Disclaimer: The information in this article is general in nature and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional before starting any exercise programme or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Moving during time spent alone may soften a short-term dip in mood. That is what a 2024 study found in a group of mostly young adults in Germany. It did not show that a walk cures loneliness or replaces social contact. Those are different questions, and both matter if you feel isolated.
What did the researchers measure?
The main study followed 317 healthy adults aged 18 to 28 for seven days. Participants wore movement trackers and used phone diaries to report their mood and whether they were with someone. A second group of 30 adults was studied during the pandemic.
People tended to report feeling worse when they lacked social contact. That difference was smaller when they had moved more before a diary entry. The study observed everyday behaviour; it did not assign people to walk or compare a prescribed exercise plan. The result describes an association in these groups, not a guaranteed effect for every age or mental health condition.
Some participants also had brain scans. The researchers explored whether a measure of brain connectivity related to the mood pattern. That result is a research clue, not a practical test someone needs before going for a walk.
What about loneliness in Australia?
Loneliness means feeling that your social connections fall short of what you need. Being alone at one moment is different: a person can enjoy solitude or feel lonely in a crowd. The AIHW estimates that 15% of Australians experienced loneliness in 2024. Its data also show that the pandemic rise eased across most age groups. The study and the national figure measure different things.
Movement can also create a chance to meet people when it is shared. In a 2025 report, Ash Ormond described starting a Melbourne walking club after feeling lonely when she moved away from friends. Members met for walks and later other activities. That is a concrete example of a group creating repeated contact; it is separate from the German study's finding about moving while alone.
What can you try next?
The right next step depends on whether you want a change of pace during time alone, more contact with people, or both. The German study did not establish a step count or session length.
- For a solo break: Try a comfortable walk or other movement you can fit into a real day. Notice how you feel, without treating one outing as a test of whether exercise works.
- For company: Look for walking groups on KeepActive. Check the pace, location, access and next meeting, and ask the organiser what a first visit involves. Our guide to walking groups explains the appeal of a regular group.
- For both: Keep an easy solo option for days you cannot join others, while making room for repeated contact if that is what you miss.
These are practical options, not treatments tested by the German study. Ash Ormond's walking club shows that meeting repeatedly can create opportunities for friendship, though no single group will suit everyone.
If low mood or loneliness is persistent or hard to manage, speak with a GP or mental health professional. For immediate support in Australia, Lifeline is available on 13 11 14.
