The award-winning Helix Midnight mattress is an award-winning mattress from online manufacturer Helix Sleep. The brand makes a wide selection of beds aimed at different sleep positions, body types and softness preferences, but the Midnight is designed to be the best mattress for side sleepers. Does it deliver? We reviewed one to find out.
We slept on a king-size Helix Midnight mattress for three weeks, assessing it in key areas like comfort, support, quality, temperature regulation and value for money, to see if it'll be right for your sleep needs and how it compares to the rest of today's best mattresses. Keep reading to learn all about our experience with the Helix Midnight mattress, the brand's best-selling mattress in a box...
Helix Midnight mattress review in brief
- Helix's most popular mattress, designed for side sleeping
- Despite cost increases, still more affordable than most of its rivals
- Excellent motion isolation, but edge support could be better
The Helix Midnight mattress is this bed brand’s most popular choice, which is one of the reasons we wanted to review it – just why is it so popular, and does it live up to the hype? The Helix Midnight is a straight-down-the-line solution for side sleepers who want a medium-feel mattress, or if you’re not sure which of Helix’s mattress is the best fit for you, then this is a good starting point, too.
How much does the Helix Midnight mattress cost? It's now $936 for a twin mattress at full size, but you shouldn't have to pay that, because there's almost always a Helix mattress sale or deal on. As well as the standard Midnight, which we're reviewing here, there's also the option to upgrade to the Midnight Luxe; a slightly fancier model that promises extra support.
Best for: side sleepers, couples, hot sleepers
Type: hybrid
Firmness: 6.5/10 (medium)
Materials: foam, springs
Depth: 11.5 inches
Weight: 50-110 lbs
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King
Trial length: 100 nights
Warranty: 10 years
During our review period we were pleased to report that the Helix Midnight felt supportive during sleep from the start. It’s cozy to the touch, and comes with adequate bounce, but also delivers enough firmness and excellent pressure relief across the entire body – especially along along our back, hips, and knees.
Unsurprisingly, our reviewers were happiest sleeping on their sides when reviewing the Midnight, but we also slept comfortably on our backs, with pressure points well-cushioned and cradled by the memory foam. However, we think stomach sleepers might prefer the firmer Helix Twilight (opens in new tab) or the Helix Dawn (opens in new tab) instead.
The temperature regulation of the Helix Midnight mattress was particularly impressive, and none of our reviewers felt overheated during sleep. The hybrid construction features an 8-inch layer of coils that allows for decent airflow, while the breathable cover keeps the surface cool to the touch. We also noticed how silent the Helix Midnight is in use, with no noise from the coils. Even better, there was little in the way of motion transfer, making it a good choice for restless sleepers and couples with different sleep schedules.
There was little to complain about with the Helix Midnight mattress, although because it's handmade, you may notice a few irregularities, such as slightly bunched-up stitching here and there. Whether you feel that adds charm is down to you, but it in no way affects the performance of the Midnight. When it came to edge support, it was fine for sleeping, although if you sit on the edge of the bed for extended periods of time then you might start to slope off a little.
The Helix Midnight mattress comes with a 10-year warranty, a 100-night sleep trial and free shipping for all orders within the US. If after at least 30 days you decide the mattress isn’t for you, then Helix will arrange for it to be collected and they will do their best to donate the mattress to a local charity or recycling center.
(opens in new tab)Helix Midnight mattress review: design
The 11.5-inch Helix Midnight mattress is made up of four layers. On top you'll find a slightly stretchy, soft-touch cover. It's designed to be breathable, but there's also the option to upgrade to a GlacioTex Cooling cover if you need a little extra cooling power (we tested the regular cover).
Inside, the upper layer is made from Helix's proprietary 'Memory Plus Foam', designed to relieve pressure, provide soft sinkage and deep body contouring, while cradling pressure points along your shoulders, hips and lower back. Beneath that is a transitional layer of responsive, high-grade polyfoam that provides a little bounce and helps absorb sinkage from the top layer of memory foam, while offering extra cushioning for your body.
Below that you'll find a layer of 8-inch individual pocketed coils. These cradle your body, while also limiting motion transfer and reinforcing edge support around the perimeter. They boost breathability too, because there's space for air to circulate (even the best memory foam mattresses can struggle with trapping heat on occasion). Finally, a solid base layer lends durability and stability across the mattress.
