Meditation vs Exercise for Stress: What Studies Found
Exercise wins for how stressed you *feel* (−0.42 vs meditation's 0.38), but it can spike cortisol 30 minutes later — the hormone stress is made of. They're two contests with different winners.
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How Little Exercise You Need to Stay Healthy
3,143 steps a day — shorter than a walk to your mailbox — links to measurable mortality risk reduction. A 2025 meta-analysis found 7,000 steps cuts death risk 47%.
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Is 10,000 Steps a Day a Myth? What Science Says
The 10,000-step target isn't science — it's a 1965 Japanese pedometer ad. A 2025 Lancet meta-analysis found 4,000 steps a day delivers about half the mortality benefit of 10,000.
