Travelling can be stressful. You’re putting your body under a lot of pressure by changing climates and timezones, and you’re in new situations which demand new reactions. Plus, you’ll probably spend at least some time in airport queues, which deserve a stress category all of their own.

While you might not be able to do all the things you’d normally do at home to de-stress, there are a few things you can do anywhere.

1. Take a deep breath.

Really, it’s one of the best things you can do. Close your eyes and count to ten while breathing deeply — in through your nose, out through your mouth.

2. Exercise

It’s not always possible to go swimming or for a run, certainly, but you can almost always go for a walk. Even on a plane or train, or in a confined space, you can walk up and down or just on the spot. Star jumps are great for indoor exercise, but get outside if you can, and get as much sun as you can to get your vitamin D.

3. Treat yourself

Find something really small you can do to treat yourself — don’t spend too much (that might cause more stress), but something as little as an extra ten minutes in bed or a chocolate bar can really help. Or better, get your travelling companion to get something for you.

4. Itemise your blessings

Don’t focus on what’s gone wrong, think about what’s gone right. More things go right than wrong, so why dwell on the negative? Think of five things that are good about today, even if they are tiny; at the moment, one of my small blessings is that I get to walk through a park every day on my way to work. Later in the day, just thinking about the ducklings I saw makes me smile.

5. Make a list

What exactly are you stressed about? Write it all down. Some things you will have control over, and others you won’t. Look at the items you don’t have control over, and say to yourself “I don’t have control over this, so why worry about it?” Then look at the items you do have control over. Put them in order of importance, and decide what you’re going to do about each thing. Make a decision about each item, even if it’s planning to think about it tomorrow.

6. Tell yourself the truth

This one’s a hard one to stomach at times. If something goes wrong and it’s your fault, you need to accept that, not stress about it. But remind yourself that you’re human and it’s human to make mistakes — even such terrible ones as the one you’ve made. Or if you’re worried about the future, tell yourself that you’re strong and capable and will be able to deal with the future when it comes. Find a mantra that works for you — i find “shit happens” to be really useful when things go wrong — because it’s true.

Travel stress doesn’t have to affect your trip – slow down and use these six ways to de-stress on the road, and you’ll see and feel the difference.

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This article was written by Linda Martin

Linda Martin is a self-confessed word geek, Spanish addict and world traveller. She and Craig have been travelling full-time for five years, taking in parts of Europe, Asia, Australia and South America. She's currently back home in New Zealand for the Southern Hemisphere summer, preparing for the next trip -- to Spain.