It’s worth noting that no harmful chemicals, ozone depleters, PBDE flame retardants or heavy metals are used in the Helix Midnight mattress – the company prides itself on its OEKO-TEX and Certi-PUR-US certified materials. We explain more about these materials in our best organic mattress guide.
| Size | Dimensions | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin | 38” x 75” | 12” | 50-60 lbs |
| Twin XL | 38” x 80” | 12” | 50-60 lbs |
| Full | 54” x 75” | 12” | 80-90 lbs |
| Queen | 60” x 80” | 12” | 90-100 lbs |
| King | 76” x 80” | 12” | 100-110 lbs |
| Cal king | 72” x 84” | 12” | 100-110 lbs |
Helix Midnight mattress review: price and deals
- Good value, mid-range mattress
- Cheaper than rivals Casper and Purple
- Frequent sales cut up to $200 off and include freebies
Like many of the top mattresses, the Helix Midnight got a price increase in 2022, due to inflation. Depending on the size, you'll be paying between $150 and $200 more these days. However, the Midnight still sits comfortably in the mid-range tier, and it's still competitively priced for a hybrid mattress (these are almost always more expensive than all-foam models). You can also basically ignore the MSRPs, because Helix sales and deals run pretty much constantly, and you'd be very unlucky to pay full price (more on that in a sec).
Here’s the official pricing for all sizes:
- Twin: $936
- Twin XL: $1,061
- Full: $1,249
- Queen: $1,374
- King: $1,749
- California King: $1,749
Over the course of 2021, the regular Helix deal cuts between $100-$350 off the price of the Helix Midnight mattress, with discounts tiered depending on how much you spend (so it's usually $100 off purchases of $600 or more, rising to $350 off purchases of $2,950 or more). However, since January, Helix's approach has been different – for example, there have been blanket discounts of 25% off across the board. You'll almost always get two free pillows added to your order too.
You might be slightly bigger price drops around major sales events, too. For example, the Black Friday mattress deals bonanza is a good bet for lower prices, and occasionally also holidays like Memorial Day, the July 4th sales, and Labor Day.
So how does Helix's pricing compare to rival brands? A queen Helix Midnight hybrid retails for $1,374, but a typical discount would get you it for around $1,030. Looking at other models we'd recommend for side sleepers, we've got the Nectar original, which costs $779 for a queen (although that is an all-foam model, which as a rule you can expect to pay less for) and the Purple original is $1,399 for the queen size.
Looking at other hybrid models, there's the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress, which you can usually pick up for $899, but this is a firmer bed that may not appeal to all side sleepers (read our DreamCloud Mattress review to learn more). The Midnight is also much cheaper than our #1 overall mattress, the Saatva Classic, a queen size of which will usually set you back in the region of $1,700 – although that one is a more luxurious option, and can be customized to your height and firmness preferences.
Helix Midnight mattress review: performance
- We rate it a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale
- Plush and deceptively supportive, but not for stomach sleepers
- Sleeps comfortably cool with minimum motion transfer
Weighing between 100-110lbs, the king-sized Helix Midnight mattress isn't quite the heaviest bed-in-a-box mattress we’ve tested (that crown goes to the Purple mattress, at 140lbs). But it’s still extremely heavy for one person to move, so we tipped our delivery person to help us carry the box into the right room.
It was then fairly easy to unpack and unroll the mattress with two people. Helix says the Midnight needs 30-45 minutes to unwind and fully expand, and our mattress fell within that bracket - just - taking 45 minutes to reach its full dimensions. We heard a slight wheezing as the vacuum seal released, but there was no noticeable off-gassing or odor from the packaging or mattress (although some users have reported a light off-gassing that dissipates within a few hours).
Helix classifies the Midnight as between 5 and 6 (medium) on the firmness scale, with 10 as the firmest. The company describes it as “pretty much smack in the middle - not too soft, not too firm” and we’d just about agree, categorizing it as 6.5. It’s deceptively soft at first - cushy with a little bounce; but when you lie down it feels surprisingly firm. Bear in mind that firmness is subjective, though. Your exact experience will vary depending on your height, weight and other personal factors.
We gave the Helix Midnight mattress a thumbs up in most areas. Both our reviewers were comfortable from the first night and found the mattress to be genuinely supportive. It’s plush to the touch, and a little bouncier than we expected, but it’s also firmer than it initially appears, and we found that it delivered deep pressure relief.
