Helix Mattress Worth It? Two Bed People’s Review

‱ May 8, 2026 ‱ By Missy
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We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

This is a real review. We know sleep, we know beds, and now we know if a Helix mattress is worth it. Also, we know the best deal on a Helix mattress is with our discount code.

We Invest in Good Sleep

There are a few things Sarah and I will always invest in, and sleep is at the top of that list. There’s a line from Cold Mountain that captures us perfectly: “[My daddy] was born tired.” That’s me. I was born tired. Come to think of it, so was my dad. If I have a break in the afternoon, you’ll find me napping (Sarah here – even if she doesn’t have a break, you will find her napping…) Want to relax? I’m heading to take off my bra and heading straight to bed. Reading? I’d rather be doing it in bed. I even converted my fiancĂ© into a bed person. And now I kind of regret that because, well, I no longer have my precious bed solitude.

We come from a long line of bed people. It’s in our DNA and in our family tree. We love our beds. Our brother is a little less of a bed person, but he definitely appreciates a good night’s sleep. Who doesn’t?

Two bed people enjoying our free time by being in bed.
Us, in bed, because we had an hour free to relax.

Finding out about Helix

By the way, this is not a sponsored post. We did receive gifted mattresses and may earn a commission if you buy through our links or use our Helix mattress discount code. But nobody asked us for a glowing review, or even a review at all.

When Helix reached out and offered to let us try their mattresses risk-free, with no requirement to post, we thought
 could we get three? We don’t make it a practice to accept expensive gifts because we don’t want to dilute the trust of our audience. However, all of my siblings and I sleep differently, and we are not petite people. This could be the ultimate test. We had to do it for the people. And the bed people. Plus, I kept seeing Bethenny Frankel rave about Helix on TikTok. While I don’t usually trust her reviews, the comments from people agreeing made me want to try.

So now, with testing from three different households and our mattresses fully broken in, this is simply our honest take after we slept on Helix mattresses for four months to decide if they’re actually worth it. And if you found my burner Reddit account, you’d see basically the same opinion there too – just with fewer links and less identifying info. 

If you are already ready to buy and just came here for a Helix discount code

Helix does run promotions, but the best deal you’ll get is with a discount code and ours, SISTER, gets you 27% off Helix Sleep during the month of May, but 22% at other times.

Why 27%? Because even when Helix is running a strong 25% off promo, our discount code still beats it. At least for now, as with any code, it could change.  If you’re already sold and just need a code, you’ve already done your research and think buying a Helix Mattress is worth it. 

One more time for the people searching on Google, our discount code SISTER gets you 27% off Helix. You can head straight to Everything you need to know about buying a Helix if you already did your research and are convinced.

Who is Helix Sleep

Helix is a sleep and mattress brand that started in 2015 and is based in my favorite place, New York City. Helix has always been primarily a digital sleep company. Most of what they do happens online, and their whole thing is making it easy for people to find the right mattress for their lifestyle without going to a mattress store. Plus, Helix manufactures and designs everything here in the U.S. – Arizona to be exact.

One thing I didn’t even know I cared about, but now really do, is what the mattress is actually made of. Helix clearly puts a lot of thought into safety and materials. Their mattresses are CertiPUR-US certified, meaning the foam doesn’t contain substances such as ozone-depleting substances, PBDEs, or formaldehyde. They’re also GREENGUARD Gold certified, which means low emissions and better indoor air quality. It’s the kind of peace of mind that matters, especially for bed people and bed-happy families.

If you’ve been on social media at all this year, you’ve probably seen the fiberglass mattress horror stories (itchy just thinking about it). Just so you know, Helix doesn’t use fiberglass, period. Instead, in their layers, they use a fire-retardant yarn made from a rayon-based barrier that sits within a small foam layer. And if you’re wondering what rayon is, it’s a manufactured fiber made from 100% regenerated cellulose. All of this sounds a lot like Michelle explaining how to manufacture Post-its in Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion.

A peek inside the fiberglass-free Helix mattress. This is us installing the extra comfort layer that zips into the Helix Midnight Elite.
This is our Midnight Elite – there is an extra comfort, Coolforce layer you zip in.

The Helix Sleep Quiz: Making Buying Online Actually Easy

Buying a bed online sounds risky. I had never done it before. But Helix is built around matching you to the right mattress – just digitally. Instead of a one-bed-for-everyone approach, they use a personalized sleep quiz to actually figure out what works for you.

