Get Moving: The Transformative Power of Walking 10,000 Steps Daily

Everyone knows the many benefits of daily walking, but does the number of steps you take really matter? The answer is a resounding yes.

A Japanese tech company, which delved deep into this topic and even invented a special pedometer to count 10,000 steps each time you walk, explains the logic behind this method: "Our participants demonstrated that this practice helps maintain optimal health without the stress on muscles caused by intense physical activities like strength training."

So, what happens if you commit to walking 10,000 steps every day?

According to the Japanese researchers who studied this, it's a "method" that can aid in healing blood vessels and also reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart diseases—this according to research published in the prestigious health journal, The Lancet.

The article also states that walking 10,000 steps a day is particularly effective in shedding those extra pounds, burning between 300 to 500 calories each time.

And what about mental health? Turns out, walking 10,000 steps a day dramatically improves it as well, as it helps the body release endorphins, which act as natural 'painkillers.' Endorphins are actually chemicals called neurotransmitters, found in the brain and released by the pituitary gland.

Their role is essentially to regulate our emotional behavior, significantly influencing our feelings of joy and happiness as well as heartache and sadness. Moreover, a daily practice of 10,000 steps boosts your cognitive functions, enhances memory, increases blood flow to the brain, and aids in the creation of new cells.

Important note: If you are not accustomed to physical activity at all, or if you exercise only occasionally, it's important to ease into this task gradually, starting with goals of an additional 2,000 steps each time, until reaching the target.