Why we built OrthoRest

Dr. Stowell's patients had the same complaint after every shoulder surgery: "I can't sleep." The research was clear — poor sleep doesn't just feel bad, it actively slows healing. So he set out to fix it.

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The Problem

Shoulder surgery recovery
has a sleep problem.

Sleep disturbances are the norm, not the exception
Research presented at the 2024 APTA Combined Sections Meeting found a high prevalence of sleep disturbances following elective orthopedic surgery — and a significant relationship between those deficits and slowed recovery. [5]
Poor sleep amplifies pain
Studies confirm a vicious cycle: poor sleep increases pain sensitivity, which further disrupts sleep. [7] One study found that a single night of poor sleep predicted higher pain levels and greater need for pain medication the following day. [12]
Sleep quality predicts hospital outcomes
Multiple studies have found that patients who reported better postoperative sleep quality had significantly shorter hospital stays, fewer complications, and improved functional recovery at follow-up. [2][3]
Sleep better during shoulder recovery.
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The OrthoRest Shoulder Pillow is purpose-built to support your shoulder after surgery, helping you rest more comfortably through the night without constantly readjusting pillows.

Designed in collaboration with orthopedic specialists, OrthoRest provides stable, targeted support that helps keep your shoulder in a safe, comfortable position while you sleep on your side.
Tissue Repair & Cell Regeneration

During deep sleep, the body releases growth hormone and prolactin — both critical for repairing damaged tissue, regenerating cells, and promoting muscle recovery. [9][8] Without sufficient deep sleep, this process is significantly impaired. [9]

Immune Function & Infection Prevention

Sleep is when the body produces cytokines, protective proteins that regulate inflammation and fight infection. [6] Sleep deprivation compromises this immune response, increasing the risk of surgical site infections and slowing wound healing. [1]

Pain Regulation

Research confirms a reciprocal relationship between sleep and pain. [7][12] Adequate sleep helps regulate pain perception and can reduce the need for narcotic pain medication. Poor sleep does the opposite — lowering your pain threshold and intensifying discomfort.

Collagen Formation & Wound Closure

Collagen production increases during sleep, leading to stronger tissue at the surgical site. [1][8] This is especially important for incision healing, where robust collagen formation contributes to better wound closure and reduced scarring.

Stress Hormone Regulation

Surgery triggers elevated cortisol levels. Prolonged cortisol elevation hampers healing and suppresses immune function. [9][6] Quality sleep helps bring cortisol back down, creating a more favorable environment for recovery.

Sleep isn't rest. It's recovery.

Most people think of sleep as downtime. But for a post-surgical patient, sleep is when the body does its most important repair work. Here's what the research tells us happens — or fails to happen — while you sleep after surgery.

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Research

What the research says

The connection between sleep and surgical recovery isn't anecdotal. It's supported by a growing body of peer-reviewed research.

Can Improving Postoperative Sleep Speed Up Surgical Recovery?
This review found that surgeries — especially major ones — cause significant sleep disturbances that produce harmful effects including increased pain sensitivity, higher rates of cardiovascular events, and poorer recovery times. The authors concluded that reducing sleep restrictions can accelerate surgical recovery.
da Silva FR, et al. Sleep Sci. 2024;17(3)
Total Joint Arthroplasty and Sleep: The State of the Evidence
This review found that optimizing patients' perioperative sleep has the potential to enhance both the experience and outcomes of joint replacement surgery, with implications for pain control and postoperative cognition.
Arthroplasty Today. 2024;27:101383
Sleep Quality and Recovery in Total Knee Arthroplasty
Across 902 patients in seven studies, poor sleep quality was consistently correlated with higher pain levels, slower functional recovery, and diminished quality of life. Patients with worse sleep scores reported pain levels more than double those of better sleepers
J Surg Med. 2025;9(11):245–250
Effects of Sleep on Recovery Following Elective Orthopedic Surgery
This systematic review identified a high prevalence of sleep disturbances following elective orthopedic surgery and a significant relationship between sleeping deficits and slowed recovery.
Presented at CSM 2024, Boston, MA. February 15, 2024
OrthoRest Difference

Designed to solve a clinical problem

Dr. Stowell didn't start with a product idea — he started with a problem his patients faced every single night. OrthoRest was designed from the ground up by an orthopedic surgeon, informed by the research on sleep and postoperative healing, to give shoulder surgery patients the support they need to sleep better and recover faster.
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Shoulder-Specific Support

Contoured to cradle the arm in a supported, slightly elevated position — reducing strain on the surgical site and preventing the painful rolling that wakes patients up at night.

Designed for Deep Sleep

The geometry keeps the shoulder stable so patients can relax into restorative sleep stages — where growth hormone release, tissue repair, and collagen formation actually happen. [9]

Recovery-Focused Design

Every design decision — the angle, the density, the contouring — maps back to what the research says post-surgical patients need: less pain interruption, better positioning, and more unbroken sleep. [7][2]

Patent Pending

Improve your rest and your recovery today!

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OrthoRest creates recovery pillows for orthopedic surgeries, especially shoulder operations. Founded by Dr. Stowell, the company solves discomfort during sleep post-surgery. Many patients, particularly side and stomach sleepers, find it hard to be comfortable. Contact us for more infromation on better sleep post-surgery.
Our Solution
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© 2026 OrthoRest. All rights reserved. Patent Pending.
[1] Das A, Gupta R, Huda F, et al. "Effect of sleep quality on wound healing among patients undergoing emergency laparotomy: an observational study." J Clin Sleep Med. 2025;21(3):503–512
[2] da Silva FR, Guerreiro RC, Barreto AT, et al. "Can Improving Postoperative Sleep Speed Up Surgical Recovery?" Sleep Sci. 2024;17(3):e335–e338.
‍[3] Total Joint Arthroplasty and Sleep: The State of the Evidence. Arthroplasty Today. 2024;27:101383
‍[4] Sleep Quality and Recovery in Total Knee Arthroplasty. J Surg Med. 2025;9(11):245–250.
[5] Effects of Sleep on Recovery Following Elective Orthopedic Surgery. Presented at CSM 2024 (APTA Combined Sections Meeting), Boston, MA. February 15, 2024.
[6] Besedovsky L, Lange T, Haack M. "The Sleep-Immune Crosstalk in Health and Disease." Physiol Rev. 2019;99(3):1325–1380.
‍[7] Chouchou F, Khoury S, Chauny JM, et al. "Postoperative sleep disruptions: a potential catalyst of acute pain?" Sleep Med Rev. 2014;18(3):273–282.
‍[8] Irwin MR. "Why Sleep Is Important for Health: A Psychoneuroimmunology Perspective." Annu Rev Psychol. 2015;66:143–172.
‍[9] Spiegel K, Leproult R, Van Cauter E. "Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function." Lancet. 1999;354(9188):1435–1439.
‍[10] Perez AR, Destiné H, Patel NK, et al. "Effects of Melatonin on Sleep Quality and Patient-Reported Outcomes After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Surgery." Am J Sports Med. 2024;52(12):3075–3083.
‍[11] GQ: Laurence E. "The Best Sleeping Position, According to Experts." GQ. January 24, 2026.
‍[12] Irwin MR, Olmstead R, Bjurstrom MF, et al. "Sleep disruption and activation of cellular inflammation mediate heightened pain sensitivity: a randomized clinical trial." Pain. 2023;164(5):1128–1137.