The quiz is short but pointed, you answer a few quick questions about your height and weight and about your daily sleep habits: whether you sleep on your side or back, if you toss and turn, and if you tend to sleep hot. The quiz matches your answers to a mattress that fits your body type and sleep style. If you share a bed with someone whose needs are totally different, Helix’s quiz will find a compromise that works for both of you.

For transparency, Sarah was in between two styles when she took the quiz twice, so she reached out to Helix to get a more accurate match.

Testing if Helix works for our family

Since three households could test them, we wanted to get a clear picture of how the different Helix mattress models perform across different sleep needs. We wanted to find out, based on our own sleep styles, whether Helix mattresses are actually worth it.

Three Siblings, Three Households, Different Mattress Needs

To give you some background, all three of us siblings were in different stages of needing a new mattress. It felt like the perfect time to see if Helix Mattresses were worth it. Ben (our brother, who prefers to stay offline) and Kelly (his wife) were looking for something that could support larger bodies and accommodate completely different sleep styles. He had been waking up with back pain for a while, too.

Sarah and James (her husband) were actively on the hunt for a new, more supportive, and more cooling mattress. James had been sleeping in a mattress divot for half of the years they had their Ghostbed, which was only 5 years! Their backs were killing them, and they needed something actually built for plus-size sleepers. 

Meanwhile, Anders and I weren’t even in the market for a new mattress. We actually liked our mattress, but we decided it was finally time to upgrade to a king. As bed people and bed evangelists, we felt it was our duty. Also, we needed the extra hangout room upgrading to a King size.

Ben and Kelly: A more supportive mattress made for different sleep styles

Ben and Kelly needed a mattress that could accommodate mixed sleep styles while providing steady, reliable support for larger bodies. Prior to switching to Helix, Ben started each day with back pain, a telltale sign that someone’s mattress isn’t doing its job. They were casually in the market for a new mattress. 

Helix matched them with a model that gives extra support while being a good fit for their mixed sleeping styles – the Helix Plus Elite. The Helix Plus Elite has higher-density foam and reinforced coils – both important for plus-size and big and tall sleepers. The Elite part means the mattress has even more comfort layers built in, but if you are looking for a mattress made for plus-size and big and tall, there is a cheaper version – the Helix Plus. But also, don’t forget you may be able to use your HSA to pay for your mattress.

After just sleeping on it for a week, Ben said his morning back pain was pretty much gone. Kelly is sleeping more soundly without feeling Ben shift around, plus Ben is shifting around less. Overall, their mattress feels supportive, and it’s just the right mix. The mattress doesn’t get too hot, either, because of the cooling cover and a cooling layer in the mattress.

All in all, their review is that the Helix Plus Elite is an ideal mattress for plus-size and big and tall sleepers and a great mattress for mixed sleeping styles.

Sarah and James: A Medium-Firm mattress with relief for aching backs

Sarah and James were pretty desperate for a new mattress. Their backs were aching every day, and it was starting to affect everything (including how much Sarah complained at the office) A little backstory, Sarah is also obsessed with ergonomics. She has an ergonomic chair, an ergonomic keyboard and mouse, and a monitor stand – so it was kind of a shock she didn’t have a good mattress. Like Ben and Kelly, Sarah and James needed a bed that could work for plus-size bodies while also providing pressure relief for their backs and lower bodies. 

The Helix Midnight Luxe ended up being exactly right for them. “Midnight” means medium-firm, and it’s one of Helix’s most popular options, especially for side sleepers. The Luxe version adds extra support layers so you don’t sink in too much, making it a great option for larger bodies. Pretty quickly, Sarah noticed her back bothering her less, and both she and James were waking up feeling more rested. Plus, Sarah was complaining about her back pain significantly less, and that definitely makes a Helix mattress worth it (for me, at least, who shares an office with her).

Me and Ander’s take: we didn’t know what we were missing in a mattress

We didn’t really need a new bed, but switching to a king-size felt like the right kind of upgrade. The Helix sleep quiz matched us with a medium-feel mattress that cushions our joints just right while still giving solid support.

The motion isolation is amazing. Even with all the extra space, I don’t notice my fiancĂ© rolling over at night. Actually, if I am being honest, I am the “wallower,” as my mom would say. Safe to say, our mattress has made my favorite place in the whole house even better.

Anders and I were matched with The Helix Midnight Elite – Medium/Firm but with even more comfort layers. We also added the cooling cover and cooling layer because I know peri-menopause is in my near future. Even though we didn’t think we needed a new bed, we discovered we actually did feel better every morning. I guess I did not realize how much a new mattress could lessen my tossing and turning. So yes, even for us, a Helix mattress was definitely worth it.

