A new gym exercise has been taking over the United Kingdom. David Lloyd gyms had developed a class called “Napercise” that, judging by the portmanteau from nap and exercise, allows people who signed up to do nothing but sleep for 45 minutes in the afternoon, Mirror reports.
Not a spin bike, not even a treadmill in sight, the whole room reserved for Napercise was only occupied by single beds spread all over the space. The absence of music allows for the entrance of silence that will put people to sleep and take a nap for an appropriate amount of time.
According to the Birmingham Mail, David Lloyd gyms designed the classes under the scientific research the effectiveness of sleeping to “reinvigorate the mind, improve moods, even burn the odd calorie.”
Birmingham Mail adds, “Almost one in five tired parents admit to having a kip at work and five per cent have forgotten to pick up their child from school due to tiredness.”
With Napercise, the developers wanted to stress the significance of napping and its health benefits that it could bring. Napping improves alertness, relieves anxiety, and uplifts the mood.
If the program would receive success that enough to sustain it, there’s a possibility that other branches of David Lloyd gyms could introduce it as well. So far, the class is only available in the Sidcup branch in London. People, from overworked parents to professionals, can take advantage of the class to take a nap.
Kathry Pinkham, a Dreams sleep expert Napercise collaborated with to develop the program, said, “Sleep is a lot more important than people realize. We tend to focus on the short-term effects such as being tired or lacking concentration, but it is also essential for our long-term physical and mental well-being too.
“In addition to a lack of sleep bringing with it a higher risk of developing anxiety or depression, when we are sleep deprived we lack the energy to exercise regularly, and also the mental clarity to make good decisions about the food we eat, which could negatively impact our physical health in the long-run.”
A spokesperson for David Lloyd Clubs said, “We’re always looking for new ways to tackle the issues that everyday families face, which is what Napercise sets out to do. Filling an exercise studio with beds might look unusual, but if it proves to be a success, we’re definitely excited at the possibility of rolling out the program to more of our clubs down the line.”
