You’ve probably heard it a thousand times: “You need 10,000 steps a day.” And maybe you’ve also thought, “Cool… and when exactly am I supposed to fit in a five-mile march between work, family, and trying to have a life?”

Here’s the good news: a massive new study in The Lancet Public Health just gave us all a collective sigh of relief. Turns out, you don’t need 10,000 steps. Closer to 7,000 a day still packs a huge health punch — and it feels way more doable.

So, what did researchers actually find?

This wasn’t a small, “we followed 20 people around the block” type of study. We’re talking 57 studies and over 160,000 adults worldwide. When the researchers crunched the numbers, they found that people hitting around 7,000 steps a day compared to 2,000 had:

• Almost half the risk of dying early (yep, that’s big).

• 25% lower risk of heart disease.

• 37% lower risk of dying from cancer.

• 38% lower risk of dementia.

• Even fewer falls, less depression, and lower diabetes risk.

In other words, moving your body more — but not necessarily forever — really does matter.

Wait, isn’t it supposed to be 10,000?

Fun fact: that “10k steps” goal didn’t come from science at all. It started as a 1960s Japanese pedometer marketing campaign (yep, basically an ad slogan that got stuck in our collective heads). 

Science is finally catching up, and it’s saying: 7,000 might just be the sweet spot for health benefits and sanity.

How to actually make it happen (without becoming “that person” pacing in their kitchen at 11:45pm)

• Know your baseline. Maybe you’re at 3,000 right now. Cool. Aim for 4,000 this week, 5,000 the next. It’s not a race.

• Break it up. Three 20-minute walks = one solid chunk. Bonus: you can fit them around Netflix episodes.

• Sneak it in. Take the long way to the coffee shop. Pace while you’re on the phone. Basically, scam yourself into moving.

• Go brisk, not brutal. You don’t need to jog. Just pick up the pace enough that you’d have trouble singing, but could still talk (sorry karaoke fans).

• Mix it up. Walking is amazing, but if you like biking, yoga, or chasing your dog in the park — it all counts.

But let’s be real…

Yes, some days even 7,000 steps feels like climbing Everest. That’s normal. The point isn’t to hit a perfect number every single day — it’s to move more than you would have otherwise. If 2,000 is your “busy day” win, celebrate that too.

Bottom line

Walking is ridiculously underrated. And now we know: 7,000 steps a day is enough to help your body and brain thrive. No gimmicks. No shaming. Just small, steady steps that actually fit into real life.

So the next time you check your step counter and see 6,823? You’re basically there. Call it a win and go put your feet up.