A Helix Mattress on bed with cream colored bedding. A Helix mattress is definitely worth it.
Isn’t she lovely?

The family’s final Helix verdict

If you think of yourself as a bed person or just want to get up in the morning without your back aching, A Helix mattress is worth it. Or maybe you are a plus-size/big and tall person or part of a plus-size couple, a Helix mattress is worth it. If you are a hot sleeper, a Helix mattress is worth it. If you share your bed with your pets or your kids and everyone wants to be comfy, a Helix is definitely worth it.

Keep in mind that not many companies put the effort into making beds for bigger people like Helix does. It is actually what drew Sarah to Helix in the first place (before they reached out.) It is also what has made our families’ experiences so positive.

Overall, we think the personalized approach Helix takes really does work. Not only are the reviews true and the beds supportive and comfortable, the materials used to make the mattresses safer for your family than many alternatives and they offer a better risk-free return policy than almost anyone else.

Some potential downsides to Helix

The lineup can honestly feel overwhelming at first. There are a lot of models, firmness levels, Luxe vs. Elite versions, cooling upgrades, etc., and it can take a bit of trust in the quiz (plus some research) to figure out what works best for you.

Finding the right firmness may take some getting used to

Some people report that the mattresses feel softer or firmer than expected. Mattress firmness is super subjective, so what feels “medium” to one person might feel too plush or too firm to someone else. And if you’ve been sleeping on the same mattress for years, there can definitely be an adjustment period. If it still doesn’t feel right after 30 days, it’s probably worth reaching out to customer service before giving up on it completely.

Several models, especially in the Luxe line, have more of a sink-in, cushion-y. That can be amazing for side sleepers, but back sleepers may have a harder time adjusting.

Investment Cost

The upgrade costs can add up quickly. Be sure you are considering that when you are adding on features. If you have an HSA/FSA you may be able to use it to purchase your mattress. Ultimately, you use a mattress every single day, so if you are in a place to invest in sleep, financially, it is worth it.

Getting and setting up your mattress

Depending on when you order and if there is a large sale going on, there may be some production and shipping delays.

One thing worth keeping in mind: it’s best to be ready to set up the mattress fairly soon after it arrives. These mattresses are compressed for shipping, but they aren’t meant to stay boxed up for an extended period of time, since leaving them compressed too long can affect how well they expand and fully bounce back.

The mattresses are heavy. That can be a positive in terms of construction quality, but it also makes moving them around kind of annoying.

If you decide to finally treat yourself to better sleep, and you want the best deal, use our discount code SISTER to save 27% on Helix.

Helix Mattress Buying Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Taking the Sleep Quiz

If you want to upgrade your sleep, start on the Helix website and take their sleep quiz to see which mattress fits your needs best. If you take the sleep quiz and aren’t sure about your results or you still have more questions, you can chat directly with a Sleep Specialist during business hours.

The Helix Risk-Free Guarantee

Once the mattress arrives, you have 120 days to try out your mattress. What does that mean? Well, Helix offers a 120-night sleep trial guarantee. If you decide the mattress is not the right fit, Helix sleep experts will suggest a better match. They will even coordinate an exchange of equal or even greater value.If you do not want to exchange it, you can return it for the full refund as long as it’s still within the 120 day period.

They’ll even organize someone to come pick up your mattress directly from your room. There are no return fees. Your 120-night trial is completely risk-free. You will never be charged a return fee, even if you decide it does not work for you.

Helix has the best risk-free guarantee with no return fees  - ever! Worth it just in comparison to other brands.

Helix Limited Lifetime Warranty

So what happens after 120 days? Every single Helix mattress is covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty. This limited warranty gives you some coverage if your mattress has issues and it covers all manufacturing defects.

One thing to note,  the Limited Lifetime Guarantee assumes normal wear and tear and proper support of the mattress. It is very important you ensure you have a properly supportive base for your mattress. You don’t need a boxspring but you do need a proper foundation for your good sleep investment. A good foundation means no more than 5 inches between each rail or support beam. Also, Helix does sell foundations designed for their mattresses, but I had a very easy time finding a new upholstered bedframe that met the criteria.

Paying for your Helix Mattress

As far as paying for your mattress goes, you have a few options. You have all the regular debit/credit options at checkout, of course. If you want financing, Helix partners with Affirm to provide buy now, pay later options with rates as low as 0% APR. Sarah and I always say though, even if you really want a new mattress, make sure you are in a good financial place to invest in your sleep before thinking about financing any large purchase. 

