Written by Sosha Lewis, Senior Staff Writer
Nolah and Helix are two major players in the online mattress landscape. While Helix focuses on hybrid beds, Nolah makes a combination of all-foam and hybrid models.
Nolah’s Evolution mattress and Helix’s Midnight mattress are two leading hybrid mattresses from these two brands. Inside each bed, you’ll find pressure-relieving foam layers that sit on top of supportive coil systems to lift your spine into natural alignment. It’s a perfect balance that makes hybrid beds ideal for those who want the best of both worlds.
If you’re looking for a new hybrid mattress, we’re comparing the Nolah Evolution and Helix Midnight to help you determine which bed is best for you, as well as how the two brands stack up.
Product
Type
Score
Product
Type
Score
Nolah vs. Helix Mattress Overview
| Who Should Get the Nolah Evolution? | Who Should Get the Helix Midnight? |
|---|---|
| Sleepers of all positions | Fans of hybrid mattresses |
| Fans of hybrid builds | People with back pain |
| Hot sleepers | Average-weight people |
Nolah vs. Helix: How Are They Similar?
- Mattress type – The Nolah Evolution and Helix Midnight are both hybrid mattresses.
- Cooling covers – The Nolah has a cooling quilted Euro topper with a breathable gusset, while the Helix has a breathable knit cover that you can upgrade to a more powerful GlacioTex cooling cover.
- Fiberglass-free – Both brands are committed to fiberglass-free beds.
Nolah vs. Helix: How Are They Different?
- Height – The Nolah Evolution stands 15 inches tall, while the Helix is considerably shorter at 11.5 inches.
- Firmness – The Helix Midnight comes in a standard medium-firm feel, and the Nolah Evolution has three firmness options: Plush, Luxury Firm, and Firm.
- Zoned support – The Nolah Evolution includes zoned support, which means it has firmer and softer sections of the bed that help your spine maintain a natural S-curve. The Helix Midnight doesn’t have this feature.
Nolah vs. Helix: Firmness, Feel, and Construction
Firmness & Feel
We rate mattress firmness on a scale of 1-10. A 1 rating will be an extremely plush, soft bed, while a 10 will be the firmest, most rigid bed you can imagine.
| Mattress | Sleep Advisor Firmness Rating | Feel | Tester Feedback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nolah Evolution | 6.5/10 | Medium-Firm | We tested the Luxury Firm version of the Nolah Evolution, which is comparable to a true medium-firm. Up top is some gentle contouring foam, while below is firmer zoned support that kept our spines in a neutral alignment. |
| Helix Midnight | 6/10 | Medium-Firm | The Helix Midnight has a nice balance of softer memory foam layers up top and a firmer supportive coil system below that gives this bed an overall medium-firm feel. |
Mattress Construction
The Nolah Evolution and Helix Midnight are both hybrid beds that combine contouring foam layers with supportive pocket coils. They’re also both medium-firm (when considering the Luxury Firm version of the Nolah Evolution), though the Nolah is just a smidge firmer than the Helix.
The beds also each have breathable cooling covers, though the Helix offers an upgrade to an even more powerful cooling cover. Otherwise, the beds stand at different heights: the Nolah is 15 inches tall, while the Helix is a more moderate 11.5 inches tall.
What’s the Nolah Evolution Mattress Made Of?
- Organic cotton cover
- Quilted Euro top
- Heat escape gusset
- Cooling foam layer
- High-resilience foam layer
- High-density transition foam layer
- Innerspring coil unit
- Foundation layer
- Bottom cover with carrying handles
What’s the Helix Midnight Mattress Made Of?
