Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Tuesday 17th March – After the launch of NapTime™ – the Middle East’s first gym class designed to help people fall asleep – GymNation is taking the concept to new heights with a sleeping billboard, featuring a real bed and a real person taking a nap.
The creative installation has appeared in Dubai this week as the viral class continues to gain momentum across the city. Demand for NapTime™ has surged since its launch to mark World Sleep Day, with initial sessions fully booked and additional classes now being added to the schedule to meet demand.
The billboard installation features a full-size bed built directly into the structure, complete with duvet and pillows, with participants invited to demonstrate the ultimate act of recovery: doing absolutely nothing.
The stunt playfully highlights the growing conversation around recovery, sleep and nervous system regulation in modern fitness culture. In a city known for its fast-paced lifestyle, GymNation says the message is simple: rest is not the enemy of productivity – it’s what enables it.
“NapTime™ was created to help people switch off and recover in a world where we are constantly stimulated by work, screens and stress,” said Rory McEntee, Chief Marketing Officer at GymNation. “The response has been incredible. Classes have been fully booked since launch, which shows just how much people are craving opportunities to properly disconnect.”
With demand continuing to grow, GymNation has confirmed that additional NapTime™ sessions will be added to the weekly schedule at GymNation Downtown.
And for those still struggling to secure a spot in what has quickly become Dubai’s most relaxing viral class, GymNation has a tongue-in-cheek suggestion.
“If you still can’t get a place in the class,” McEntee added, “you can always come down to the billboard and grab a nap there instead.”
NapTime™ combines gentle yoga stretching, breathwork, meditation and live handpan music before guiding participants into a curated nap environment designed to help the body shift into a deep state of relaxation.
With recovery becoming one of the fastest-growing trends in global fitness, GymNation says the concept reflects a wider shift in the industry towards balancing high-intensity training with recovery, mental wellbeing and sleep optimisation.
Sometimes the most powerful workout, it seems, is the one where you do absolutely nothing.
About GymNation
GymNation aims to become the largest gym chain across the GCC, with further expansion planned across the region, including within Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Launched in 2017 GymNation’s mission is to become The People’s Gym with an ambition to make improving health and well-being by going to the gym less intimidating, more affordable, accessible, and fun for everyone in the region.
GymNation’s vision is to play a lead role as The Region’s Movement Partner, championing healthy and active lifestyles alongside the importance of mental health and physical wellbeing.
NapTime™ schedule:
- Venue: GymNation Downtown
- Date: Sessions run every Saturday at 10:45 am, starting Saturday 14th March
- Terms and Conditions: Limited free slots are available, subject to early registration.