You Don’t Need 10,000 Steps a Day to Help Protect Your Brain, Research Suggests

About 1.5 miles a day may be enough to make a difference. Here’s what several studies reveal about walking, exercise, and dementia risk, plus why experts say there’s “nothing magical” about any single number.

We’re all too familiar with the goal of 10,000 steps daily for good health. For some, it’s a tough number to achieve. The good news is, you may not need that many steps to make a positive impact on your health. When it comes to brain health, research suggests even a few thousand steps may help.

A study published in Nature Medicine found that walking about 3,000 steps a day, or roughly 1.5 miles, was linked to slower cognitive decline and fewer markers of Alzheimer’s disease.

The research studied 296 adults ages 50 to 90 who didn’t have dementia at the beginning of the project. They were asked to wear step trackers and undergo brain scans, then their cognitive skills were assessed about nine years later.

The study found that people who took more steps showed slower cognitive decline and a slower buildup of tau, a protein linked to Alzheimer’s.

Among the subjects who were at higher risk for Alzheimer’s, walking 3,000 to 5,000 steps a day was linked to about a three-year delay in cognitive decline, while 5,000 to 7,500 steps was linked to a seven-year delay.

Apart from this study, other research also supports the findings. A Johns Hopkins study of nearly 90,000 adults in the UK found that even small amounts of moderate to vigorous exercise each week were linked to a lower risk of dementia, and with even more activity, the benefits increased “This adds to a growing body of evidence that some exercise is better than nothing,” said lead author Amal Wanigatunga.

In another study at Boston University, results revealed that being physically active in midlife was linked to a 41% lower dementia risk, while staying active later in life was linked to a 45% lower risk.

Experts agree that physical activity helps boost health generally. According to Nikhil Satchidanand, a research assistant professor of medicine at the University at Buffalo, it “improves blood flow, supports cardiovascular and metabolic health, reduces systemic inflammation, and may help protect brain cells from aging-related damage.” As Dr. Liron Sinvani of Northwell Health puts it, “What is good for the heart is good for the brain.”

While these studies have found a link between exercise and lower dementia risk, they don’t prove that exercise prevents dementia. Satchidanand notes that early brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s may cause people to move less, which could influence the results.

He also says there’s “nothing magical” about 3,000 steps. “The relationship between physical activity and health exists along a continuum,” he adds.

For neuropsychologist Shannel Elhelou, the best exercise is still one that you’ll be able to commit to in the long run. “Find activities you enjoy and can realistically sustain,” she says. “Consistency matters, and an achievable routine can grow over time.”