- Breathable knit cover (option to upgrade to a GlacioTex Cooling Pillow Top)
- Memory foam comfort layer
- Responsive foam layer
- Second responsive foam layer
- Individually wrapped pocket coils
- Dense foam base layer
Nolah vs. Helix: Body Type and Sleep Position
Nolah Evolution Mattress
| Body Type | Weight Range | Side Sleeping | Back Sleeping | Stomach Sleeping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightweight | Less than 130 pounds | Poor | Good | Good |
| Average-Weight | 130-230 pounds | Average | Excellent | Excellent |
| Heavyweight | More than 230 pounds | Good | Good | Poor |
Helix Midnight Mattress
| Body Type | Weight Range | Side Sleeping | Back Sleeping | Stomach Sleeping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightweight | Less than 130 pounds | Average | Good | Excellent |
| Average-Weight | 130-230 pounds | Average | Good | Good |
| Heavyweight | More than 230 pounds | Good | Good | Poor |
Nolah vs. Helix: Mattress Testing Performance
Pressure Relief
- Nolah Evolution Pressure Relief Score: 5/5
- Helix Midnight Pressure Relief Score: 5/5
We use a pressure map that generates a colored image with areas of pressure buildup. As a dedicated side sleeper with sensitive shoulders, pressure relief is very important to me. The Nolah Evolution had great contouring for side and back sleeping, showing practically all blue (no pressure) for back sleeping and large pockets of green (low pressure) for side sleeping.
My teammate Loren, who is a petite sleeper, tested pressure relief on the Helix Midnight. We only noticed yellow (moderate pressure) in her hip for side sleeping but since she’s lighter-weight, we expected this. We still think the Helix Midnight was impressive enough overall to earn a 5 out of 5 in this category.
Support
- Nolah Evolution Support Score: 5/5
- Helix Midnight Support Score: 5/5
Also tied is support, which we test by laying on each bed on our side, back, and stomach to see how well our spines stay in a natural alignment. We felt perfectly lifted on both the Nolah and Helix, with no bottoming out.
Motion Isolation
- Nolah Evolution Motion Isolation Score: 4/5
- Helix Midnight Motion Isolation Score: 5/5
If you sleep beside a restless person, then motion isolation is a helpful category to consider. The better a bed does at this, the less likely you’ll be disturbed by their shifting around at night.
Two testers lay on each bed to test motion isolation. One shifts around, and the movement is measured by a seismograph app. Our app detected less movement on the Helix (and we couldn’t feel our fellow tester moving around), but there was more motion transfer on the Nolah, which is why it scored slightly lower. You can see this in our seismograph readings below. The Evolution has more higher spikes compared to the Midnight.
Temperature Regulation / Cooling
- Nolah Evolution Cooling Score: 5/5
- Helix Midnight Cooling Score: 5/5
We use a heat gun to measure how well a mattress is able to remain cool after we lie on it. If you’re a hot sleeper, this is a feature to pay attention to!
The cooling technology was elite in both the Nolah and Helix. The Nolah took an impressive two minutes to cool back down (which we believe is due to its heat escape gusset), while the Helix only rose 4 degrees in temperature while lying on it. For that reason, we rated these beds equally as 5 out of 5 for cooling.
Bounce
- Nolah Evolution Bounce Score: 5/5
- Helix Midnight Bounce Score: 3.5/5
We drop a ball on each bed to gauge its bounce, or how quickly the bed goes back into its starting shape. A bed with a lot of bounce is easier to change sleeping positions on.
The Nolah felt super bouncy with its plush Euro topper and springy 8-inch coils, while the contouring Helix took more time to bounce back into shape, leading us to deduct 1.5 points.
Edge Support
- Nolah Evolution Edge Support Score: 5/5
- Helix Midnight Edge Support Score: 2/5
We test edge support by sitting and laying on it, both for a minute. The Nolah had virtually no sinkage, which is why it earned a perfect 5 out of 5 rating.
The Helix, however, sunk substantially around the edges, earning a much lower 2 out of 5 rating. For that reason, we wouldn’t recommend the Helix for couples who want to spread out or people with mobility issues.
Couples
- Nolah Evolution Couples Score: 5/5
- Helix Midnight Couples Score: 3/5
We determine our couples score based on factors that can make sleeping and sex more comfortable for bed-sharing partners, like support, cooling, motion isolation, bounce, and edge support. Since the Helix scored low in edge support and bounce, we rated it lower than the Nolah, which surpassed the Helix in both categories.
