You're guaranteed to love this new kind of gym class
We have a feeling you’ll be rushing to give it a go
We have a feeling you’ll be rushing to your gym to give it a go
I don’t believe there’s a person alive who, at some time or another, hasn’t dreaded the thought of heading to the gym. Whether it’s after a long day at work when dinner is calling or on a lazy Sunday when your bed is just far too comfortable, it’s not uncommon to suffer through a serious lack of gym motivation.
Thankfully, we’ve recently learned that taking an hour-long bath can burn as many calories as half an hour of exercise, and there’s also now a fitness centre in the UK that has introduced a class for those who would rather catch up on some shut-eye rather than sweat it out on the treadmill.
While the hour-long class, dubbed Nap-ercise, is by no means a replacement to regular daily exercise, the program – run by David Lloyd Clubs – is said to “reinvigorate the mind, improve moods and even burn the odd calorie.” In the class, gym-goers partake in 15 minutes of gentle stretching before lying down for 45 minutes of uninterrupted napping. The room is also set to the ideal sleeping temperature and is equipped with beds, blankets and sleeping masks so all you need to bring is your comfiest set of pyjamas.
While this new mid-afternoon class might seem a tad gimmicky and unnecessary, there is some science behind the benefits of a midday nap. In fact, a group from the Pennsylvania Allegheny College studied a group of participants who each took one daily 45-minute nap and found that each individual was more well-rested and tended to handle stress better than others. Additionally, scientists from the University of California found those who took time out of their day to catch some zzz’s actually boosted their learning capacity for the remainder of their day.
Currently, the class is limited to one location in the UK, however, if they become as popular as we’d expect, we wouldn’t be surprised to see them popping up all over the place. Alternatively, save your money and go take a relaxing nap in the park on your lunch break.
If nap-ercise doesn’t quite fit your bill, then fitness service, Class Pass, which let’s you sample many different kinds of workouts, may be perfect for you.
Image credit: @milliemackintoshofficial
Kate started working for BEAUTYcrew in early 2016, first as a contributor, and was then named Beauty Writer in 2017. She loves picking the brains of the industry's top experts to get to the bottom of beauty's toughest questions. Bronze eyeshadow palettes are her weakness and she's forever on the hunt for the perfect nude nail polish to suit her fair skin. Her words can also be found in Men's Health magazine, and she now works in PR.
