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Whether it’s the winter season getting you down or a goal to improve your attitude, your mental health should be one of your priorities. Your mental health affects your body in multiple ways. When you are in a state of depression, you may feel less active and workout less, you may feel unmotivated to complete basic tasks⁠—like caring for yourself, and you may not be sleeping well. Mental health is important, and it’s important to take care of it. If you feel like you’ve done all you can with your doctor, you’ve gone to therapy, you’ve tried BHRT, and you still aren’t happy, try taking a vacation. Travel is empowering and might be just the thing to get you over your mental slump. Here are five ways that traveling improves your mental health.

1. You Stop Worrying about Looks

For many people, parts of their anxiety stem because they are concerned about what they look like. Humans have a desire to look their best, but as you travel, you begin to learn that it doesn’t matter what you or others look like. Traveling opens up the world⁠—you see new sights, meet new people, and try new foods, meanwhile, you’re not even thinking about what you or the person next to you is wearing.

2. You Gain Confidence

Traveling somewhere new is not easy, but it is worth it. In some places, there might be a language barrier that makes things difficult or maybe it’s the grand size of the city you are in. You can gain confidence in yourself as you try to communicate with others and see new things. Traveling forces you to step out of your comfort zone where you can learn new things about yourself and grow more confident.

3. You Fight off Boredom

Constantly feeling bored can take a toll on your mental health. If you feel bored in your work, with your friends and significant other, or in your daily routine, you need a change. Traveling is anything but boring. From the minute your plane lands or your train arrives you are experiencing something new. If you truly try to take in a place for all it’s worth, you won’t need to spend time on your phone or in front of the television because you’ll be so focused on what’s in front of you. There is no excuse to be bored while you travel⁠—if you aren’t entertained, it’s your own fault.

4. You Strengthen Relationships

When our mental health takes a few hits, typically so do our relationships. Just as you might be struggling and depressed, your significant other may also be struggling because they don’t know how to help and love you. Taking a vacation together gives you an excuse to be together and away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It also teaches you more about each other and how you both handle complicated situations⁠—like missing a flight, being robbed, or getting lost. Even during the stress of unfortunate moments, you can still be knitting a tighter bond with your partner.

5. You Learn About Other Cultures

Learning and experiencing other cultures can teach you more about yourself, but it will also teach us more about how other people live. Learning about other people helps you appreciate culture⁠—theirs and yours. As you spend time immersed in other traditions, you can develop more humanity and compassion toward other people and yourself.

If you need a break from the daily grind and vacation for your mental health, grab your significant other (or go by yourself!) and take some travel days.