You can find more beds for couples here.
Nolah vs. Helix: Comparing Company Policies and Price
Company Policies
| Nolah | Helix | |
| Shipping | Free shipping within the continental U.S. | Free within the U.S. Ships to Canada for an additional fee. |
| White Glove Delivery | Three white glove delivery options. The price will depend on what services you select. | Starts at $159, with the cost varying depending on the number of services you select. |
| Trial | 120 nights | 100 nights |
| Warranty | Lifetime | 10 years for the Core collection, 15 years for the Luxe and Elite collections. |
| Return Policy | Returnable within the trial period, but must be used for at least 30 days. However, there is a $99 return fee. | Free within the trial period. |
Accessibility
- Nolah Evolution Accessibility Score: 5/5
- Helix Midnight Accessibility Score: 4/5
Accessibility refers to features that make a bed stand out from others on the market. The Nolah Evolution has an impressive lifetime warranty, as well as zoned support, elite cooling technology, and pressure-relieving foams. The Helix also scored well with its accommodating 1,000-pound weight limit and nationwide partnership with showrooms where you can test the bed in person before buying, but its shorter sleep trial compared to others in the industry led us to deduct a point.
Customer Service
- Nolah Evolution Customer Service Score: 4/5
- Helix Midnight Customer Service Score: 4/5
We reached out to Nolah’s customer service via email and chat. The customer service agents (who were human, by the way), were very helpful, but we took one point off because of Nolah’s $99 return fee. Helix customer service options include online chat, email, phone, and text (a major bonus), but the chat was clunky and somewhat hard to navigate, losing a point as well.
Sizing and Prices
| Size | Nolah Evolution Price (w/o discount) | Helix Midnight Price (w/o discount) |
| Twin | $1,499 | $936.30 |
| Twin XL | $1,599 | $1,061.30 |
| Full | $2,299 | $1,248.80 |
| Queen | $2,499 | $1,332 |
| King | $2,699 | $1,748.80 |
| Cali King | $2,699 | $1,748.80 |
More Nolah Comparisons
- Nolah vs. Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe
- Nest Bedding Sparrow vs. Nolah Signature
- Casper vs. Nolah
- DreamCloud vs. Nolah
- Nectar vs. Nolah
- Nolah vs. Zenhaven
- Saatva vs. Nolah
- Layla vs. Nolah
- Nolah vs. WinkBed
More Helix Comparisons
- Casper vs. Helix
- Helix Midnight vs. Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-LuxeAdapt
- Helix Midnight vs. Avocado
- Helix Midnight vs. Sleep Number 360 c4 Bed
- Helix Plus vs. Big Fig
- Aurora Luxe vs. Helix
- Saatva vs. Helix
- Sparrow Signature Hybrid vs. Helix Dusk Luxe
- DreamCloud vs. Helix Midnight
- Nectar vs. Helix
- Nolah vs. Helix
- Zenhaven vs. Helix
- Layla vs. Helix
- Helix vs. WinkBed
- Helix vs. Leesa
Comparing Other Mattresses from Nolah and Helix
Nolah Mattresses
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| Nolah Original 10″ Mattress | Nolah Signature 12″ Mattress | Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress | Nolah Nurture Mattress | Nolah Natural Mattress | Nolah Signature All-Foam Hybrid Mattress | Nolah Evolution Comfort+ | Nolah Original Hybrid | |
| Rating | ||||||||
| Firmness | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Medium-firm: 6/10 | Multiple firmness options | Medium-firm: 6/10 | Medium: 5/10 | Medium: 5/10 | ||
| Material | Foam | Foam | Hybrid | Hybrid | Latex | Foam | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Cooling | — | — | — | |||||
| Warranty | Lifetime warranty | Lifetime warranty | Lifetime warranty | Lifetime Warranty | Lifetime warranty | Lifetime warranty | Lifetime warranty | Lifetime warranty |
| Shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping minus HI and AK | Free shipping |
| Trial Period | 120 nights | 120 nights | 120 nights | 120 Nights | 120 Nights | 120 nights | 120 nights | 120 nights |
| Best For | Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers | Side Sleepers, Back Pain | Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Hip Pain, Seniors | Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Kids, Hot Sleepers | Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Hot Sleepers, Back Pain | Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Hot Sleepers | Hot Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Side Sleepers | Hot Sleepers, Back Sleepers |
