firm |
Helix Twilight Luxe | Firm Luxury |
Specialty
Model | Feel |
---|---|
Helix Plus | Supportive |
The Helix Plus is designed for individuals or couples who are plus size (300+ pounds) and prefer extra support from their mattress.
How thick is a Helix mattress?
Although all of the current Helix mattresses are hybrid blends of foam and coil, they do have different thicknesses to meet different needs.
- Helix Standard: 12″ thick
- Helix Luxe: 14″ thick
- Helix Plus: 13″ thick
How is Helix Different?
The Helix Midnight mattress has a performance that is slightly below average and a price that is also below average—20% less than the average hybrid cost.
Factor | Helix Midnight | Average |
---|---|---|
Overall | 9.46 | 9.52 |
Price | $1,099 | $1,373 (Hybrid only) |
Cooling | 9.5 | 9.4 |
Max Sinkage | 1.98″ | 2.19″ |
Total Motion Transfer | 7.25 m/s² | 8.00 m/s² |
Response Time | 1.0 sec. | 0.4 sec. |
Total Bounce | 10.19″ | 9.62″ |
Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 5.00″ | 4.23″ |
Mattress Thickness | 12.0″ | 11.9″ |
Sex Overall | 9.7 | 9.6 |
Comfort Material | 3.0″ | 4.1″ |
Off-Gassing – Smell | Moderate | Strong |
Off-Gassing – Days | 2 days | 4 days |
Trial | 101 nights | 161 nights |
Warranty | 25 years | 28% have lifetime warranties, average of other 72% of mattresses is 15 years |
Cooling performance, motion transfer, and sex performance were all better than average.
Response time and edge support were slightly worse than average.
Considering preferential factors, the Helix Midnight mattress has slightly less sinkage (10% less than average) and slightly more bounce (6% more than average).
Other Mattresses to Consider
Not sure that the Helix Midnight is the right choice for you? Check out these other options below for more hybrid blends.
Pillow-Top
WinkBed
Hybrid with Pillow-Top
The WinkBed is another hybrid mattress that uses foam and coils for comfort and support. Unlike the Helix, the WinkBed has a pillow-top cover, which provides a more traditional feel.
Luxury Coil-on-Coil
Saatva
Luxury Coil-on-Coil
The Saatva mattress uses two layers of coils, instead of just one, for more bounce while also offering less motion transfer. It has a plush, pillow-top cover.
Signature Hybrid
Brooklyn Bedding
Foam + Coil Blend
The Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid uses a blend of coils and more response latex-like foam layers on the top. This mattress also comes in three firmness levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cost of a Helix mattress varies depending on what size and type you’re looking for. Here are the current prices:
Helix standard mattresses:
Twin: $699
Twin XL: $799
Full: $949
Queen: $1,099
King: $1,499
CA King: $1,499
Helix Plus:
Twin: $849
Twin XL: $949
Full: $1,149
Queen: $1,649
King: $2,049
CA King: $2,049
Helix Luxe:
Twin: $1,099
Twin XL: $1,349
Full: $1,649
Queen: $1,949
King: $2,349
CA King: $2,349
The purchase of any Helix mattress comes with a 100-night trial period, a 10-year warranty, and free shipping to your door. If you decide that the mattress isn’t right for you, they offer free returns, but you’ll need to wait through the end of the 30-night break-in period.
Compressed mattresses tend to adjust in feel as they fully expand and begin to relax. This alone can take some time. In addition, your body will take time to adjust. Experts recommend giving a new mattress a few weeks for your body to truly adjust before deciding if you love or hate a new mattress.
If you want more than the standard 10-year warranty, check out the Luxe versions of each mattress. The Luxe offers a 15-year limited warranty.
No. Right now, the only way to try a Helix mattress is to buy it (unless you happen to have a friend with a Helix!)
If you find that you don’t love the Helix after the 30-night break-in period, you have some options. You can (1) return the mattress. Or (2) you can request a firm or soft mattress topper from Helix at no additional cost. This is a nice option if you like 90% of the mattress, but the feel is not 100% right.