I’ve been happily sleeping on a memory foam mattress that I love for about a year, but the mattress in one of my other bedrooms remains the very old, very worn latex mattress that I’d bought when I first moved to New York City many years ago. So when it was time to test mattresses here at SELF, I jumped at the chance to try out an upgrade.
From my cursory research over the years about what sort of mattress might work best for me, I knew I was looking for one that had medium support—not too soft that I feel like I’m sinking too much into the mattress, but also not too firm that my shoulder joints would be in pain. I’m a side sleeper and my partner, who is amenable to most sleeping surfaces, voiced no preferences, so I searched for one that would be the most versatile for different sleeping positions.
I landed on the Birch by Helix Luxe Natural mattress, a medium-firm hybrid mattress that uses layers of both latex and cotton, wool padding, and coils. It appealed to me for its reliance on certified eco-friendlier materials like natural latex, cotton, and wool, and for its cozy-looking topper.
After over three weeks of testing, I’ve found the Luxe Natural Mattress to be a comfortable and somewhat firm mattress that doesn’t give me any aches or pains. (A feat!) Read on for my full Birch mattress review and thoughts.
Sleep Quality
I spent years dealing with upper back pain, especially around the shoulder blades, before I realized that perhaps my old mattress was partial to blame—I just assumed it was my bad posture since I spent most of my day hunched over a laptop at work. I first switched out my mattress with a new one (the memory foam mattress) last year, and my back pain has improved considerably. So I knew that this would be a main area of consideration as I tested mattresses for this project—whether or not I started feeling any of those lingering back pains again.
I was a little nervous about this aspect since I am an extreme side sleeper; I usually wake up to find my body tightly scrunched into a fetal position, with my right arm clamped securely under my body. After reading some reviews I was concerned that the medium firmness of the Birch would make it uncomfortable for side sleepers like me. Luckily, I’m happy to report that I slept very well on the Birch mattress and didn’t experience any joint pain or body aches.
Support
The Birch Luxe Natural Mattress is a medium-firm mattress that features a hybrid construction, which means it uses both spring coils and latex, along with other layers of cotton and wool padding. I definitely prefer hybrid mattresses, which are meant to provide a layer of springy support, unlike coil-less mattresses. I have found that they feel more substantial and don’t make me feel like I am sinking too much into a bed. The Birch delivered on this; you’ll feel like you’re sleeping on the bed, not sinking in.
Comfort
This is a comfortable mattress that is surprisingly firm—it’s definitely stiffer than my memory foam mattress, which is also a hybrid style. I like the feeling of relaxing into a memory foam mattress when I first get into bed after a long day so, at first, I was worried that my body wouldn’t respond well to the firmness of the Birch. I was pleasantly surprised, however; while it’s true that the Birch doesn’t give me that same cloud-like sensation, I really enjoyed sleeping on this firmer-feeling bed. Plus the Birch has a soft plush cover, which gives it a luxurious feel.
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Temperature
I tested this mattress during a pretty cold spring in upstate New York, so I never felt too hot or stifled while sleeping on it. I also tend to get cold at night, so I need all the warmth I can get. I can’t say whether someone who tends to sleep hot would fare well with this one, but the plush cover feels pretty breathable, and it did keep me cooler than my memory foam mattress, which is made of material that is known for trapping heat.
A Risk-Free Trial Period
Like many mattress-in-a-box companies, Helix offers a 100-day trial for its Birch mattresses, with the caveat that you must wait 30 days before initiating a return. The company calls this period its 30-Day Break-In Period, noting that sleeping on a new mattress requires some getting used to, because the mattress may be stiffer when you first get it. If, after the 30 days, you decide that the Birch is not for you, you can initiate a return on the Birch website, after which it’ll be picked up from inside your home. The company says that lightly used mattresses are donated to charities when possible or are given to “removal partners” for recycling.
Adjustability
Our sleep experts noted that if you share a bed with a partner who has vastly different sleeping preferences than you, then looking for a mattress that has an adjustable capability, like mattresses filled with air or ones that allow for different firmness or materials on different sides, may be important to you. The Birch Luxe Mattress is not an adjustable mattress, so I didn’t evaluate this aspect in our criteria.
Motion Transfer
Likewise, if you share a bed with someone, motion transfer is another important aspect to keep in mind while shopping for a mattress. The Birch Luxe Natural Mattress performs fine in this area: You’ll notice movement from your partner if they are getting up or down, but nothing overly bouncy or disruptive. I found the motion transfer of the Birch to be about average.
Materials
Birch’s selling point seems to be the higher-end, organic materials that Helix uses on its Birch brand. Birch uses cotton, New Zealand wool, organic cashmere, and sustainably sourced latex. Its materials are certified by various eco-conscious institutes, meaning they’ve been tested and verified to be free of certain off-gassing chemicals and are sustainably harvested. As someone who looks to make more deliberate choices when it comes to what goes into my home, I appreciated knowing more about where the materials come from and how they’ve been tested.
Bottom line
Overall I’ve slept very well and comfortably in the weeks that I’ve tested the Birch Luxe Natural mattress, and I found it to be a great choice that holds up well when compared to my favorite memory foam mattress. Plus the mattress lives up to its name with nice, luxurious-feeling cover and premium materials. My one note is that I think it’s pretty firm and while I didn’t have an issue, it might be too firm for some side sleepers. However, if you’re a back sleeper or a side sleeper who requires more support, this one could be a nice fit for you.
Looking to buy a new mattress at a discount? Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, there are plenty of mattresses on sale right now.
Source: SELF
