Why Walking Is the Best Thing You Can Do for Longevity

The secrets to living a long and healthy life can sometimes be easier than you’d expect. One of the simplest things you can do for longevity is to go for a walk.

Walking may be the easiest form of exercise. Collecting steps is uncomplicated and can be done anywhere: before or after a long day at the office, on the way to a bar, or before breakfast. You don’t need any extra equipment. Best of all, there’s no need to change outfits or shower afterward; you just need a comfy pair of shoes. Below, the experts break down all the benefits of walking and its effects on our overall health and longevity.

Walking Boosts Your Health and Mood

People often say you should take 10,000 steps a day to benefit your fitness, health, and well-being. But is it possible to make such a blanket statement? One study found that taking roughly 4,000 steps a day was associated with a lower risk of death, while as few as about 2,300 steps a day was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular death. More broadly, regular walking is associated with a lower risk of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. But that’s not all: Another review found that regular walking may help reduce pain, improve sleep and mental health, and support resilience.

Although walking is less intense than other physical activities, its health benefits are immense. However, according to the researchers, focusing only on the number of steps is the wrong priority. Walking intensity can affect how much of a cardiovascular workout you get, although even lower-intensity walking contributes to overall physical activity.

Walking may also benefit cognitive health. One study of people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease found that those who walked regularly experienced less cognitive decline over a year, although the observational findings cannot establish that walking caused the difference. Another study found that higher-intensity walking begun in midlife was associated with better episodic memory in older adults without dementia, a finding researchers say may have implications for Alzheimer’s prevention.

Walking Lowers and Stabilizes Blood Sugar Levels

Through exercise, muscle cells take up and metabolize glucose to produce energy. “Regular walking can also help to lower and stabilize blood sugar levels,” says Christiane Mensching, MD, a specialist in general medicine, geriatrics, preventive medicine, and health promotion in Berlin. “This is particularly beneficial for people with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes.” Walking also releases messenger substances that play a role in brain metabolism. “This process can counteract cognitive decline,” she says. Compared with strength training, however, you shouldn’t expect walking alone to build significant muscle. “I would question that walking builds up muscles,” Dr. Mensching says. “However, it doesn’t break them down.”

Walking also influences longevity because it helps prevent disease. “Metabolic diseases such as high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) or diabetes can be improved by movement, or, in the best case, can help us not develop those issues in the first place,” Dr. Mensching says. Exercise can stimulate biological pathways involved in brain plasticity and memory. “These also ensure the growth of the hippocampus, our learning and memory center,” she adds, which in turn helps keep us fit in the head.

Walking Promotes Self-Efficacy

Walking may also support self-efficacy—the sense that you’re capable of taking actions that benefit your well-being. “Knowing that you are taking your time and making it a priority to go for a walk through the park, even in subzero temperatures, does something to your self-efficacy,” says the doctor.

For all the positive effects of walking and running, however, Dr. Mensching also warns against the self-created pressure that can occur with “easy-to-implement types of exercise.” Walking is healthy—but only as long as you don’t stress yourself out over doing it. “It becomes dangerous when counting steps becomes addictive or when you start comparing yourself to your friends,” she says. Another warning sign? The negative impact on your personal life when other issues suddenly take a back seat because collecting steps is the top priority.

After all, longevity is a lifestyle built on several pillars: exercise, nutrition, sleep, and mental health. This means avoiding any further unnecessary stress.

With that in mind, the doctor also urges caution when walking in traffic. “We can do everything right—take supplements, exercise, and get enough sleep. But none of that is worth anything if we don’t look out for ourselves and the next red light.” So go for your walks—and remember to look both ways before crossing the street.

Walking Helps With Weight Management

According to Alexis Chiang Colvin, MD, chief medical officer of the US Open and professor in the department of orthopedic surgery at Mount Sinai, research suggests that physical activity may blunt the effect of a genetic predisposition to obesity. In a study of more than 12,000 people that evaluated 32 BMI-associated genetic variants, greater physical activity was associated with roughly half the genetic effect on BMI. Walking can also play a role in weight management and, when paired with an appropriate diet and sufficient activity, may help reduce body fat. Some research also suggests that short bouts of walking can temporarily reduce cravings for sugary snacks.

Incorporate Walking Into Everyday Life

“It’s always better to get moving at all, and even if it’s only 2,500 steps at first—that’s definitely better than none at all,” Dr. Mensching says. “I would recommend incorporating walking naturally into everyday life if possible. There is evidence that exercise releases so-called messenger substances that make you happier, more satisfied, and improve your mood.” Exercise also has a regulating and balancing effect on stress hormones. “Walking a lot in everyday life ensures better sleep and lowers stress levels,” she says.

