Get a certain number of Daily steps It's long been known to boost overall health — and now a new study has determined how many you need to keep depression at bay.
A research team led by Bruno Bezozero Perrone, Ph.D., of the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Cuenca, Spain, analyzed 33 studies including 96,173 adults.
In comparing the number of daily steps for adults and… Depression ratesThey found that people with a higher number of daily steps tended to have fewer depressive symptoms, according to study results published in JAMA Network Open last week.
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Taking 5,000 or more steps was linked to lower depressive symptoms, while a step count of 7,000 or higher was associated with a lower incidence of depression. Risk of depressionthe researchers found.
“Our results showed significant associations between higher daily step counts and lower depressive symptoms, as well as lower prevalence and risk of depression in the general adult population,” the researchers wrote in the results.
“Objective measurement of daily steps may represent a comprehensive and comprehensive approach to public health Which has the ability to prevent depression.”
More than 7% of U.S. adults have been diagnosed with depression, with people ages 12 to 25 being most affected, according to data from the National Institute of Mental Health.
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Dr. Mark Siegel, a clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and a senior medical analyst at Fox News, was not involved in the study but commented on the review.
“This is a comprehensive analysis of more than 30 observational studies, so it should be followed up with future projections.” Randomized studiesHe told Fox News Digital.
“There is already a large body of evidence, including this study, that exercise is associated with improved mood, and is a natural antidepressant.”
The reason is that A Higher number of steps The doctor said that reducing depression is not only psychological but also physical.
“Exercise increases the release of happiness hormones — dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin,” Siegel added.
“The more sedentary we are, or the more we sit, the more depressed we become.”
Previous studies have found that walking has effects on brain networks necessary to improve mood. Depression and anxietyAccording to Dr. Richard Bermudez, a psychiatrist and medical director of BrainsWay in Nevada.
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“The more sedentary we are, or the more we sit, the more depressed we become,” Bermudez, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
“We also know that there is an incremental benefit to walking, with every increase of 1,000 steps per day associated with a 9% lower risk of depression.”
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He pointed out that genetics, psychological factors, and social pressures also play a role in depression.
“However, we know that exposure to natural light, general movement and walking in natural environments or nature have an impact Positive mood effects“.
Bermuda encourages these He suffers from depression “To take it one step at a time.”
“For those with severe depression, try gradually day by day, increasing by 100 steps each day,” he suggested.
“If you work and are stuck at a desk most days, schedule a 15-minute break to exercise your brain by walking.”
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Bermuda added that walking outside is more beneficial because it provides exposure to natural light.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the study researchers for comment.