But did you know you can use your HSA/FSA for buying a Helix mattress? I didn’t. Helix partners with Truemed to offer a path to use your pre-tax HSA/FSA funds to invest in healthy sleep. 

However you pay, if you want to save money you can use our discount code SISTER to save 27% on your Helix purchase.

Shipping & Delivery

Helix Mattresses are made-to-order, meaning your mattress is produced after you place your order. This helps ensure the highest quality production for your new bed. This process typically takes anywhere from 3-7 days.

When your mattress is ready, it is shipped compressed in 1-2 boxes, depending on the mattress style you purchased. Shipping can vary but generally stay in the 3-7 day range. Yes, it really is shipped in a box. I added some photos of our set up process to help visualize it for you. 

Don’t want to deal with your old mattress and don’t want to have to move or set up your new mattress? Helix offers a solution for that. During checkout add In-Home Setup & Removal to have it all handled for you (this is a service provided by Ryder, by the way.) My friend Megan just had her new Helix delivered this way and she loved it. So stress-free. Also, she loves the mattress too. 

If you choose to set up your Helix yourself, there is a pretty easy setup process with easy-to-follow instructions. I truly hate setting up furniture and have little to no patience for instructions and I managed to do it with ease.

Helix mattresses are shipped compressed in 1-2 boxes, depending on which mattress you get matched with.
My Helix Midnight Elite arrived in the two front boxes. Heavy but still compact.

If you do decide to finally treat yourself to better sleep and you want the best deal use our Helix discount code SISTER to save 27%. 

A Helix Midnight Elite mattress with the base installed and the secondary layer still in the box.
Here, the base mattress (box 1) is on our bed and we are getting ready to unbox and install the comfort/cooling layer (box 2) in zippered compartment. Not all styles have two boxes.

Getting the best deal on your Helix Mattress

Helix does run promotions, but the best deal you’ll get right now is with our discount code SISTER for 27% off Helix Sleep. Why 27%? Even when they’re running a strong 25% off promo, this still beats it. At least for now, as with any code, it could change. 

Helix Mattress tips (from a bed person) 

This is about the longest blog I have written but that is because I am very passionate about investing in sleep. I am both a bed person and a Helix believer, and there are a few tips our family has learned while breaking in (and loving) our mattresses. 

Also, just so you know, you do not have to rotate your mattress (unless you get the kids’ mattress.) However, you are welcome to if you’d like! For those with a Helix Luxe or Elite mattress, the zoned lumbar region is in the middle of the mattress so rotating it will not affect where the extra support is.

Sheets & Bedding Tips

Sheets slipping off? Because of the style of cooling cover on some styles, I 100% recommend purchasing a mattress protector. Good in general for protecting your mattress and investment, but also great for keeping your sheets in place. Just make sure to find noise-free options.

Also, make sure you buy bedding appropriate for the thickness of your mattress. It can vary by the style purchased but you likely will end up needing a deeper pocket sheet.

Our whole family believes a Helix mattress is worth it especially for plus size and big and tall people.
In summary, yep, we love our Helix mattresses. Absolutely worth it. Whether you are plus size, big & tall, or just picky – you will like it.

Helix FAQs

Does my mattress really come in a box?

Yes, or two boxes, depending on the style you select. The mattress arrives compressed. It is packaged so that you can easily unroll one layer of plastic to start setup and then remove second layer of plastic to unroll in the correct direction. Give it two hours to fully settle before sleeping on it.

Do I need to buy their bed foundation? Do I need a boxspring?

No, though they do offer a good product. Just ensure your bed frame has no more than 5.5 inches between each slat. You do not need a boxspring, just make sure you’re using the right foundation.

What if I don’t like my mattress?

The mattress comes with a 120-night sleep trial, so there’s plenty of time to test it out at home.
If it still doesn’t feel like the right fit after trying it for a month, a different model can be recommended and an exchange for equal or greater value can be arranged. Or, you can request a full return, no return fees.

They will even arrange the pickup and exchange of your mattress. Truly worry-free.

Can I really use my HSA for a new mattress?

Helix partners with Truemed to offer HSA/FSA payment options. Truemed is a payment service that allows users to pay for eligible health and wellness products—such as supplements, fitness memberships, and cold plunges—using pre-tax Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds. It works by facilitating a medical review to issue a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN), saving users an average of ~30% on qualified purchases

Do you have a discount code?

Yes, we do. SISTER will save you 27%.

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