Step aside, Jazzercise. "Napercise" might just become fitness's new trend.
Whether you're an over-tired parent, a college student pulling all-nighters, or a working adult simply spread too thin, you might soon be rooting for England's new "Napercise" class to take off and head over to our side of the pond.
Of course we're all familiar with the many health benefits of a good night's sleep. But sometimes in our modern society, a full seven or eight hours of sleep per night just isn't possible -- especially when one has young children.
Enter "Napercise," an hour-long group napping class and the brainchild of Europe's popular fitness chain David Lloyd Clubs. Debuting on a trial basis at one of their London locations in April, Napercise gives participants 45 minutes of sleep on single beds in a relaxing atmosphere. Time for stretching is made available both before and after the nap, with a peaceful audio track being played in the background and cozy beds provided by retailer Dreams. The class is "scientifically designed to reinvigorate the mind, improve moods and even burn the odd calorie," the company's web site states. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1kcL9-8Nd0[/embed] Daytime napping can definitely help someone's overall health, especially by lowering blood pressure, Pennsylvania's Alleghany College reported in a 2011 academic study. It can also boost alertness, relieve anxiety and improve one's overall mood. "According to our research, 86 percent of parents admit to regularly suffering from fatigue, which is alarmingly high when you consider the important role getting a good night’s sleep can play in our overall mental and physical wellbeing," 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.”
The David Lloyd Leisure Group has 486,000 members across 84 fitness clubs in the United Kingdom, as well as 12 locations in Europe.
I don't know about you, but I'm getting sleepy just thinking about Napercise! Would you pay money for a good, quality nap? We'd love to hear your feedback in the comments!
