Study reveals how walking may reduce depression risk

The daily step count is perceived as the bare minimum when it comes to fitness. It helps to ensure that we are not sedentary. But a study published in the journal JAMA Network Open sheds light on its surprising benefits, making it more than just a baseline fitness activity. It shows that increasing the number of steps you take each day can substantially reduce depressive symptoms.

Surprising benefits of daily steps

The researchers of the study acknowledged the connection between exercises and mental wellbeing. They called it a type of ‘natural antidepressant.’ But surprisingly, they also found that walking, which is an extremely low-effort activity, contributes to alleviating depressive symptoms. The study, led by Estela Jimenez-Lopez of the University of Castile-La Mancha in Spain, examined data from 33 studies involving over 96,000 adults worldwide. They tracked the participants’ walking habits, and daily steps and correlated them to their mental wellbeing.

Even small steps matter

Daily steps don’t require a high number to impact mental health. Even a modest increase in the number of steps taken daily could help reduce the likelihood of developing depression. People who took just 1,000 extra steps a day experienced a 9% decrease in their chances of developing depression compared to those walking 5,000 steps or fewer. As step counts increased, the benefits to mental health grew even stronger. Walking 7,000 steps a day resulted in a 31% lower chance of depression, and 7,500 steps per day lowered the risk by 43%. This result applied universally to all age groups.

But looks like this benefit is restricted to a particular step count, as after that the benefits level out and remain more or less the same. The study found that while more steps do improve mental health, the benefits stop increasing after a certain point. The biggest drop in depression was seen at around 10,000 steps per day. After that, walking more didn’t lead to further improvements.

Other than walking, the researchers also recommended physical activities like aerobics, weight training, yoga, and even tai chi, which can also help with depression.