You Decrease the Risk of Dementia by 50% Just by Doing This Easy Exercise Daily

Boost your brain health in just 10 minutes a day

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Khyati Jain
Author
June 18, 2026

You Decrease the Risk of Dementia by 50% Just by Doing This Easy Exercise Daily

Boost your brain health in just 10 minutes a day

Two woman walking and laughing.
Photo by Savannah Dematteo on Pexels

Walking is not just an exercise but a way of living. An active lifestyle is heavily predicted by your average daily step counts.

This easy exercise can help you lose weight and protect your brain from the clutches of dementia.

Your daily step count can decrease your risk of dementia by 50%. It can reduce the effects of aging on your brain and keep it young forever.

The ideal number of steps you need to walk daily

No, you don’t need to walk 10,000 steps daily for a healthier and younger brain.

The real number is definitely less than that, but not by a long shot. This study sites that you need to walk 9800 steps daily to decrease risk of dementia by 50%.

The minimum number of steps that you need to walk daily to reduce the risk of dementia is 3800. You can decrease your risk of dementia by 25% just by walking mere 4000 steps daily.

But for maximum prevention, you’ll have to increase your step count to 9800 steps daily.

It sounds like a lot but it really isn’t. Once you form a daily walking habit you’ll reach this target easily.

This matters more than your step count

There’s only one factor that can beat step count in dementia prevention it’s your walking pace.

A study found that a half-hour walk at a brisk pace was associated with 62% less risk of dementia.

You can beat dementia just by walking half an hour every day at a brisk pace. This solution is far more appealing than walking 9800 steps.

The faster you walk the lesser your risk of developing dementia. Walking 80–100 steps per minute reduces your risk of developing dementia by 30%.

So, focus on quality and not quantity for better results. Make every step count by increasing your pace.

Why your walking speed matters more

A leisure walk won’t help you prevent dementia. A brisk walk is the perfect aerobic exercise for a younger and sharper brain.

Walking 80–100 steps per minute a few times a day can decrease the risk of dementia by 30% as compared to those who walked the same number of steps at a slower pace.

Aerobics exercise increases the size and brain function of the hippocampus and it can even reverse the damage caused by aging.

So, pick up the pace to experience the great benefits of aerobic exercise.

Conclusion

A high step count is heavily recommended by both doctors and gym trainers. It’s the first step towards a healthier life.

You may not need to walk 9800 steps daily as you can reduce the risk of dementia by walking half the steps at twice the speed.

So, focus on your pace, and be prepared to walk briskly every time you go on a walk.

Pick up the pace to live a long and alert life.

Khyati Jain
Filed underFitness
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