Helix Mattresses
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| Helix Dawn Luxe Mattress | Helix Dawn Mattress | Helix Dusk Luxe Mattress | Helix Dusk Mattress | Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress | Helix Midnight Mattress | Helix Moonlight Luxe Mattress | Helix Moonlight Mattress | Helix Plus Mattress | Helix Sunset Luxe Mattress | Helix Sunset Mattress | Helix Twilight Luxe Mattress | Helix Twilight Mattress | |
| Rating | |||||||||||||
| Firmness | Firm: 7.5/10 | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Medium-firm: 6/10 | Medium-firm: 6/10 | Medium-firm: 6/10 | Firm: 7/10 | Medium: 5.5/10 | Firm: 7.5/10 | |||||
| Material | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Cooling | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| Warranty | 15-year warranty | 10-year warranty | 15-year warranty | 10-year warranty | 15-year warranty | 10-year warranty | 15-year warranty | 10-year warranty | 15-year warranty | 15-year warranty | 10-year warranty | 15-year warranty | 10-year warranty |
| Shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping |
| Trial Period | 100 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights |
| Best For | Back Pain, Back Sleepers, Hot Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers | Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Couples | Stomach Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Side Sleepers, Hot Sleepers | Back Sleepers | Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Side Sleepers, Hip Pain, Seniors | Couples, Back Sleepers, Side Sleepers | Back Pain, Couples, Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers | Hot Sleepers, Joint Pain, Back Sleepers, Side Sleepers | Back Sleepers, Side Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers | Joint Pain, Back Sleepers, Side Sleepers | Joint Pain, Back Sleepers, Side Sleepers | Back Sleepers, Side Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Hot Sleepers | Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Couples, Hot Sleepers |
Nolah vs. Helix FAQs
Are Nolah mattresses made in the USA?
Nolah mattresses are designed and produced in a factory in Arizona.
What is the difference between the Nolah Luxury firm and Plush?
The Nolah Evolution Luxury Firm bed will have a firmer, more supportive feel that’s better for back and stomach sleepers, whereas the Nolah Evolution Plush bed will be much softer and better for side sleepers or people with joint pain.
Who makes Helix mattresses?
The parent company of Helix is Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. Like Nolah, the beds are produced in Arizona.
Does Helix make a hybrid mattress?
All Helix mattresses are constructed with a hybrid design that combines foam and coils.
Our Final Thoughts on Nolah vs. Helix
Hybrid mattress fans will find features to enjoy about both the Nolah Evolution and Helix Midnight. The Nolah has incredible cooling technology thanks to its heat escape gusset and cooling foam layer, while the Helix has impressive motion isolation that’s ideal for couples and sensitive sleepers. Either bed is a solid choice, but you may prefer one over the other depending on your sleep style and habits.
As far as the brands go, Nolah slightly out-edges Helix in terms of sleep trial and warranty, but both meet that minimum industry standard for these categories and provide a similar customer service experience.
Sleep Advisor’s Testing Methodology
My fellow testers and I test each bed the same way you might in-store, but we then take that testing up a notch by employing various scientific tests. Not only do we collect measurable data, but we also get a wide range of perspectives from testers of different body types and sleep habits.
Want to learn more? Here’s a full breakdown of how our product review process works.
Sosha Lewis
Senior Staff Writer
About Author
Sosha Lewis is a senior staff writer for Sleep Advisor. Lewis is happy that she is able to combine her love of sleep with her love of writing.
Combination Sleeper
Education & Credentials
- Certified Sleep Science Coach