Walking Your Way to Better Well-Being

The sum of the whole is this: walk and be happy; walk and be healthy.

Charles Dickens

How Many Steps Do We Really Need a Day?

Did you hit those 10,000 steps today? You might have heard of this widely referenced rule for adding more movement to your day. It might surprise you, however, to know that the 10,000-step goal is actually a clever marketing pitch, not a science-backed recommendation. In 1965, the Yamasa Clock and Instrument Company invented a step-counter called the manpo-kei, which translates to “10,000-step meter.” The Japanese character for ten thousand (万, man) resembles a person walking, contributing to the popular idea that walking 10,000 steps daily benefits our health [1]. To be fair, the idea is not completely bunk – walking is good for us. One review of studies, however, shows that the incremental health benefits of walking decrease beyond 7,000 steps [2]. In general, more walking tends to be associated with greater health benefits, though these findings reassure those of us struggling to hit the 10,000-step mark that we can still obtain walking’s benefits by getting at least 7,000 steps in daily.

The simple act of walking has been shown through such studies that our bodies are not just made for, but rather, need movement. Walking more is one of the ways to counter the risks of health complications – cardiovascular disease, cancer risks, and metabolic disorders resulting from a sedentary lifestyle [3]. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors walked an average of 6 to 16km daily – anywhere from 7,500 to 19,000 steps, expending at least 800 to 1200 kcal while hunting, climbing for fruit, sprinting to trap prey, or when escaping predators. The amount of energy expenditure is estimated to be three to five times more than the average man in an industrialized society expends daily today [4]. As a worrying contrast, Malaysian youth spend more time indoors on sedentary activities – about 13-15 hours, compared to non-sedentary sporting or outdoor activities – just 2.5 to 4.5 hours [5]. The 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey, published by the Institute for Public Health Malaysia, reports that close to a third (29.9%) of Malaysians were physically inactive. More worryingly, about half of the population (49.9%) is sedentary [6]. This inflicts a major cost on both our physical and, as the research shows, our psychological well-being.

Walking as Medicine for the Mind

The Greek physician and father of Western medicine, Hippocrates, said that walking is man’s best medicine. Modern science bears the truth of his claim, with evidence now also showing that walking heals and restores the mind. In a review of more than 50 studies, researchers found that walking regularly reliably reduces depression, anxiety, psychological stress, and loneliness [7]. Another review showed that walking or jogging also resulted in moderate reductions in depression, suggesting walking’s healing effects for the mind [8]. These ‘light’ exercises can complement psychotherapy and antidepressants as treatments for depressed individuals. We feel and think better from walking more. One widely-referenced study showed that participants generated more ideas on a creativity test after engaging in a short walk, more so than participants who remained seated. Walking, according to these researchers, “opens up a free flow of ideas,” and was a reliable way to boost creative ideation – a recommendation that they offer as the title of their studies to simply ‘give your ideas some legs’ [9]. Complementary evidence suggests that walking may even facilitate conflict resolution. When we walk with each other, we become more open to others’ ideas and viewpoints. The act of synchronizing our movements with another – a physical representation of cooperation – fosters rapport, empathy, and perspective taking [10]. For those of us in leadership and management positions, it certainly gives new meaning to the practice of management by walking around (MBWA).

Walk with Mother Nature

Where we walk also shapes how much our step count adds to our well-being. A considerable number of studies point to a shared conclusion – walking in natural environments and green spaces confers greater benefits than those in urban environments. In one study, healthy university students were allocated into one of three conditions: walking in nature, viewing nature on TV, or walking on a treadmill in a gym. Participants in the nature walk condition reported lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and reported improvements in mood than those simply watching nature or engaging in physical exercise alone. The restorative effects of nature walks, the researcher found, were especially potent when students were stressed from their exams [11]. In another study of healthy adults, walking in urban green spaces increased positive mood and reduced participants’ self-reported stress – an effect partially attributed to reduced heat and pollution that otherwise typified urban ‘gray’ settings that had less exposure to nature [12]. Another group of researchers compared the effects of walking in four conditions: a pine forest, a farmed field, a tree-lined urban neighbourhood, or a bustling city center. They found that walking in a pine forest significantly improved happiness. The researchers also claimed that nature invites a kind of ‘daydreaming’ that enhances restorative effects not apparent in urban environments [13]. In another study, walking in a park led participants to experience increased positive emotion and also a reduction in perceived time pressure. Time seems to slow – at least in our minds, in the presence of nature [14]. These findings build on previous research showing how our brainwaves change when walking outdoors – reflecting a more meditative state than when we are indoors. This meditative, relaxed state of mind lasts even after we have concluded our walks [15]. Reviews also point to similar conclusions – walking in natural, but not urban environments, led to reductions in depression and anxiety [16], while also increasing energy and positive engagement [17].