Helix says the Midnight is best for side sleeping, and that tallies with our experience. Both our reviewers found sleeping on their backs and sides to be extremely comfortable - even cozy. Pressure points including lower back, knees and shoulders were well-cushioned and felt cradled by the foam. For extra pressure relief, consider partnering it with one of the best mattress toppers for your bed.
However, one reviewer did feel the mattress wasn’t quite as supportive as they’d typically prefer (our other reviewer had no complaints). Some stomach sleepers will likely find the Midnight too plush, as well. If you’re a fan of a firmer mattress, take a look at the Helix Twilight (opens in new tab) or Helix Dawn (opens in new tab) mattresses instead.
One area where we were particularly impressed with the Helix Midnight is its temperature control. During our three-week test period, the mattress never felt too warm, or caused us to overheat. The breathable cover and airflow through the coils kept us at a cool, comfortable temperature throughout the night – even somewhat alleviating one of the reviewer's 'hot sleeping' issue.
The mattress also didn't make any noise – there was no creaking from the coils – and had very little motion transfer, making the Midnight a good choice for anyone with a restless partner.
Helix midnight mattress review: what we didn't like
- Some irregular stitching on one side
- Edge support could be sturdier
We couldn’t find much to err over with this comfortable mattress, although it’s worth being aware that Helix mattress dimensions can vary by up to one-inch on either side because all the company's mattresses are handmade.
This didn’t cause any performance issues with our Helix Midnight review mattress, but as a minor cosmetic complaint, we did notice an area of irregular stitching on one of the sides. There were 12 inches of bunched-up fabric that weren’t as smooth as the three other sides.
We also felt that edge support – while adequate – could be marginally better for sitting on the side of the bed for longer periods of time. For sleeping, though, edge support was fine. We don’t have any complaints about sagging edges or rolling off while we slept.
Helix Midnight mattress review: customer reviews
We highly rate the Helix Midnight mattress, but mattresses are subjective – you’ll have a different experience depending on your height, weight, sleeping style and a range of other factors. So to build a more rounded picture of what this mattress is like to sleep on, we researched hundreds of user reviews online to see what other people say about the Helix Midnight.
On the Helix website, the Midnight mattress has an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 5,000 user reviews (November 2022) – with nearly 3,900 five-star reviews. There's no way to filter according to a reviewer's sleep style or body type, but you can input search terms that'll help you find what you need.
Satisfied customers commented that the Helix Midnight mattress alleviated their back and shoulder pains, and praised the bed's cushioned pressure points. Side sleepers were also well-represented among the 5-star reviews, along with back and combination sleepers who were looking for something that could adapt to their movements. We haven't been able to easily find any feedback from long-term users, although those who have owned their Helix Midnight for several months claim it's quite durable.
Of all the reviews we saw that gave the mattress a lower score, being too soft was the number one complaint. Many exchanged it hassle-free for a different Helix mattress, such as the Twilight. Another user reported that they didn’t find it firm enough, so Helix sent them a mattress topper free of charge, which helped. (These mixed responses illustrate, again, that firmness is subjective. We recommend taking the Helix Sleep quiz (opens in new tab) before purchasing a Helix mattress to increase your chances of choosing the right one.)
Meanwhile shipping delays and delivery problems were usually cited for the smaller amount of more negative reviews.
Should you buy the Helix Midnight mattress?
If you sleep on your side or are prone to sweating overnight, the Helix Midnight is one of the best mattresses you can sleep on, and it's a great choice if you feel you need an orthopedic mattress. Couples will also want to give it some consideration due to its slight bounce and low motion transfer. Best of all, the Helix Midnight is one of the most affordable mattresses-in-a-box out there, undercutting many of its rivals.
For stomach sleepers or individuals who weigh over 300 pounds, the medium firmness of the Helix Midnight probably won’t cut it for you. We'd recommend the Helix Twilight (opens in new tab) instead, with its no-sink-or-give top layer, or the Helix Dawn (opens in new tab), which comes with extra support for back and stomach sleepers. Both mattresses cost the same as the Helix Midnight.
Alternatively, if you have a higher budget, consider the Helix Midnight Luxe (opens in new tab), which starts from $1,195. This is the premium version of the Midnight, with zoned lumbar support, enhanced contouring, a quilted pillow and other luxury features.
Otherwise, we thoroughly recommend the Helix Midnight mattress: it's a comfortable, cozy and supportive mattress straight out of the box. To keep it cleaner for longer, invest in one of the best mattress protectors for keeping stains, spills and bugs at bay.
