What Is Napercise? New Gym Class Lets You Pay For Sleep

Would you pay for 45 minutes of uninterrupted, midday sleep? If the answer is “yes,” then you may be in the market for new sleep fad Napercise. David Lloyd Clubs is getting into the business of sleep with a group napping class that claims to “reinvigorate the mind, the body and even burn the odd calorie.” For some, it appears Napercise has answered a long-unanswered prayer for more sleep.

David Lloyd Clubs is reportedly targeting sleepy parents for its nap sessions in Sidcup, southeast London. The hour-long class consists of 15 minutes of pre-nap stretching followed by a 45-minute nap. According to its website, the classes are already in high demand and completely booked out.

The health benefits of napping are well documented. A 2011 study from Pennsylvania's Allegheny College found that napping between 45 and 60 minutes during the day improved cardiovascular health by significantly lowering blood pressure. In addition, participants in the study reported “lower scores of sleepiness than those who did not sleep.”

Read: Sleep Research Finds That Sleeping Between Study Sessions Can Help Retention

And as for the calories burned? While napping certainly isn’t interchangeable with your average daily exercise, there does seem to be some evidence that sleeping can — as the company puts it — “burn the odd calorie.”

According to Livestrong, calories burned while sleeping is dependant on how much you weigh and for how long you’re sleeping. For example, an individual who weighs 110 pounds can expect to burn approximately 315 calories during a seven-hour sleep cycle, while a person who weighs 200 pounds will burn closer to 570 calories.

“If you weigh 150 pounds or 200 pounds, you will work off an estimated 428.6 calories or 571.4 calories, respectively, in that same seven-hour stretch,” Livestrong reported. “A one-hour nap will recharge a 125-pound person while taking off 51 calories. For a 175-pound individual, 60 minutes will burn an estimated 71.4 calories.”

So will you be tipping the scales favorably by hitting the pillow for 45 minutes? Not exactly, but studies have shown that people who sleep less than the recommended seven and a half to eight hours are predisposed to weight gain and other potentially serious health problems.

A representative for the club chain told the Huffington Post that reactions to the class were “really positive with everyone really excited to try the class for a number of reasons, including parents who find it hard to relax at home.”

If the nap classes prove to be successful, the David Lloyd Clubs reportedly plans to take its sleep sessions nationwide.