There is healing power in life’s simple things, writes author Becky Johnson. So, go to the basics when life threatens to get you down! Here’s how …

When summer ends and the days shorten, many of us struggle with lower moods. Whether you want to lighten a blue mood, or heal from trauma, you may be surprised at the simple but powerful ways we can restore our minds and bodies to joy. “As it turns out, there is good science and good psychology behind our grandmothers’ old fashioned advice,” says Becky Johnson, co-author with her daughter Rachel of the book, We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook.

Don’t let life get you down!

Laughter really is good medicine. “I come from a long line of funny women” says Becky. “Even as a young teen, when something embarrassing would happen, I’d think, ‘Ah! Material for the family reunion!’ Humor always greased life’s skids for me.

Diagnosed with a painful disease from which he was not expected to survive, Norm Cousins discovered that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter would give him at least two hours of pain-free sleep. (He went on to live another 36 healthy years, teaching others about the healing power of laughter.) A recent study showed that laughter therapy was as effective in lessening agitation in elderly patients with dementia as the best medications, with nothing but good side effects.

Don’t let life get you down!

Cook comforting food and share it with people you love. When Paula Butturini’s husband was nearly fatally shot by a sniper’s bullet, she and her husband retreated to Italy to recover. The simple rituals of going to market, cooking and sharing meals with close friends, night after night, gave relief and comfort from lingering trauma.

She wrote in her book, Keeping the Feast, “I may write about the smell of asparagus, the color of polenta, or the taste of figs still warm from the sun, but all of it is a personal shorthand for weighing love and hunger, health and nourishment, secrets and revelations, illness and survival, comfort and celebration, and perhaps most of all, the joy and gift of being alive.” She recently noted in a blog post: “Like tears – cooking, serving, and eating together is a language without words that hearts understand. Food with love is a powerful healing force in a hurting world.”

Don’t let life get you down!

Soak up some sun rays. The ancient wisdom writer, King Solomon, observed, “Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.” And this was long before scientists discovered that depression is linked to lack of Vitamin D from not getting enough sun.

With society living increasingly indoors, along with the heavy use of sunscreen (that blocks 95% of Vitamin D absorption), it is estimated that one-quarter of us are low in natural Vitamin D, which lowers our moods. Sunlight also activates the pineal gland that regulates hormones related to healthy sleep cycles and positive moods. Sitting or exercising outside a few minutes every day can lift your spirits.

Don’t let life get you down!

Surround yourself with beauty. Pierro Ferucci is an Italian psychologist who writes about the healing power of beauty in his work with emotionally wounded people. In his book, Beauty And The Soul, he writes, “The more we can perceive beauty in our surroundings, and also inside us, the more we will feel at home and glad to exist.”

He points to a Swedish study of 12,000 people which indicated that “those who go more often to the theater, movies, to concerts and exhibitions, have a greater chance of longevity.” Patients who have access to beautiful scenery outside their hospital windows heal faster. When the beauty of nature is brought into urban environments stress and agitation decreases. Beauty not only increases the will to live, but the joy in living.

Don’t let life get you down!

Do something productive with your hands. In the book, Lifting Depression, author and neuroscientist Kelly Lambert shares how she struggled to get over a period grief when her mother died. She noticed, however, that when she vacuumed the house, her spirits lifted. This lead to her eventual study of the “effort-driven-reward loop.”

Her research showed that when we do something physical, particularly involving our hands, and it produces something tangible – a knitted sweater, a clean house, a repaired engine, a good meal – it activates the pleasure center in our brain and helps to lift our moods.

Don’t let life get you down!

Enjoy giving and receiving loving touch. The feel-good hormone oxytocin is released when we hug or touch someone we love. The absence of loving touch increases the feelings of depression. Humans need touch, babies will not thrive without it. Marriages most often die without the intimacy of skin-on-skin contact. The happiest marriages enjoy lots of hugs, hand-holding, and regular loving sex. Therapeutic massage also lowers inflammation and increases well-being. Don’t under-estimate the value of “skin time” with someone you love to bring feelings of joy.

Don’t let life get you down!

Take a guilt-free nap. Trauma and trouble can literally exhaust our bodies and minds. The restorative power of sleep is God’s balm for the mind and soul. Make your bedroom a relaxing sanctuary with soft linens, comforting quilts and restful lighting. Put books by your bedside that are soothing, uplifting or funny. To relax before sleep, concentrate on tensing and relaxing each muscle in your body from the top of your head to the tip of your toes, breathing from your belly.

Don’t let life get you down!

Let it go. When problems overwhelm you, visualize giving them into God’s hands and trusting Him to work on them “behind the scenes” and without your help for awhile. When you have rested from your worries, having emptied all the troubles into divine hands, ask God for the next right step. Don’t try to fix complex problems or think too far into the future, simply ask God what He wants you to do in this moment. Then wait for the direction that brings peace to your heart, just for today.

Don’t let life get you down!

Count your blessings. People who write down three things they are grateful for every day in Gratitude Journals showed increased levels of happiness, which continued to increase with the greatest benefits showing up around six months of usage. This simple practice not only helped people feel better about their lives but they also reported fewer symptoms of illness.

Don’t let life get you down!

Read something funny or light. When life hurts, confuses or wounds us, it is often the simple things that best soothe and bring us back into balance. When we are sick, or low in spirits, it is often overwhelming to read books that are prescriptive or heavy.

We’re often best encouraged by light-hearted books with stories that inspire or make us laugh. We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook is one such book. Filled with funny stories, family relationships, vulnerability, faith, encouragement and comforting recipes, it is the perfect remedy for anyone in need of a lift.

Becky Johnson