Even minor physical activity done daily in adolescence has a direct impact on the structure of the brain and mental health. According to a research published in the famous medical journal ‘Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open’, teenagers who walked 12,000 or more steps a day had the least problems related to behavior and emotions after a year.
Teen Mental Health: Walking 12,000 steps daily is a boon for the brain and mental health of teenagers, research reveals.
Changes in brain structure seen in neuroimaging scan
Researchers used neuroimaging (brain scans) to understand the relationship between physical activity and mental health in adolescents. The scan report revealed that teenagers who walked a lot were found to have thicker ‘cortical tissue’ in those parts of the brain that control a person’s body movement, emotions and decision-making ability.
Studies have shown that the habit of daily walking accelerates neurological development during adolescence, leading to a significant reduction in stress, depression and irritability.
expert opinion
“This is not an ‘all or nothing’ situation. Teens don’t have to be professional athletes to get these benefits. Even if a teen adds just 1,000 to 2,000 steps to their daily walking distance, they can still see significant improvements in brain structure and mental health.”
— Dr. Amanda Paluch, Associate Professor (Kinesiology), University of Massachusetts Amherst
Important things for parents and teenagers
The results of this research show that to improve mental health, changing simple habits instead of doing tough workouts is enough:
- Target of 12,000 steps: By walking 12,000 steps daily, the risk of mental problems reaches the lowest level.
- Small changes, big impact: Even if the goal seems big, adding just 1,000 to 2,000 steps to your daily routine can be beneficial.
- Easy solutions: Small changes like walking to school, using stairs instead of lift and taking a walk in the field in the evening are effective.