A study found hitting the 8,000-step goal just one to two days per week is still associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Third Eye Images/Getty Images Current research suggests that walking 8,000 brisk steps or more per day may be the sweet spot for receiving the health benefits walking provides. People […]
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Migraine is more than headaches. It’s a neurological condition that impacts more than 36 million Americans, according to the American Migraine Foundation. Migraine can cause severe pain and interrupt your daily activities. Pre-migraine is one of the four stages of a migraine attack. Pre-migraine symptoms may occur before a migraine attack begins. You may be […]
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A study found hitting the 8,000-step goal just one to two days per week is still associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Third Eye Images/Getty Images Current research suggests that walking 8,000 brisk steps or more per day may be the sweet spot for receiving the health benefits walking provides. People […]
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Migraine is more than headaches. It’s a neurological condition that impacts more than 36 million Americans, according to the American Migraine Foundation. Migraine can cause severe pain and interrupt your daily activities. Pre-migraine is one of the four stages of a migraine attack. Pre-migraine symptoms may occur before a migraine attack begins. You may be […]
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A study found hitting the 8,000-step goal just one to two days per week is still associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Third Eye Images/Getty Images
Current research suggests that walking 8,000 brisk steps or more per day may be the sweet spot for receiving the health benefits walking provides.
People who have trouble finding time to walk each day of the week will be encouraged by a new study that demonstrates walking just one to two days is still associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.
The study’s authors found that each additional day walked confers greater benefits.
Briskly walking 8,000 or more steps each day of the week is associated with a significant decrease in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. A new study finds, however, that people taking just 8,000 steps one or two days a week are also less likely to die over a 10-year follow-up period.
The study published in JAMA Network Openfound that over a decade of follow-up, people 20 years or older who took 8,000 or more steps on one or two days a week were 14.9% less likely to die compared to people who were sedentary.
The risk of death dropped as the number of days involved increased. For example, exercising from three to seven days a week was associated with a 16.5% reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular deaths.
The same pattern held true for people meeting step goals of 6,000 to 10,000 steps.
Previous research found that mortality risk decreases up to 10,000 steps per day for people younger than 60 and 8,000 for people older than 60.
‘Weekend warrior’ style of exercising
The study’s findings pertain to both “weekend warriors,” people who confine their exercise to non-work days, and to people who steal a few hours to walk during the week.
The study cites recent data showing the average American takes just 4,800 steps a day, too few to provide much of a health benefit.
“Brisk walking” is defined as walking three miles an hour. If you can speak song lyrics but not sing them, you are walking briskly.
The current study compared data from the U.S. 2005 and 2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with the National Death Index up to the year 2019. It incorporated accelerometer data from 3,101 participants 20 years or older and was a nationally representative sample. It included a similar number of women and men, and 50.9% were White, 21.5% Black, 23.7% Hispanic, and 3.9% other race and ethnicity.
The participants most likely to walk 8,000 or more steps every day were more likely to be young, male, Hispanic, insured, and married. They were also typically never-smokers and were less likely to be obese or have comorbidities.
A daily challenge of walking 8,000 steps
For many people, walking 8,000 steps each day requires a significant commitment of time. 8,000 steps are about four miles, which, walking at three miles per hour, comes to a total of about an hour and 20 minutes every day. Steps can be taken simultaneously or in shorter periods of brisk walking.
The study was led by Dr. Kosuke Inoue of Kyoto University in Japan, collaborating with researchers from UCLA in California. Dr. Inoue explained why the study was undertaken:
“We started this study to answer the question one of my patients asked during an outpatient clinic: ‘It is hard for me to keep sufficient steps every day. Is it okay to focus on walking only during the weekend?’”
Steps studies often consider the value of a week’s worth of various step goals, and Dr. Inoue saw a lack of evidence regarding the possible benefits of walking just a few days a week.
“Given that a lack of time is one of the major barriers to exercise in modern society,” said Dr. Inoue, “our findings provide useful information to recommend walking even for a couple of days per week to reduce mortality risk.”
“This is one of the first studies to use direct measures of daily steps using a wearable accelerometer over a 10-year followup period,” said Dr. Paul Arciero, a professor in the Health and Human Physiological Sciences Department at Skidmore College, who was not involved in the study.
How walking benefits overall health
Walking is viewed as a simple, low impact means of making a person’s life less sedentary. A sedentary lifestyle has been linked to an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.
“Further, a sedentary lifestyle drastically increases the risk of cardiometabolic disease such as abdominal obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and certain inflammatory conditions and cancers,” said Dr. Arciero.
According to Harvard Medical School, taking one’s steps has additional, less-obvious benefits. Walking offsets the effect of weight-promoting genes, reduces breast cancer risk, and boosts one’s immune system. It can also lessen arthritis-based joint pain, and even a 15-minute walk can curb a craving for chocolate, both generally and in response to stress.
Dealing with limited time for walking
The study’s findings should provide valuable information for clinicians and health professionals, said Dr. Inoue. He suggested a reader’s takeaway should be that for people who have difficulties engaging in regular exercise, “achieving recommended daily steps only a couple of days per week can have meaningful health benefits.”
