Why the Helix Midnight Luxe is still the best mattress for side sleepers I’ve ever tested

Tom's Guide Sleep Editor Nicola Appleton sleeps on the Helix Midnight Luxe, a mattress she still rates as the best mattress for side sleepers after sleeping on it for two years and re-testing it three times. Here Nicola is dressed in bed socks, a gingham shirt, black dungarees, and is lying with her head on a white pillow. Blue text containing the word 'Tested' wraps around all sides of the photo, with a Tom's Guide Sleep Week 2026 badge overlaid in the bottom left hand corner. — (Image credit: Tom's Guide, Future)

I first tested the Helix Midnight Luxe two years ago and was immediately blown away by how comfortable it was for side sleeping. Since then, I've formally re-tested it twice and always come back to in between testing other beds.

Of course, comfort is subjective. And the right mattress for me might not be right for you. But the Helix Midnight Luxe, which is down to $1,751 (from $2,398) for a queen at Helix, is still, in my opinion, the best mattress for side sleepers on the market today.

The Luxe is a luxury hybrid mattress that wouldn't look out of place in a 5-star hotel, offering superb pressure relief across the shoulders, hips and knees.

To mark Sleep Awareness Week 2026 I'm delving into the five key reasons why the Luxe is still our top recommendation for most people who sleep on their sides, following my long-term testing.

TL;DR why the Helix Midnight Luxe is still the best mattress for side sleepers

The Helix Midnight Luxe is a 13.5" luxury pillow top mattress, designed especially for side sleepers, has won multiple awards including the Tom's Guide Best Mattress for Side Sleepers Award.
The Helix Midnight Luxe is the number one rated mattress for side sleepers in dozens of online mattress rankings – and not just at Tom's Guide.
This luxury hotel-style mattress has everything a side sleeper needs to feel comfy through the night: phenomenal pressure relief, full body support, and a cool feel.
From the first night it eased my longterm hip pain that used to wake me up when I slept on my side. No other side sleeper mattress has done that for me.
With a medium firm rating, the Helix Midnight Luxe suits side sleepers of every body weight category except bed sharers who weigh over 300lbs each.

Why the Helix Midnight Luxe is still the best side sleeper mattress I’ve tested

The image shows a woman sat on the edge of a white mattress with navy blue trim, placed on a white bed frame in a pale blue bedroom — (Image credit: Future)

I first tested the Helix Midnight Luxe during the spring of 2024. It felt and looked like a premium luxury mattress straight out of the box — and was supremely comfortable, too. It almost felt as though it had been crafted specifically for me, an average weight side sleeper who occasionally sleeps on her back.

When Helix revamped the Luxe 12 months later, I had the chance to test that version too. A slightly denser pillow top and firmer 4lb titanium-infused memory foam transition layer meant improved contouring and body cradling. (Plus, it now

Now, two years later, and after helping to test many of the top-rated options in our guide to the best mattresses of 2026 for all sleepers, I'm back sleeping on the original Helix Midnight Luxe I first tested. And my opinion is that it continues to offer unbeatable support for those who sleep on their sides. Here’s why…

730 nights and zero dead hips

Comfortably cushions the touch points of the mattress
Zero pressure buildup throughout the night
Weightless sleep feel all night long

The image shows a woman wearing black dungarees lying on her side on the Helix Midnight Luxe mattress, which is placed on a white bedframe in a blue bedroom — (Image credit: Future)

I used to think waking up in pain — be it in my shoulders, hips or back — was something I had to endure if I wanted to sleep on my side all night. But after spending upwards of 730 nights on the Luxe and sleeping predominantly on my side every night, I’ve never woken up with dead, achy hips.

I’m putting this phenomenal pressure relief down to the plush pillow top layer, made from copper infused gel memory foam. This layer cushions and cradles the touch points of the mattress (i.e. your hips, shoulders and knees), while the copper infusion means you’re unlikely to overheat (more on that below).

This cushioning works in tandem with high density foam and up to 1,000 individually wrapped coils beneath, which work together to hold you on top of the mattress. The result is a weightless sensation that lasts all night long — like you’re sleeping on a cloud.

Superb back support comes as standard

Zoned lumbar support holds the spine in correct alignment with the body
Copper gel-infused memory foam fills the ‘S’ shape at the bottom of your back
Optional upgrade option for enhanced lumbar support layer for back pain relief

Woman wearing blue striped pajamas sleeping on a plush bed in a bedroom with a pastel blue wall — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

I’ve had recurrent lower back pain ever since I sustained an injury during childbirth over a decade ago. It doesn’t take much to cause my pain to flare up, which sometimes means I have to slowly roll out of bed and lower my legs to the ground before standing.

From my experience, a mattress that’s too firm can result in pressure buildup in the coccyx (your tailbone), while a mattress that lacks support causes your spine to dip out of alignment — both of which are big no-nos for back pain.

Happily, I’ve found the balance of pressure relief and support to be spot on in the Luxe. Instead of waking in pain, my lumbar region — the ‘S’ shape of my back — feels blissfully supported and held in healthy alignment with the rest of my body.

The image shows a diagram of the design of the Helix Midnight Luxe mattress with ErgoAlign — (Image credit: Helix)

Zoned lumbar support comes as standard on the Luxe. However, there is also an option to upgrade to an ErgoAlign support layer, which is a segment of extra dense memory foam beneath the mid-section of the mattress.