Making Your Steps Count

Adding a bit more movement in the course of your day leads to gains in well-being, and the positive gains from simple everyday walks are more pronounced when done in nature. Natural environments such as parks, forest reserves, and urban green spaces can have transformative effects on our physical and psychological health. So try to get those 7,000 steps or more in a day. And make those steps count by walking more closely with nature.

Practical Tips:

You can get most of the health benefits from walking about 7,000 steps daily. Add just a bit more to your current daily average and go from there.

Walking in natural environments and green spaces confers greater well-being benefits than walking in urban areas.

References

[1] Denworth, L. (2023). You don’t really need 10,000 daily steps to stay healthy. Available at: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/you-dont-really-need-10-000-daily-steps-to-stay-healthy/

[2] Ding, D., Nguyen, B., Nau, T., Luo, M., del Pozo Cruz, B., Dempsey, P. C., Munn, Z., Jefferis, B., Sherrington, C., Calleja, E.A., Chong, K.H., Davis, R., Francois, M.E., Tiedemann, A., Biddle, S.J.H., Okely, A., Bauman, A., Ekelund, U., Clare, P., & Owen, K. (2025). Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. The Lancet Public Health, 10(8), e668-e681. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(25)00164-1

[3] Park, J. H., Moon, J. H., Kim, H. J., Kong, M. H., & Oh, Y. H. (2020). Sedentary lifestyle: overview of updated evidence of potential health risks. Korean Journal of Family Medicine, 41(6), 365-373. https://www.doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.20.0165

[4] O'Keefe, J. H., Vogel, R., Lavie, C. J., & Cordain, L. (2010). Achieving hunter-gatherer fitness in the 21st century: back to the future. The American Journal of Medicine, 123(12), 1082-1086. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2010.04.026

[5] Chen, A. H., Rosli, S. A., & Hovis, J. K. (2020). A survey on daily activity inclination and health complaints among urban youth in Malaysia. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2020(1), 9793425. https://www.doi.org/10.1155/2020/9793425

[6] Institute for Public Health (2023). National Health and Morbidity Survey: Non-communicable diseases & healthcare demand. Available at: https://iku.nih.gov.my/images/nhms2023/fact-sheet-nhms-2023.pdf

[7] Kelly, P., Williamson, C., Niven, A. G., Hunter, R., Mutrie, N., & Richards, J. (2018). Walking on sunshine: scoping review of the evidence for walking and mental health. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(12), 800-806. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098827

[8] Noetel, M., Sanders, T., Gallardo-Gómez, D., Taylor, P., Del Pozo Cruz, B., van den Hoek, D., Smith, J.J., Mahoney, J., Spathis, J., Moresi, M., Pagano, R., Pagano, L., Vasconcellos, R., Arnott, H,, Varley, B., Parker, P., Biddle, S., & Lonsdale, C. (2024). Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-075847

[9] Oppezzo, M., & Schwartz, D. L. (2014). Give your ideas some legs: the positive effect of walking on creative thinking. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 40(4), 11420-1152. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036577

[10] Webb, C. E., Rossignac-Milon, M., & Higgins, E. T. (2017). Stepping forward together: Could walking facilitate interpersonal conflict resolution? American Psychologist, 72(4), 374-385.

[11] Olafsdottir, G., Cloke, P., Schulz, A., Van Dyck, Z., Eysteinsson, T., Thorleifsdottir, B., & Vögele, C. (2020). Health benefits of walking in nature: A randomized controlled study under conditions of real-life stress. Environment and Behavior, 52(3), 248-274. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916518800798

[12] Neale, C., Hoffman, J., Jefferson, D., Gohlke, J., Boukhechba, M., Mondschein, A., Wang, S. & Roe, J. (2022). The impact of urban walking on psychophysiological wellbeing. Cities & health, 6(6), 1053-1066. https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2022.2123763

[13] Brancato, G., Van Hedger, K., Berman, M. G., & Van Hedger, S. C. (2022). Simulated nature walks improve psychological well-being along a natural to urban continuum. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 81, 101779. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101779

[14] Johansson, M., Hartig, T., & Staats, H. (2011). Psychological benefits of walking: Moderation by company and outdoor environment. Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being, 3(3), 261-280. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1758-0854.2011.01051.x

[15] Bailey, A. W., Allen, G., Herndon, J., & Demastus, C. (2018). Cognitive benefits of walking in natural versus built environments. World Leisure Journal, 60(4), 293-305. https://doi.org/10.1080/16078055.2018.1445025

[16] Chen, L., Yan, R., & Hu, Y. (2025). City walk or nature walk? Evidence-based psychological and physiological outcomes – A systematic review and meta-analysis. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 128726. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2025.128726

[17] Wicks, C., Barton, J., Orbell, S., & Andrews, L. (2022). Psychological benefits of outdoor physical activity in natural versus urban environments: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of experimental studies. Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being, 14(3), 1037-1061. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12353

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