Describing the study’s conclusions as “encouraging,” Dr. Arciero suggested the study may help people who don’t have enough time to walk 8,000 steps a day overcome feelings that walking less is pointless.
“We now have scientific evidence that proves this mindset is not true, and even a couple of days is beneficial!” said Dr. Arciero.
He said the study underscores the value of increasing one’s daily step count:
“Always a good reminder that any amount of walking, even one to two days per week, is still better than no walking.”
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Migraine is more than headaches. It’s a neurological condition that impacts more than 36 million Americans, according to the American Migraine Foundation. Migraine can cause severe pain and interrupt your daily activities.
Pre-migraine is one of the four stages of a migraine attack. Pre-migraine symptoms may occur before a migraine attack begins. You may be able to take steps to avoid a painful migraine attack if you can recognize the pre-migraine stage.
What are pre-migraine symptoms?
Migraine has four distinct states. Pre-migraine, called the prodrome stage, consists of a symptom or group of symptoms which let you know that a migraine attack is coming. It can begin anywhere from a few hours to several days before a migraine attack occurs.
The prodrome stage, sometimes also called the pre-headache or premonitory phase, doesn’t occur before every migraine attack, but learning to recognize pre-migraine symptoms can help you take preventative action. It’s also important to know that not everyone who has a prodrome stage will experience the exact same symptoms.
Pre-migraine symptoms may include:
Mood changes. You might feel depressed, anxious, or irritable without a pinpointable cause.
Muscle pain. Stiffness and cramping in your neck and shoulders is a common pre migraine symptom.
Food cravings. You can have strong cravings, especially for sweet foods, before a migraine attack.
Difficulty concentrating. You might have trouble focusing and feel foggy or confused.
Fatigue. Even if you had a good night’s sleep, you can feel extra tired leading up to a migraine attack.
Excessive yawning. Finding yourself yawning frequently throughout the day can be a migraine attack symptom.
Digestion trouble. You might experience constipation or diarrhea before a migraine attack begins.
Increased urinary frequency. Needing to visit the bathroom more often than normal is a common prodrome symptom.
Sensitivity to light and sound. You might have a low tolerance for bright lights and loud sounds before and during a migraine attack.
What to do if you have pre-migraine symptoms
You can start to take action if you recognize pre-migraine symptoms. If you’re being treated by a doctor for migraine, they can help you come up with a pre-migraine management plan that could prevent a full migraine attack from occurring. Try these common steps that can help during the prodrome stage:
Take pain-relieving medication. It can help to take pain-relieving medication before a migraine attack begins. You can use over-the-counter (OTC) options such as Excedrin, or prescription options. Follow the doctor’s instructions carefully when taking prescription medication for migraine.
Take any prevention medications. Be careful to not skip a dose of any prevention medications you’ve been prescribed if you’re having prodrome symptoms.
Avoid any known migraine triggers. It’s always a good idea to avoid anything that triggers your migraine, but taking extra care to avoid triggers when you notice pre migraine symptoms can help prevent a full migraine attack.
Rest and relax. Taking time to rest and relax can help you prevent a full migraine attack. If you can, try taking a nap or going to bed early. Meditation or other relaxation techniques can be especially useful.
Find a dark room. It’s best to avoid loud, bright, and stressful situations when pre migraine symptoms occur. Relaxing in a dark and quiet room can help prevent a migraine attack.
Take a hot shower or bath. A hot shower or bath can help relax your muscles. You can also try warm compresses.
Try ice packs. Ice packs are a good way to numb your pain and help you rest.
Drink a caffeinated beverage. Small amounts of caffeine can help relieve pain and can enhance the effects of some OTC pain relief medications. It’s a good idea to stick to a small amount, such as a single cup of coffee or can of soda. Too much caffeine can lead to withdrawal headaches and make it difficult to sleep.
What are the other stages of migraine?
There are three other migraine stages. Not everyone will have every stage during every migraine attack. The migraine stages are:
Aura stage. For individuals who have an aura with migraine, they usually occur about an hour before a migraine attack. Auras symptoms can vary but often include blurry vision, seeing flashing lights, visual hallucinations, vision loss, numbness, dizziness, and changes in hearing and speech. About one-third of people with migraine experience aura.
Headache or attack stage. The headache stage is when moderate-to-severe head pain that’s normally concentrated on one side of your head occurs. Pain is often throbbing and can become more severe when you move. The attack stage can last anywhere from a few hours to 3 days and also includes migraine symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, trouble sleeping, and sensitivity to light, sound, and smells.
Postdrome or resolution stage. This stage occurs once the migraine attack has faded and can last for a few hours to a few days. Symptoms at this stage often include feeling drained, fatigued, dizzy, and achy. It’s best to continue to avoid triggers and rest as much as you need during this stage.
The takeaway
The pre-migraine stage can start anywhere from a few days to a few hours before you have a migraine attack. Symptoms can vary, but often include:
confusion
fatigue
urinary frequency
sensitivity to light and sound
mood changes
neck pain
food cravings
Learning to recognize pre-migraine symptoms you experience can help you manage migraine and avoid an attack. Talk with a doctor if you’re having migraine attacks frequently. They can help identify your pre-migraine symptoms and the steps you can take during pre-migraine to avoid an attack.
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