Women's Health October 31, 2025 0 Comments

Unlock the Secret: How Just 4,000 Steps a Day Could Add Years to Your Life—And It’s Easier Than You Think!

Ever wonder if you really need to hit that mythical 10,000 steps a day to keep your heart—and life—in check? Guess what: a fresh study is throwing a serious curveball at that long-held notion. Turns out, even just moving enough to rack up 4,000 steps on a few days each week can slash your risk of dying from any cause by over a quarter—and that’s no small potatoes. Now, imagine boosting that to three days weekly, and you’re looking at a whopping 40 percent drop in risk. Pretty insane, right? But don’t get me wrong—while some steps are better than none, experts say pushing closer to 7,000 (or even the classic 10,000) could juice up those health perks even more. Considering heart disease still holds its crown as the leading cause of death among U.S. women, this isn’t just interesting chatter—it’s potentially life-saving intel you can’t afford to ignore. Ready to put this in motion and see what stepping up really means? LEARN MORE.

4 min read

A new study found that women who took at least 4,000 steps a day for one to two days a week had a 26 percent lower risk of dying from any cause and a 27 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease.
Those who walked at least 4,000 steps at least three days a week had a 40 percent lower risk of dying.
Experts say that some movement is better than nothing, but aiming for a minimum of 7,000 (or even 10,000) steps a day is likely more beneficial.

The 10,000-steps-a-day myth has been debunked, but exactly how many steps should you aim for to optimize your healthspan?

According to new research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, there’s a minimum step count to try to hit on a regular basis to lower your risk of heart disease and early death. But the findings also stress that going above and beyond this number will give you even more gains in the lifespan department.

Given that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S., this new data is worth paying attention to. Here’s what to know.

Meet the experts: Hosam Hmoud, MD, is a cardiologist at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital. Jennifer Wong, MD, is a cardiologist and medical director of Non-Invasive Cardiology at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA.

What did the study find?

For the study, researchers looked at data from more than 13,500 older women (with an average age of 71) who participated in the U.S. Women’s Health Study. The participants—who were free of heart disease and cancer at the start of the study—wore activity trackers for seven days in a row to capture their typical movement patterns. Researchers then followed their health outcomes for nearly 11 years to see how that activity level related to longevity.

After crunching the data, the researchers found that people who took at least 4,000 steps a day for one to two days of the week had a 26 percent lower risk of dying from any cause. They also had a 27 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease compared to people who walked less.

Unsurprisingly, the researchers discovered that people who walked more had even greater health gains. Those who walked at least 4,000 steps at least three days a week had a 40 percent lower risk of dying. Still, their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease stayed at 27 percent.

It’s worth noting that the researchers only captured each participant’s activity for one week, then tracked their health outcomes for nearly 11 years. That means it’s possible their habits changed over time—something the authors acknowledged as a limitation of the study.

What’s so great about 4,000 steps?

While there’s nothing magical about 4,000 steps, that’s the point at which the study authors noticed statistically different reductions in risk. It’s likely that this is just enough to earn people the benefits of exercise on cardiovascular health in general. In fact: “Health benefits can be seen with lower step counts such as 3,000 steps per day,” says Jennifer Wong, MD, a cardiologist and medical director at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. “Any physical activity is better than a sedentary lifestyle.”

Among other things, regular activity helps improve insulin sensitivity (lowering your risk of developing type 2 diabetes), lowers stress levels, and reduces bodily inflammation—and all of those can lead to a lower risk of dying, says Hosam Hmoud, MD, a cardiologist at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital.

Walking regularly can also improve your mood, which may motivate you to keep on doing it, adding to those heart-health perks even more, Dr. Hmoud says.

More Steps, More Benefits

Taking 4,000 steps every few days still isn’t a ton. And, as the study results suggest, moving more will lead to bigger health gains.

Specifically, aiming for 7,000 steps a day can come with additional perks, says Dr. Wong. “A decrease in mortality has been shown with 7,000+ steps per day in middle-aged and older adults,” she says. Logging 10,000 or more steps a day is linked to more weight loss and overall fitness, Dr. Wong points out, but this may not be doable for everyone.

If you prefer to think in terms of time versus steps, Dr. Hmoud recommends aiming to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week (which is also recommended by the American Heart Association). You can also think of it as a daily 20- to 30-minute walk, he says.

While something is always better than nothing, ultimately, Wong says that more movement is better. “I encourage patients to do what they can,” she says.

Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.