Walk 1,000 more steps to beat anxiety and stress, says study: Which step count works best for you? (original) (raw)

walking Walking is known to stimulate endorphins, which are mood boosters, lower cortisol levels, a stress hormone, and activate neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, all of which lead to positive feelings.

If you are feeling low and slipping into the trough of depression, all you need to do is take a walk and add 1,000 more steps to your daily count. A new study says that this reduces symptoms of depression.

According to a review and meta-analysis of observational studies in Jama Network, adults who increased their activity by 1,000 steps per day and accumulated over 7,000 steps per day had a 9% and 31% lower risk of developing depression. The study is significant because it involved 96,000 adults.

Walking is known to stimulate endorphins, which are mood boosters, lower cortisol levels, a stress hormone, and activate neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, all of which lead to positive feelings.

According to AIIMS psychiatry professor Dr Nand Kumar, a simple lifestyle modification can help manage depression easily. “When you are depressed, your energy reserve goes low and you don’t feel like moving. But once you take a short walk, you start feeling better and can control your emotions,” he says.

What is the science behind the step count lowering levels of depression?

When you walk more, there is an increase in physical activity and cardiac output, or the amount of blood the heart pumps in a minute. In other words, the blood flow increases in the entire body, including the brain. So, one of the hypotheses of depression is that there is lower blood supply in one part of the brain which we call the seat of cognition. This is called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and besides cognitive function, helps process emotions and pain. An enhanced blood supply optimises its functions.

What’s the ideal step count, 5,000 or 10,000?

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Don’t focus on the step count so much. Focus instead on the speed and intensity of your walk. If I am walking 10,000 steps inside the house slowly or with breaks, then my cardiac output will be low and not to the required scale. You may tire out and become sluggish chasing the step goal. But a brisk walk of 5,000 to 7,000 steps leads to increased cardiac output, increased metabolism, increased blood flow and improved brain function.

In fact, a walk has added benefits for the brain. If you go for a walk in the park or garden, you look at multiple things, be it trees, birds, flowers, other people. This leads to multiple sensory stimulation unlike in a gym. This leads to better emotional balance and improves moods.