Written by Celeste Parler, Mattress Clarity Writer
If you deal with snoring, neck or back pain or acid reflux, or just prefer to lounge in bed with extra upper body support, a wedge pillow could help improve the quality of your sleep.
In my unbiased Helix Wedge pillow review, I’ll share my experience testing this unique pillow designed to help reduce pain and sleep-related breathing issues. I’ll take a close look at its firmness, performance, construction, and price. Let’s dive in.
Helix Wedge Pillow
The Helix Wedge is a pillow effectively combat snoring and acid reflux.
Mattress Clarity Score
4.30 / 5
Helix Wedge Pillow Overview
Helix is a popular online mattress retailer known for its personalized hybrid mattresses and its online quiz that can help you find the right mattress. The brand also sells a collection of bedding products from weighted blankets and cooling sheets to mattress protectors and, of course, pillows. The Mattress Clarity team has already reviewed the soft and fluffy Helix Feather & Down Pillow.
Overall Rating
Helix’s wedge pillow, however, is designed to be a support pillow to elevate your body while back or side sleeping. It can be positioned to elevate your upper body, a posture that studies suggest can help alleviate snoring, sleep apnea symptoms, and acid reflux. The wedge pillow can also be placed underneath your legs to reduce pressure on your lower back and prevent tossing and turning. Here’s an overview of who might benefit from using the Helix Wedge pillow:
| Who Should Get the Helix Wedge Pillow? | Who Shouldn’t Get the Helix Wedge Pillow? |
| Those looking for a tall wedge pillow | Stomach sleepers |
| Sleepers that want a pillow to help reduce snoring | Anyone who prefers to sleep flat on their bed |
| People with sleep apnea or acid reflux | People who prefer softer pillows |
Helix Wedge Pillow Firmness and Feel
A pillow’s firmness and feel will affect how comfortable it is for certain body types and sleep positions. I’ll share my experience sleeping in different positions on the Helix Wedge pillow.
How Firm is the Helix Wedge Pillow?
As a support pillow, the Helix Wedge pillow is firm enough to support the body weight of even heavier sleepers. It has a top memory foam layer that has a little bit of give to offer pressure relief and body contouring. Its combination of highly dense support foam and softer memory foam gives it an overall medium-firm feel.
Because more support foam is used as the pillow gets taller, it will feel more supportive toward the higher end of the slope versus the lower end.
Sleeping on Helix Wedge Pillow
The Helix Wedge pillow is not meant to be used like a standalone pillow you would rest underneath your head. A wedge pillow can be used in addition to your normal pillow or alone to prop up your upper body. While back sleeping, you can also place the tall side of the wedge pillow underneath your knees, elevating your calves to provide lower back pressure relief.
First, I laid on my back with my hips meeting the bottom edge of the pillow to elevate my upper back. My lower back gently sank into the shorter side of the pillow while my head and shoulders barely compressed the tall side of the pillow. After a few minutes, tension in my neck began to subside and I felt a wave of relaxation.
Elevating your torso with the Helix Wedge pillow by itself or with another pillow has been shown to reduce snoring and mild to moderate cases of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This elevation prevents your airways from becoming restricted and from losing your oxygen supply. Additionally, sleeping elevated on your back can help keep stomach acid from traveling up your esophagus, potentially reducing acid reflux symptoms.
While still on my back, I also tried laying with the wedge pillow under my legs while resting my head on my normal pillow. Laying in this position takes pressure off of your lower back and improves blood circulation to your legs. This placement is also helpful if you toss and turn at night and want to stay in the same position all night long.
As a lightweight side sleeper, I didn’t find the Helix Wedge pillow especially comfortable with my entire torso on top of the pillow. The pillow was too firm for me to sink into the top memory foam layer, and I felt a decent amount of pressure against my arm and shoulder. However, only resting my head on the wedge pillow while side sleeping was much more comfortable and I could maintain spinal alignment.
Wedge pillows are not designed to be used for stomach sleeping. Stomach sleepers lay flat on their mattresses and should use a low pillow to achieve neutral spinal alignment. Elevating your head using a wedge pillow along with your normal pillow could cause neck pain over time.
What does the Helix Wedge Pillow Feel Like?
The top layer of the Helix Wedge pillow is softer and less dense than the rest of the support foam the pillow is made of. This gives it a balanced foam feel that offers a decent amount of body contouring without feeling stuck inside the foam.
