The next step to treating your depression may be upping your step count, study says

Editor’s note: If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, help is available. “We typically hear it’s good to get 10,000 steps a day, but here, even 7,000 steps seem to translate to better mental health,” she said. Particularly encouraging is that even a little increase in your daily step counts can help –– as little as 1,000 extra steps in a day can potentially reduce the risk of future depression by 9%, said Dr. Brendon Stubbs, a National Institute for Health and Care Research Advanced Fellow at King’s College London, in a statement. “That said, we should remember that step counts best capture certain kinds of movement, such as walking or running, and may be less well-suited to capture activities like yoga.” Experts have been interested in expanding physical activity recommendations to make them more flexible around what motivates each individual, Choi said. “Whether it’s steps or hours, the mental health literature consistently suggests that moving to some extent is better than not moving at all.” Where to find the motivation Many people struggle with finding the motivation to exercise –– and adding depression on top of that can make it even harder to get started.