\n<\/p>\n
Track and field star Allyson Felix shares rest and recovery tips and explains why motherhood inspired her to advocate for paid leave.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
When it comes to national policies around paid sick or family leave, the United States falls short compared to other developed countries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Around 28 million Americans lack access to paid sick time, which disproportionately affects low-income workers and their families, particularly caregivers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
A recent survey<\/a> from Theraflu and Wakefield Research of more than 1,000 employed U.S. adults who care for someone in their household found that 80% of respondents couldn\u2019t afford to take a sick day. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n More than half of respondents said they worked while sick because they needed the income, while 28% said that taking a sick day could put their job at risk. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Working parents are often obligated to continue their responsibilities even when they\u2019re sick. Mothers are more likely than fathers to bear the brunt of this responsibility<\/a>, even in the most egalitarian households.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n That\u2019s why track and field icon Allyson Felix is on a mission to help make paid sick time a fundamental right rather than a privilege. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n The five-time U.S. Olympian partnered with Theraflu to raise awareness for The Right to Rest & Recover Fund<\/a>, which has offered microgrants to families that help offset lost income from unpaid sick days. The Fund has distributed more than $1 million in microgrants since 2021.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n As a mom of two, Felix knows firsthand how physically and emotionally taxing it can be to care for young children when you\u2019re unwell. As a former elite sprinter specializing in the 200m, 400m, and relay events, Felix understands the importance of rest and recovery for both the body and the mind.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Now retired, the most decorated American track and field athlete in history \u2014 with 11 Olympic medals across five Games and a three-time world champion \u2014 has her heart set on a new goal: Paid sick leave for all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s a conversation that we\u2019re having enough of,\u201d Felix told Healthline. \u201cI love that Theraflu is doing something about it for people who are experiencing this hardship.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Regardless of your parenting<\/a> or caregiving status or even your fitness level, everyone benefits from rest and recovery \u2014 and from sick days when you need them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Clarinda Hougen<\/a>, MD, primary care sports medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles, CA, said that from an exercise science standpoint, rest and recovery are fundamental. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWhen we exercise, we place stress on our muscles, tendons, and other tissues,\u201d she told Healthline. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cHealing the microtears that occur in muscle tissues during exercise<\/a> results in muscle hypertrophy<\/a> and can only occur during periods of rest. In other words, strength gains and improved endurance occur during recovery rather than during the exercise itself.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Hougen shared a few tips to prioritize rest and recovery:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cAthletes who participate in a variety of different activities that involve different types of movement are less likely to experience injury,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n