Average Weight Sleepers – 130 lb – 230 lb
The Helix Wedge pillow is a great fit for average-weight back and side sleepers. On their backs, these sleepers will feel adequate pressure relief and well-supported throughout. Some average-weight side sleepers might find the Helix Wedge pillow too firm for their arms to compress the top side of the pillow.
Heavyweight Sleepers – Over 230 lb
Heavyweight sleepers should find a balance of comfort and support resting on the Helix Wedge pillow. It’s firm enough to support those who weigh over 230 lb while back sleeping or side sleeping. Heavyweight sleepers should also receive ample pressure relief from its soft memory foam top layer.
Lightweight Sleepers – Under 130 lb
Lightweight sleepers won’t sink deeply into the wedge pillow’s top layer of memory foam. This amount of support is ideal for lightweight back sleepers, but lightweight side sleepers may not find enough pressure relief around their shoulders on the pillow. If you are a lightweight sleeper who prefers a firm pillow and to sleep elevated, this wedge pillow could be a good fit.
Helix Wedge Pillow Construction
Let’s go over the construction of the Helix Wedge Pillow from its cover to its support layer.
Cover
The Helix Wedge pillow’s cover is made from a breathable polyester and rayon blend. The cover is also removable and machine-washable, making the pillow easy to clean.
Core
Beneath the polyester and rayon cover is a 1.5” layer of CertiPUR-US gel-infused memory foam. This layer is designed to dissipate body heat and provide comfortable pressure relief.
The rest of the pillow’s core is made from durable polyurethane foam. The highly dense foam provides the bulk of the pillow’s support. It’s similar to the support layer you would find in an all-foam mattress.
Weight
The weight of the package the Helix Wedge pillow arrived in was 5 lb.
Height/Loft
Loft refers to the height of the pillow. The Helix Wedge pillow has a sloped design that gradually gets shorter down one face of the pillow. The pillow at its tallest height is 10” tall and declines until it is 2” tall at its shortest height. Its height is designed to elevate your body for comfort or pain relief.
Helix Wedge Pillow Size Options and Price
The Helix Wedge pillow only comes in one size, and is not available in a two-pack like many standard pillows. Note that our chart below reflects the full price and does not account for discounts.
| Size | Price |
| Standard (24” x 24” x 10”) | $109 |
Helix Wedge Pillow
The Helix Wedge is a pillow effectively combat snoring and acid reflux.
Mattress Clarity Score
4.30 / 5
Helix Wedge Pillow Performance
Now that I’ve gone over how it feels to sleep on Helix Wedge pillow, I’ll share more on its performance. Let’s take a look at the Helix Wedge pillow’s cooling features, care instructions, and more.
Sleeping Hot or Cold
Memory foam pillows tend to trap heat, but the Helix Wedge pillow comes with a layer of gel-infused foam to disperse body heat. During my testing, I never felt uncomfortably warm with the pillow against my back or under my legs. Paired with its lightweight and breathable cover, sleepers should not overheat using this pillow.
Off-Gassing
The Helix Wedge pillow arrives compressed and wrapped in plastic. After I opened the plastic wrap, it expanded almost immediately to its full size. There was no unpleasant smell and it was ready to use minutes after opening. I would still recommend letting it air out in a well ventilated area before first use, however.
Care Instructions
The Helix Wedge pillow comes with a removable cover that can be machine-washed in cold water with a mild detergent. To dry the cover, let it lay flat or let it hang-dry in a ventilated area, preferably in direct sunlight. Its memory foam core is not machine-washable and should only be spot-cleaned if necessary.
RELATED: How to Clean Your Pillow: Washing & Spot-Cleaning Guide
Allergies
The Helix Wedge pillow’s core is made from hypoallergenic gel-infused memory foam and polyurethane foam. Dense memory foam is a good choice for sleepers with allergies because it does not collect dust mites.
Company Policies
Let’s take a look at what to expect when you buy a pillow from Helix.
Warranty Info
The Helix Wedge pillow comes with a limited one-year warranty. The warranty covers manufacturing defects and not general wear and tear or physical damage to the pillow.
Sleep Trial
You have 100 days to try the Helix Wedge pillow and decide if you like it.
Return Policy
If you are not satisfied with the wedge pillow within the 100-day sleep trial, you can return the pillow for a full refund and with free shipping.
