Walking for Mental Health: What the Research Says (and How to Start)

Published 26 October 2026

Photo: Juan Jose Basagoiti Mancera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Walking is one of the simplest things you can do for your mental health, and the research backs it up. In a large 2024 review of clinical trials, walking or jogging was among the most effective forms of exercise for reducing depression. Studies also link regular activity with a lower risk of developing depression in the first place, and time in nature with better wellbeing.

This guide covers what the evidence actually shows, how much walking seems to help, and simple ways to build a walking habit that supports your mood. It is general information, not a substitute for professional care.

If you need support now: call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. In an emergency, call 000.

What the research shows

Walking can reduce symptoms of depression

A 2024 systematic review and network meta-analysis in The BMJ pooled 218 randomised trials involving 14,170 people with depression. Compared with active control conditions, walking or jogging produced a moderate reduction in depression. That was one of the largest effects among the exercise types studied, alongside yoga and strength training. Effects were bigger when the exercise was more intense.

There are important caveats. Only one included study met the strictest criteria for low risk of bias, and the authors rated their confidence in the walking/jogging result as low. Even so, they concluded exercise could be considered alongside psychotherapy and antidepressants as a core treatment for depression. The review's corresponding author is based at the University of Queensland.

Being active is linked to a lower risk of depression

A 2022 JAMA Psychiatry meta-analysis followed 191,130 adults across 15 studies. Compared with inactive adults:

• people who did half the recommended amount of activity had an 18% lower risk of depression
• people who met the recommended amount had a 25% lower risk.

The steepest gains came at the low end. In other words, going from nothing to something matters most. The authors estimated that 11.5% of depression cases could have been prevented if less active adults had met the recommendations.

More steps, fewer depressive symptoms

The 2025 Lancet Public Health step-count meta-analysis found that 7,000 steps a day was associated with a 22% lower risk of depressive symptoms compared with 2,000 steps.

Why walking in nature may help more

Walking anywhere helps, but there are good reasons to head for a park or bush track when you can.

It may quieten rumination

Rumination is the habit of replaying negative thoughts over and over. In a 2015 Stanford study published in PNAS, healthy participants who took a 90-minute walk in a natural setting reported less rumination afterwards. They also showed reduced activity in a brain region linked to rumination. Participants who walked for the same time in an urban setting didn't show those changes. It was a small study, but it points to a plausible mechanism.

120 minutes a week is a useful benchmark

A study of 19,806 people in England found that people who spent at least 120 minutes a week in nature were more likely to report good health and high wellbeing (White et al., 2019). Benefits peaked at 200–300 minutes a week. It didn't matter whether that time came from one long outing or several shorter ones.

How much walking helps?

There is no single prescription, but the evidence lines up with Australia's 24-hour movement guidelines. They recommend 30 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous activity on most days, several hours of light activity, 7–9 hours of sleep for adults, and less time sitting.

A practical starting point:

• Daily: a 10–30 minute walk, brisk enough that you can talk but not sing.
• Weekly: two hours or more in a park, on the coast or in the bush, spread however suits you.
• Over time: add a little pace or a hill. The BMJ review found bigger effects at higher intensity.

Ways to make walking stick when motivation is low

Low mood often means low motivation, which is exactly when a walk is hardest to start. These strategies help.

Make the first step tiny

Commit to five minutes. If you want to turn back after five minutes, that's fine; you still went. Most days you'll keep going.

Walk with someone

Company makes it easier to show up. Heart Foundation Walking runs community walking groups around Australia, or you can ask a friend to make it a standing date.

Leave the headphones off sometimes

Part of the benefit may come from paying attention to your surroundings. Try noticing five things you can see, four you can hear and three you can smell on your next trail walk.

Give the walk a purpose

A destination, a view or a checklist gives your brain something to aim for. That is one reason people enjoy Active Quests. You pick a real trail, check in at GPS checkpoints along the way and earn ACTIVE Coins for completing it. A small sense of progress can be enough to get you out the door.

Close-to-city nature walks are ideal for this. In Brisbane, the Mount Coot-tha Summit Track climbs through bushland to a city lookout, and the Simpson Falls track follows a creek. Find more in our Mt Coot-tha summit track guide or browse all quests.

When walking isn't enough

Walking can be a powerful support, but it isn't a cure-all. If low mood, anxiety or stress hangs around for more than a couple of weeks or affects your daily life, talk to your GP or a mental health professional. Healthdirect's exercise and mental health guide and Beyond Blue are good Australian starting points.

Related guides

• How Many Steps a Day? Australia's New 7,000 Target
• Australian Physical Activity Guidelines 2026, Explained
• Benefits of Walking: 9 Evidence-Backed Reasons to Walk

Frequently asked questions

Is walking good for mental health?

Yes. A 2024 BMJ review of 218 trials found walking or jogging moderately reduced depression, and a 2022 meta-analysis linked regular activity with a lower risk of developing depression. The BMJ authors rated their confidence as low, so walking works best alongside professional care rather than instead of it.

How long should I walk for my mental health?

Small amounts count. Half the recommended activity was linked to an 18% lower depression risk. Australia's guidelines recommend 30 minutes or more of moderate activity on most days, and one study found at least 120 minutes a week in nature was linked to better wellbeing.

Is walking in nature better than walking in the city?

Possibly. A Stanford study found a 90-minute nature walk reduced rumination and related brain activity, while a city walk didn't. But any walking is better than none.

Can walking help with anxiety?

Many people find walking helps them manage stress and anxiety, and Australian mental health services recommend physical activity as part of looking after your mental health. If anxiety is affecting your daily life, see your GP.

What if I don't feel like walking?

Start with five minutes, walk with a friend or group, or give the walk a goal such as a lookout or a set of checkpoints. Motivation often follows action, not the other way around.

Take the first step

Walking for mental health doesn't have to be long, fast or perfect; it just has to happen. If a bit of structure helps, Active Quests is on the App Store and can turn your next walk into a small, achievable quest.

Sources

• Noetel M et al. Effect of exercise for depression. BMJ 2024;384:e075847. doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-075847
• Pearce M et al. JAMA Psychiatry 2022;79(6):550–559. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.0609
• Ding M et al. Lancet Public Health 2025. doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(25)00164-1
• Bratman GN et al. PNAS 2015;112(28):8567–72. doi:10.1073/pnas.1510459112
• White MP et al. Scientific Reports 2019;9:7730. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3
• Lifeline · Beyond Blue

This article is general information, not medical advice.