Key Points:
- Benefits of long walks include improved heart health and reduced risk of early death.
- Fewer, longer walks beat many short steps, especially for sedentary people.
- Gradually building walking endurance supports circulation, metabolism, and longevity.
Adults who take longer walks — defined as lasting more than 10 minutes — face lower risks of cardiovascular disease and premature death compared with those who take shorter walks, according to a study published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. This study highlights the significant benefits of long walks for overall heart health and lifespan.
“Most studies focus on the total number of daily steps, but ours shows that how you accumulate those steps matters too — especially for less active individuals,” said Dr. Borja del Pozo Cruz, the study’s first author and associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Sports at Universidad Europea de Madrid.
The findings add new context to the long-standing “10,000 steps a day” guideline. “Even if you don’t reach that number, taking a few longer walks rather than many short, scattered steps can make a real difference for heart health and longevity,” del Pozo Cruz said.
Sedentary lifestyle remains a concern
Nearly 31% of adults worldwide do not meet the global recommendation of at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. Researchers say this inactivity contributes to higher risks of cardiovascular disease, insomnia, and early death.
“Everyone can benefit from walking — there’s really no group for whom walking is harmful,” del Pozo Cruz said. “But these particular findings on the benefits of long walks are most relevant for people who are sedentary or take fewer than about 8,000 steps a day.”
The study highlights the importance of building endurance to sustain longer walks rather than focusing solely on step count
Building endurance takes time
Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver, who was not involved in the study, said improving endurance requires gradual effort.
“Most people can walk for a few minutes without much issue. But when you start getting to 20, 30, or 60 minutes, it becomes a lot harder,” Freeman said. “That’s the capacity we’re really trying to build.”
Regular exercise helps muscles draw oxygen more efficiently from the blood, which lowers heart rate, inflammation, and stress. Longer walks may further improve blood circulation, reduce blood pressure, and help regulate glucose levels — all key factors for heart health. “These are the primary benefits of long walks,” del Pozo Cruz emphasized.
He added that extended walks may also better engage muscles and stimulate the heart, similar to how progressive weight training builds muscle strength. “You wouldn’t lift a 100-pound dumbbell on your first day,” Freeman said. “You build that capacity over time, and the same applies to cardiovascular fitness.”
Focus on duration, not just numbers
Experts note that the emphasis on the number of steps or total minutes of exercise can be discouraging for some people. Tracking duration instead — how long each walking session lasts — may make it easier for individuals to build consistent habits.
“Longer, sustained activity sessions can provide a clearer path for those starting out,” This is one of the main benefits of long walks,” del Pozo Cruz said.
The researchers hope the study encourages more people to adopt walking as a practical and accessible form of exercise. For most adults, increasing the length of walks could be a simple yet effective way to improve cardiovascular health and extend lifespan, highlighting the many benefits of long walks.
