According to Healthlinethe idea of walking 10,000 steps—5 miles (8 kilometers) a day—originated from a 1965 Japanese pedometer marketing campaign and later gained popularity through programs like the 2001 Every Step Counts project.

Research, however, highlights the benefits of reaching this milestone, including improved heart rate, cholesterol levels, flexibility, and overall fitness.

Citing the Arthritis Foundation, Medical News Today reported that walking can enhance muscle strength, range of motion, blood flow, flexibility, joint stiffness, mood, sleep, and breathing.

Walking can also help prevent or manage health conditions such as obesity—when combined with healthy eating, osteoporosis, and age- memory loss.

The benefits of walking appear to grow with the number of steps taken. A 2022 study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine found that higher daily step counts are associated with a progressively lower risk of all-cause mortality. Walking at a brisk pace for 30 to 60 minutes also significantly reduces the risk of death.

In general, doctors consider fewer than 5,000 steps per day to indicate a sedentary lifestyle.

To boost fitness levels, begin by tracking your current steps with a pedometer or smartphone app. Gradually increase your step count by 500–1,000 every one to two weeks. Certified trainers suggest incorporating small challenges, like interval walking, which alternates short bursts of running with walking, for added intensity.