Although the body experiences stress for a short time with any exercise (stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are released), these are reduced again in the long term and balance is achieved. Regular moderate activity may also support immune health. Regular moderate physical activity may support immune function and has been associated with a lower risk of some respiratory infections. “Walking is also good for reducing chronic inflammation,” she notes.

Jogging vs. Walking

But how much does walking speed matter? Intensity can affect the cardiovascular demands of a walk, although slower walking still provides benefits. Increasing your pace generally raises workout intensity. “It doesn’t really make a big difference whether you walk eight kilometers in an hour or jog,” says Dr. Mensching, who notes that it just matters that you do it within that time. “A fast walking pace is easier on the joints than jogging, because jogging involves so-called flight phases, where both feet lift off the ground for a few milliseconds and bounce back together.” The only problem is that you have to be a real speed walker to walk the eight kilometers in an hour. “For many people, it’s easier to jog the distance.”

A brisk pace can increase the cardiovascular benefits of walking, but slower walking still contributes meaningfully to overall activity and health. Dr. Mensching says: “Jogging is still the very best for aerobic training, in which around 70% of the maximum heart rate is used.” Jogging is more time-efficient for reaching vigorous intensity, though brisk walking can also provide substantial aerobic benefits.

Wondering what aerobic exercise actually means? Aerobic exercise describes physical activity—like jogging, swimming, and cycling—that strengthens the cardiovascular system and improves endurance by using oxygen to produce energy over the training period. Training in aerobic zone 2, in particular, is often associated with longevity because it offers a range of health benefits. Zone 2 generally refers to a moderate aerobic intensity, though the precise heart-rate range varies by person and by the method used to calculate training zones. A commonly used rough estimate places it around 60% to 70% of maximum heart rate.

“When it comes to pure effectiveness and increasing life expectancy, jogging is more effective because it puts a different strain on the cardiovascular system and improves blood circulation more than simply walking,” Dr. Mensching says. Running may be a more efficient way to reach a higher aerobic intensity, but brisk walking can produce many of the same cardiovascular benefits when performed at sufficient intensity and volume.

But how do you know if you are also in zone 2 when walking? You don’t need specialized equipment to get a rough sense of your exercise intensity. Dr. Mensching has a simple tip: “If you can still have a conversation while walking or jogging, but it is slightly uncomfortable, then you are in this zone.” Regular aerobic exercise can improve cardiorespiratory fitness and the body’s ability to deliver and use oxygen.

When Dr. Mensching asks her fittest older patients—including some who are around 100 years old—about their secrets to longevity, she almost always gets the same answers: In addition to social interaction, eating a healthy diet, and cutting out nicotine and alcohol, the aspect of movement always comes up, whether it’s going for walks or gardening. “Older people’s exercise gives them a huge advantage over those who have done little or no exercise in their lives,” Dr. Mensching explains. “They are usually fitter both physically and mentally.”

Where You Walk Also Plays a Role

Walking from café to café, going on a big shopping spree—do these activities have the same health effects and similar longevity benefits as walking briskly in the fresh forest air? “There are studies that show that walking in the forest is much better, especially for your mood,” Dr. Mensching says. It’s similar to forest bathing: Research suggests that walking in natural settings may provide additional mood and stress benefits compared with walking in urban environments. “Nature is where we come from,” the doctor says. “It reduces stress and is simply good for the mindset.”

Depending on local air quality, city walking may also involve greater exposure to traffic-related air pollution. Natural surfaces can sometimes feel softer underfoot than pavement, though uneven terrain presents its own challenges.

How Often You Should Be Walking

Dr. Colvin recommends following the American Heart Association’s (AHA) guidelines: at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, or a combination of the two. For additional health benefits, the AHA recommends working toward 300 minutes or more of moderate-intensity activity per week.

The Best Type of Walking Is the One You’ll Keep Doing

Tai chi walking. Nordic walking. Lymphatic walking. Walking has never been more popular. But even with all the different walking trends, experts say that one isn’t necessarily better than the other. “The various forms of walking described are all trying to incorporate additional health benefits, such as balance and additional body conditioning, which, in general, is a great idea,” Dr. Colvin says. What matters most is doing the version you can do and working it into your schedule so it becomes a regular thing.

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