This means that the upper and lower part of the mattress (beneath your shoulders and hips) can still feel the sink-in support that side sleepers crave, while your spine is adequately supported.

While I haven’t slept on a mattress with this optional upgrade, Alison Barretta, a contributing expert mattress tester with mild scoliosis and recurrent back pain, has. She noted that she felt the tension “melt away” in her back during the four nights she spent sleeping on the Helix Midnight Luxe with ErgoAlign layer.

The ErgoAlign layer costs an extra $182 for a queen in the current 27% off Helix sale (use the code TOMS27 at checkout).

You're unlikely to overheat (but there's two cooling options for very hot sleepers)

Breathable hybrid construction prevents overheating
Tencel cover derived from moisture-wicking eucalyptus comes as standard
Option for very hot sleepers to upgrade to specialist cooling layer

I've slept on the Helix Midnight Luxe during every season (twice over), which means I've slept on it during sweltering heatwaves and in the depths of winter.

Although it's not a specialist cooling mattress, the Luxe does an excellent job of keeping temperatures comfortably neutral. Reliable temperature regulation means you won't feel chilly between the sheets during cold weather, nor are you likely to wake up bathed in sweat during warmer spells of weather.

The image shows a mattress tester place her hand on the surface of the Helix Midnight Luxe to assess its temperature — (Image credit: Future)

I'm sleeping on the standard version of the Luxe, which comes with a breathable Tencel cover derived from moisture-wicking eucalyptus. My experience has been that it handles high temperatures very well (aided, no doubt, by the up to 1,000 individually wrapped coils, which boost overall breathability). Plus, I always ensure that I dress it with breathable bedding, like linen or cotton.

However, those prone to sleeping hot have two cooling optional upgrades to choose from; a GlacioTex cooling pillow top or a GlacioTex cooling pillow top and a CoolForce layer of five graphite ribbons that draw heat away from the body.

Depending on the upgrade option you opt for, you'll pay $249 or $499 each for a queen before discounts (make sure you use the code TOMS27 at check out for 27% off).

It's an excellent choice for couples and combination sleepers

Foam layers dampen movement across the surface of the mattress, helping minimize motion
Reinforced edges mean you can sleep right up to the bed's edge
Superbly comfortable for both side and back sleepers

We tested the medium-firm Helix Midnight Luxe mattress. — (Image credit: Future)

Choosing a mattress for your own sleep preference is one thing. However, if you share a bed, factoring in someone else's sleep needs complicates matters further — especially if you both have opposing preferences.

I sleep on my side and my husband sleeps on his back. I'm of a fairly average weight, while he is heavier than me. So finding a mattress that supports both our sleep needs can be a bit of a challenge.

However, the Luxe appeals to us both — there's plenty of pressure relief for side sleepers like me, while being comfortably supportive for back sleepers too. It's the only mattress we've ever been as equally enthusiastic about.

Adding to its suitability for couples, motion isolation is excellent. That means that when movement happens at one point of the mattress — such as someone climbing in or out of bed or rolling over — you're unlikely to be disturbed by it.

With two young kids and an elderly cat that all like to hop in with us on occasion, the Luxe's motion isolation has saved my sleep on more nights than I care to remember.

Furthermore, reinforced edges mean that you can sleep right up to the bed's edge. Sturdy edge support means that you can use every inch of the mattress, making it feel bigger than it is (which, when its crowded, is hugely important).

The image shows a cat sitting on top of a Helix Midnight Luxe mattress during testing — (Image credit: Future)

Two years later, the Luxe looks as good as it did on the day that I unboxed it

The Helix Midnight Luxe is designed, assembled and compressed in Phoenix, Arizona
It comes with a limited lifetime warranty, with an expected lifespan of up to 10 years
It still looks and feels as good as it did when I unboxed it two years ago

The Helix Midnight Luxe is designed, manufactured and assembled using premium materials, such as 100% fiberglass free and GREENGUARD gold certified foams, at a facility in Phoenix, Arizona. As one of the best mattresses in a box, the Luxe is then compressed and rolled before being prepped for shipping.

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The image shows two mattress testers unboxing the Helix Midnight Luxe mattress and setting it up on a white bed frame in a blue bedroom — (Image credit: Future)

As a premium hybrid mattress, the Luxe is expected to last upwards of 10 years.
After sleeping on the original model for two years, I haven't spotted any signs to indicate that it will fall short of that. In fact, it still looks and feels as great as it did when I originally unboxed it.

In addition to hands-on testing, the warranty period attached to a mattress is also good indication of its quality. While no mattress can ever last forever, the Luxe does come with a limited lifetime warranty. This excludes normal wear and tera, but does include any premature sagging or manufacturing defects.

Nicola is the Sleep Editor at Tom’s Guide, where she helps steer the mattress and sleep content published on Tom’s Guide, including our Best Mattress for Back Pain buying guide. With a career in journalism spanning the best part of two decades, Nicola brings experience to the team and the knowledge of what makes a great article, whether that’s a how-to mattress cleaning feature, a deep dive into melatonin gummies, or an in-depth mattress review. As a sleep editor, few better understand how important a decent mattress is to the overall quality of our sleep, and precisely how our sleep impacts our physical and mental health. As well as tackling the vast topic of sleep, Nicola joins the raft of expert mattress specialists at Tom’s Guide, who test and compare a wide range of mattresses in order to guide readers towards the very best options on the market.

The Helix Midnight Luxe is still the best mattress for side sleepers you can buy — here’s why it's still my fave two years after first reviewing it