It’s long been known that taking a certain number of steps each day can improve your overall health, but now new research reveals exactly how many steps you need to take to stave off depression.
A research team led by Dr. Bruno Bizzozero Peroni of the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Cuenca, Spain, analyzed 33 studies involving 96,173 adults.
A study published last week in JAMA Network Open compared the number of daily steps taken by adults to their rates of depression and found that those who took more steps per day tended to have fewer symptoms of depression. did.
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Researchers found that a step count of 5,000 or more was associated with fewer symptoms of depression, and a step count of 7,000 or more was associated with a lower risk of depression.
“Our results demonstrate a significant relationship between increased daily step count and decreased symptoms of depression, as well as lower prevalence and risk of depression in the general adult population,” the authors wrote in their study results. “We showed that there is a significant relationship.”
Research shows that people who take more steps per day tend to have fewer symptoms of depression. (St. Petersburg)
“Objectively measuring daily step counts could be a comprehensive and holistic approach to public health with the potential to prevent depression.”
More than 7% of adults in the United States have been diagnosed with depression, with those ages 12 to 25 most affected, according to data from the National Institute of Mental Health.
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Dr. Mark Siegel, a professor of clinical medicine at New York University Langone Health and a senior medical analyst for Fox News, was not involved in the study but commented on the review.
“This is an extensive analysis of over 30 observational studies, so it needs to be followed up with a prospective randomized study,” he told FOX News Digital.
One expert told Fox News Digital that previous research has shown that walking impacts brain networks essential to improving mood, depression, and anxiety. (St. Petersburg)
“There is already a tremendous amount of evidence, including this study, that exercise is associated with improved mood, which is a natural antidepressant.”
The reason why increasing the number of steps reduces depression is not only psychological, but also physical, the doctor said.
“Exercising increases the release of ‘happy hormones’ such as dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin,” Siegel added.
“The more we sit, or the longer we sit, the more depressed we become.”
According to Dr. Richard A. Bermudez, a psychiatrist and chief medical officer at Brainsway in Nevada, previous research has shown that walking affects brain networks essential to improving mood, depression, and anxiety. It is said that it is known to give
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“It stands to reason that the more you sit, or the longer you sit, the more depressed you become,” Bermudez, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
More than 7% of adults in the United States have been diagnosed with depression, with those ages 12 to 25 most affected, according to data from the National Institute of Mental Health. (St. Petersburg)
“We also know that there are gradual benefits of walking, with each additional 1,000 steps per day associated with a 9% lower risk of depression.”
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She noted that genetics, psychological factors, and social stressors also play a role in depression.
“But we know that exposure to natural light, and general movement and walking in natural surroundings and nature can have a positive impact on mood.”
One expert pointed out that exposure to natural light, general movement and walks in the natural environment and nature have a positive impact on mood. (St. Petersburg)
Bermudez advises people suffering from depression to “take it one step at a time.”
“If you have severe depression, try increasing your steps by a little bit each day, by 100 steps each day,” he suggested.
“If you work and sit at your desk most days, schedule a 15-minute break to take a walk and exercise your brain.”
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Bermudez added that walking outdoors is more beneficial because it exposes you to natural light.
Fox News Digital has reached out to researchers for comment.