How Does the Helix Wedge Pillow Compare To Other Pillows?
The Helix Wedge pillow serves a unique purpose to provide comfort and support to those dealing with pain or restricted breathing. I’ll compare the Helix Wedge pillow to a body pillow that serves a similar purpose and a standard pillow with similar traits.
Helix Wedge Pillow vs MedCline Body Pillow
The MedCline Shoulder Relief System refers to three pillows: a body pillow, a wedge pillow and an insert. This system is designed to be used together to alleviate shoulder pain while side sleeping. The wedge pillow has a similar shape to the Helix Wedge pillow. The main difference between the two wedge pillows is that the MedCline wedge pillow features an arm gap for side sleepers to lay their arm underneath for extra comfort. This makes it a better option for side sleepers who are looking for shoulder pain relief.
The MedCline wedge pillow is made entirely of highly dense polyethylene foam. It is much firmer than the Helix Wedge pillow which features a memory foam layer to provide comfortable pressure relief. Its memory foam layer is gel-infused to dissipate body heat to keep sleepers from overheating. The MedCline Shoulder Relief System’s body pillow and insert pillow are also made from gel-infused memory foam.
The Helix Wedge pillow is four inches taller than the MedCline wedge pillow, making it a better match for back sleepers. Although the MedCline system can be arranged in a few different ways, it is not meant for back or stomach sleeping.
| Who Should Get the Helix Wedge Pillow? | Who Should Get the MedCline Body Pillow? |
| Back sleepers | Side sleepers with shoulder pain |
| Sleepers looking for cooling features | Shoppers who want a set of versatile pillows |
Read our full MedCline Body Pillow Review.
Helix Wedge Pillow vs Sleep Number True Temp Pillow
The Helix Wedge pillow is unlike most pillows on the market, and can be used alone or with a standard pillow. The Sleep Number True Temp pillow is a traditional pillow with some similarities to the Helix pillow.
Both are made from supportive foam with cooling features to prevent overheating. The Sleep Number pillow’s foam inserts have small holes to promote airflow through your head to your mattress. Both pillows come with thin, breathable covers that are removable and machine-washable for easy care.
The Helix Wedge pillow is much larger than the Sleep Number pillow and can be positioned a few ways to help alleviate tension or prevent acid reflux. When used under your upper body, the Helix Wedge pillow elevates your torso almost twice as high compared to the Sleep Number pillow.
The Sleep Number pillow and the Helix Wedge pillow have enough support for back and side sleepers. However, the Sleep Number pillow is designed to provide neutral spinal alignment, and the Helix Wedge pillow lifts your body which may reduce neck and back pain.
| Who Should Get the Helix Wedge Pillow? | Who Should Get the Sleep Number True Temp Pillow? |
| People who want extra elevation and body support | Fans of a soft, responsive feel |
| Sleepers that snore or have sleep apnea | Those looking for an adjustable pillow |
Read our full Sleep Number True Temp Pillow Review.
FAQs
How do you use the Helix Wedge pillow?
You can use the Helix Wedge pillow in a few ways to help reduce pain, gastrointestinal issues, or snoring. One way to use the wedge pillow is to place it under your upper body for comfortably lounging while watching TV or reading a book. Sleeping with the wedge pillow in this position may help treat sleep apnea symptoms and prevent acid reflux. Another way to use this pillow is to place the tall end of the wedge under your knees to elevate your calves. This position can take pressure off of your lower back and improve circulation in your legs.
Is it healthy to sleep on a wedge pillow?
Yes, sleeping with a wedge pillow is a perfectly healthy practice for most people. Wedge pillows are commonly used as positional therapy devices to treat snoring and sleep apnea by easing the influence of gravity on your airways. However, stomach sleepers won’t benefit from using a wedge pillow because these people should be sleeping completely flat against their mattresses.
Who should not use a wedge pillow?
It’s not recommended for young children to use a wedge pillow. The Helix Wedge pillow is too large for babies and young children to sleep safely positioned in their beds. People that primarily sleep on the stomach would not benefit from using a wedge pillow to elevate their upper body.
How tall should a wedge pillow be?
Most wedge pillows are between six to 12 inches tall, and wedge pillows of different heights have different benefits. Wedge pillows best suited for upper body and neck support are typically taller than wedge pillows best suited for elevating your legs. The Helix Wedge pillow’s height is versatile to comfortably use it both ways.