I Took a 30-Second Quiz and Discovered the Mattress I Didn’t Know Was Missing From My Life

I’ve long described myself as a side sleeper who capital-L loves plush, cushy mattresses. I’ve also long experienced chronic neck, shoulder, and lower back pain, and in recent years, the latter had gotten so pronounced that I’d wake up with stiff hips and a cranky sacrum, sometimes forcing me to rise before I really wanted to. Despite all this, not once did I consider that the pain might be correlated with my pillow-top mattress. But then, I was chatting with Helix and learned about the brand’s Sleep Quiz.

Long story short, I took the 30-second quiz and found out that my most suitable sleep sitch was the firm (and luxurious) Helix Twilight Elite. Unconvinced but undoubtedly intrigued, I set out to try the highly-rated mattress and determine once and for all if I’d been sleeping all wrong. 

I’m not usually one for shopping quizzes. I love to shop and have never been fond of quizzes, so why mix the two? For whatever reason, though, I felt compelled to uncover my perfect mattress. I was weeks away from moving across the country and had 30 seconds to spare, so it felt like good timing. As it turns out, taking the quiz was a stellar choice for my quality of sleep, too. 
 
The 30-second Helix Sleep Quiz quickly analyzes sleepers, taking into account age, height, and weight, desired mattress size, dominant sleep positions, preferred mattress feel (soft, medium, or firm), the prevalence of back pain upon waking, and how often heat interrupts sleep. Then, to wrap things up, the brand concludes with a question about the overall mattress goal: Essentially, do you want the best of the best or good quality that isn’t necessarily fancy? 

After answering every question — and clearly indicating that I prefer soft mattresses — Helix informed me that my ideal mattress is, in fact, not soft. Instead, the brand revealed that the Helix Twilight Elite, ranked 8 out of 10 on the firmness scale, is the perfect mattress for my needs. 

The Helix Sleep Quiz results explained, “You’ve matched with the Twilight Elite, our highest-end mattress designed for side sleepers and those who toss and turn who prefer a firm feel. With advanced lumbar support, optimal spinal ergonomics, and cutting-edge cooling technology, it offers the best in comfort and support to ensure you rest comfortably, stay aligned, and wake up feeling restored.”

Knowing that I’d also input my fiancé’s responses, given that we share a bed, I wondered if the brand simply catered to one sleeper’s profile versus the other. After all, he prefers a firm mattress. I put it to the test to find out. 

As I waited for my mattress to arrive, I read up on what makes it so special: five responsive foam layers for a luxuriously supportive night’s sleep; microcoil layers to reduce tension points and pressure on the spine; ergonomic support that lifts the hips, bolsters the lower back, and reduces pain in the process; and a GlacioTex™ Cooling Cover that makes your mattress perpetually feel like the cool side of the pillow.

Quite frankly, it sounded too good to be true, especially from a box mattress — but then the mattress arrived (in two massive boxes, I might add), and I slept on it for four weeks and counting. The consensus? After a month of supremely comfortable sleep, I can confirm that the Helix Twilight Elite has features that make it clear why it’s dubbed a luxury mattress.

The Helix Twilight Elite has become a mainstay in our bedroom, and my fiancé and I agree: It’s one of the most comfortable and supportive beds we’ve ever slept on. It’s superior not only in comfort but in size. Where most box mattresses arrive in a single box, this one ships in two: the main support base and the comfort insert, which zips into a designated pocket on top of the base. (It’s not a difficult process; you just want to align the edges so as not to clip the topper in the zipper.) 

After we got the mattress upstairs and assembled, we let it expand for the designated two hours before hopping on top for the first feel. When we finally did sit and then lie down, the mattress that met our every move was nothing short of WOW-worthy. It’s ever-so-slightly cushy on top, with a firm, grounded base below. It mitigates movement transfer, making for an undisrupted sleep space. And it truly is cool to the touch.

Best of all, now that we’ve been sleeping on it for a month, I can attest to how much more supported my sacrum and hips feel, as well as my shoulders. While I’ll likely always be someone who wakes up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, not once have I awoken due to pain, and that’s pretty major. 

According to Helix, the Twilight Elite is so stellar for back and shoulder pain because it’s designed with SupremeSupport 7.0 Ultra-Dense Memory Foam, which is said to be seven times more comfortable than standard memory foam. The result? It calms and cradles sleepers for a truly rejuvenating night’s sleep. 

• Five, cushy-yet-firm foam layers: The Helix Twilight Elite Mattress sandwiches cradling microcoils, an ErgoAlign layer for optimal spine support, and steel coils for zoned lumbar support between layers of cushy-yet-firm foam, and beneath a quilted pillowtop. It’s the perfect balance of softness and support.  
• Microcoil layers that reduce spinal pressure points: Typically, memory foam mattresses make me feel suffocated, not supported. Thanks to microcoil layers that lift and support the spine, though, the Helix Twilight Elite offers a more cradled feel. 
• Ergonomic, lumbar- and hip-friendly design: A mattress that lifts your hips and cradles your sacrum? Consider it my new benchmark for high-quality sleep. 
• Softer under the shoulders to relieve pressure: As firm as the Helix Twilight Elite is, it’s specifically designed with softer foam in the shoulder region, which genuinely makes it feel like I shrug and hunch less often. I’m a fan. 

• It’s deeper than your average mattress: At 15 inches tall, the Helix Twilight Elite is deeper than your average mattress. I personally adore Brooklinen bedding, but unfortunately, their sheets kept coming untucked. I have fared much better with the Cozy Earth bamboo jersey sheets, which are both deep and stretchy, and stay in place as a result. 
• It comes in two pieces, and they’re each pretty heavy: As mentioned, the Helix Twilight Elite comes in two heavy boxes. Don’t break your back trying to hoist one by yourself — unless, of course, picking up heavy things is just another day in the park for you. 
• It’s pricey: The Helix Twilight Elite is expensive, regardless of whether you purchase a twin or California King size. But the brand offers a few perks that help justify the cost. For starters, it’s HSA- and FSA-eligible. Additionally, Helix offers shoppers the option to buy now and pay later with flexible financing plans featuring as low as 0% APR.

I recommend the Helix Twilight Elite to:

• Side sleepers who often wake up with back pain 
• People with lower back pain who crave alignment and pressure point relief in their sleep
• People who overheat when they sleep 
• People who want a tall, luxurious mattress that feels as good as it looks, night after night

Buy: Helix Twilight Elite, Queen, $2,812 (normally $3,749.33)