Stress can do a lot of harmful things to both your body and your mind. From making you feel physically sick to causing you to experience anxiety attacks, stress is something that can cause a lot of damage. Especially if you’ve had emotional or physical problems in the past, like issues with addiction or panic disorders, stress is going to be something you want to avoid at all costs as to not trigger something you’ve worked so hard to overcome. So to ensure that you don’t end up back at a rehab facility, once your travels are over, here are three ways you can relieve some of the stress that comes along with traveling.

Plan and Prepare Beforehand

If your travels have a way of sneaking up on you, it’s no surprise that you feel stressed about the amount of packing and preparing that you have to do in just a short period of time. The great thing about having this specific aspect of traveling stress you out is that it’s totally and completely avoidable.

Adrienne Breaux, a contributor to Apartment Therapy, shares that it’s not uncommon for people to stress about packing and planning for their trip well before they’ve even left home, so it’s a good idea to plan and prepare well beforehand so you don’t fall victim to “travel brain”. Having a list of what you need to bring, take care of, and prepare for will immensely help to diminish the stress you feel when traveling.

Give Yourself Plenty Of Time

One of the biggest reasons people feel stress while traveling has to do with time. Can I get to my meeting on time? Will I make my flight? How long will my taxi ride take? And while some of these things will end up being out of your control, there are plenty of time-related scenarios that you do have control over if you merely give yourself more than enough time to complete every task. John Roberts, a contributor to Independent Traveler, recommends starting your trip off right by making sure you get to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Ninety minutes for domestics flights and 3 hours for international flights will help you to feel less stressed about time.

Get The Rest Your Body and Mind Need

When you’re running on a lack of sleep, it can make otherwise normal situations seem much more stressful simply because you’re not your normal self who can deal with minimal amounts of stress. Knowing this, it’s vital that you get the rest your body and mind need in order to stay as stress-free as possible. Dulce Zamora, a contributor to WebMD, suggests sleeping well leading up to your travels, taking naps, managing your jet lag, and being careful with the use of caffeine to ensure you’re in the best shape to tackle stressful travels.

To remain as free of stress as you can while traveling, use the tips mentioned above the next time you’re planning to take a trip.