When it comes to improving your health, there\u2019s no shortage of numbers you need to track. Calories, waist size, blood pressure, heart rate\u2014they\u2019re all important. And then there\u2019s this number: 10,000. That\u2019s the number of steps health experts would like to see all of us logging every day.<\/p>\n
Why 10K? The 10,000-step rule actually originated in Japan decades ago, thanks to a pedometer that used this number in its slogan. Many Japanese walking groups adopted the goal of logging 10,000 steps per day, and since then, other organizations\u2014including the American Heart Association\u2014have agreed with its effectiveness.<\/p>\n
Since those early pedometers gained popularity, studies showing the health benefits of accumulating 10,000 steps per day have been racking up, says Jessica Matthews, assistant professor of health and exercise science at Miramar College in San Diego. It\u2019s the magic number linked to lowering blood pressure and glucose levels, for example. It\u2019s a great way to keep unwanted pounds from creeping up on you. The lofty number of steps has even been associated with reducing depression. But perhaps the only reason you need to remember, says Matthews, is that \u201cthis amount of activity most closely coincides with the surgeon general\u2019s and the American College of Sports Medicine\u2019s recommendation that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week for improved overall health.\u201d<\/p>\n