Deskercise, yoga with baby animals, prancing around the park — fitness fads come and go. But a fitness center in the U.K. is giving weary gymgoers one workout that almost anyone can commit to.
Mashable reports that David Lloyd Clubs is offering a 60-minute class called Napercise. People attending the classes aren't sweating it out, they're catching ZZZs and getting away from their to-do lists.
David Lloyd Clubs describes the Napercise class as a way to "reinvigorate the mind, improve moods, and even burn the odd calorie." The hourlong session includes 45 minutes of napping and 15 minutes of light stretching — which is definitely one way to refresh and renew. The gyms provide everything necessary, including a bed, blanket, and eye mask. The room will even be set an ideal temperature for slumber, so not even the most minor details got overlooked.
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If that sounds like a marketing stunt or just one more way for gyms to get bodies in the door, there is some science behind the midday nap and its benefits. Pennsylvania's Allegheny College looked at a group of participants that took one 45-minute nap in the middle of their days. The result? Not only were the people more well-rested, researchers found that people who had a nap handled stress better than those who didn't. While that may sound like a dream come true, a second study at the University of California at Berkeley gathered even more surprising findings. Scientists at that school found that people who had midday naps actually boosted their learning capacity.
Of course, whether or not naps have brain-boosting power, they just feel great. David Lloyd Clubs is rolling out the new class its location in Sidcup to start, but if it proves to be popular — and there's no reason it wouldn't — the chain will bring Napercise to other clubs and nappers across the U.K.
Check out this promo video for more details.