With that in mind, let’s look now at some of the things you might be able to do to make sure your travels are more beneficial for your mental health. Even just doing one or two of these could help you to have a much stronger mental health, and much more enjoyable travels too.
Know Why You’re Travelling
It might sound strange, but it’s really helpful to actually have a strong sense of your reason for travelling in the first place. Before you book anything, pause and ask yourself what you actually need right now. Rest? Stimulation? Connection? Solitude? A sense of accomplishment? Escape from routine? Problems arise when your trip doesn’t match your emotional state. If you’re burned out and book a packed itinerary with early mornings and constant movement, you may come home depleted. If you’re lonely and choose a silent retreat without preparation, you may feel worse instead of better.
As you can see, intention and understanding are therefore vital parts of the process of booking a trip that will actually work for you - and keep you happy as you enjoy it.
Keep The Schedule Light
Many of us make the all-too-easy mistake of overpacking the itinerary when we are on holiday, but this is unlikely to cause you anything but unnecessary stress. One of the biggest mental health traps in travel is over-optimisation. Trying to see everything turns your trip into a performance. You rush, multitask, and feel anxious about “wasting time,” which defeats the purpose entirely. Leave space. Build in unscheduled hours. Choose one or two meaningful activities per day instead of five rushed ones. Let boredom happen - it’s so often the gateway to creativity and calm, and we often rush to forget that.
Choose Accommodations Carefully
It’s also sensible to make sure you choose your accommodations carefully. In particular, aim to find places to stay that will actually support you in being able to rest. That might sound obvious, but it’s one of the best things you can do to really help your mental health while you are travelling. Where you stay matters more than most people admit. A cheap place that disrupts your sleep, feels unsafe, or requires constant problem-solving can quietly erode your mental well-being.
Make sure that you place a priority on comfortable beds, good sleeping conditions, less noisy areas, and somewhere with a sense of both privacy and safety. If it also has good natural light, it’s a real winner.
Respect Your Own Energy
This is something that a lot of people fail to consider, and yet it’s hugely important. Travel often disrupts routines, but that doesn’t mean you should abandon them entirely. Pay attention to when you naturally have energy and when you don’t. If you’re a morning person, plan demanding activities early. If you’re not, don’t force 6 a.m. sightseeing just because guides recommend it. Eat regularly. Hydrate. Move your body in gentle ways, like walking or stretching.
If you can remember this, it’s one of the main things that you are going to find helps you with your mental health overall.
Take Downtime Seriously
Most travellers need at least a little downtime, and this is something that people often overlook or forget. The truth is that downtime is vital if you are going to actually be relaxed during your travels, which is an important part of being able to do that. So make sure that you are thinking about downtime, taking it seriously, and doing all you can to really keep it sacred.
Whatever you do during that time, whether it’s reading books or playing a game of hearts, it’s vital that you protect it. That way, the whole experience of travel will be so much better for your mental health.
Reconnect With Yourself
Travel can offer distance from daily stressors, but avoidance doesn’t heal anything. If you carry unresolved emotions, they will often surface more clearly when distractions fade. That’s not a failure, but an opportunity. Journaling, long walks, or quiet mornings with coffee can help you process thoughts you’ve been postponing. You don’t need to “fix” everything on your trip. Just notice what comes up without judgment.
Most of us forget this, so if you can try to keep it in mind, you should find that this helps you to enjoy yourself a lot more, and effectively really make the most of the experience too.
Forget About The Perfect Trip
It doesn’t exist. Not every day will be magical. You’ll get lost, miss trains, eat disappointing meals, or feel inexplicably low. This is normal. Resisting reality creates stress. Accepting imperfections builds resilience. Instead of asking, “Is this trip good enough?” ask, “What can I learn or feel from this moment?” That mindset shift reduces anxiety and increases emotional flexibility. If you can bear that in mind, you should find that you open up and enjoy the experience so much more.
Those are just some of the things you can do to ensure that your travels are more beneficial for your mental health. If you are able to do that, it will make a world of difference.
