NapTime: The Gym Class Where Relaxing Is the Goal
GymNation’s classes are known for raising pulses and eyebrows alike.
The Middle East’s fastest-growing fitness brand has developed a reputation for throwing curveballs into its already eclectic schedule.
As summer temperatures soared in Dubai, the group brought the mercury back under control with the city’s ‘coolest gym class’, featuring ice blocks and giant fans.
Late last year, it announced free self-defence classes for Londoners living in the most notorious phone theft hotspots.
Then, in January, GymNation quite literally took workouts to new heights when it lifted members 2,200 feet above Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital city, for a session in a hot air balloon.
For its latest trick, the People’s Gym is slowing things down with the launch of NapTime: the Middle East’s first class designed to help you sleep, rather than sweat.
NapTime: Solving the UAE’s Restless Nights
The launch comes at a time when sleep deprivation is a growing concern across the UAE and the wider GCC.
Regional researchers say only one in five adults sleep for the recommended eight hours or more. In the UAE, roughly the same proportion are getting five hours or less.
Clearly feeling the strain of full-throttle living, global data suggests the UAE is also among the populations with the latest bedtimes worldwide, with many residents not hitting the pillow until after midnight.
Aligned with International Sleep Day on Friday, March 13, GymNation’s NapTime turns the spotlight on an often undervalued side of performance: rest, relaxation and recovery.
“We are used to telling people to push harder, lift heavier and train longer,” explained Rory McEntee, Chief Marketing Officer at GymNation.
“The science is clear: without recovery, progress stalls. Recovery is the new cardio. Globally, there is growing focus on sleep optimisation, breathwork and nervous system regulation, and we wanted to bring that conversation into the gym in a meaningful way.
“NapTime™ shows that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for your fitness is absolutely nothing.
“That’s also why NapTime™ is completely phone-free. We live in a constant state of stimulation – notifications, scrolling, late-night emails – and it’s impacting how well we switch off.
“By asking members to put their phones away before class, we’re creating a rare environment where you can properly disconnect, calm your nervous system and be present.”
How Does NapTime Work?
NapTime makes its official debut on Saturday, March 14 at 10:45am in four tranquil stages.
The class starts with gentle yoga stretching to release physical tension, followed by instructor-guided breathwork and meditation to alleviate stress levels.
Once complete zen is achieved, a carefully curated sleep environment complete with beds, duvets, pillows and eye masks allows attendees to drift off.
To fully set the ambience, all this will be soundtracked by the soothing notes of a live handpan.
And, as phone notifications are an identified cause of the UAE’s sleep crisis, members will be required to place their phones into a secure box before the class begins.
“Sleep is one of the most powerful recovery tools we have, yet it’s the one most people neglect,” added GymNation Coach Desmond Wong.
“When you combine light movement, breathwork and meditation, you help the nervous system shift into a calmer state which lowers stress hormones and prepares the body for deep rest.
“NapTime™ is designed to help people truly unwind, reset mentally, and give their body the recovery it needs to perform at its best.”
Following the inaugural nap on Saturday, March 14, further classes are scheduled every Saturday through to April 4 at GymNation’s Downtown Dubai facility.
Head over to GymNation’s website to book your bed.
