Ten Lessons from Plato on the Maintenance of Health & Wellbeing

personal995
Jul 10, 2024
5 min read

Updated: Apr 23

Plato on the Maintenance of Health & Wellbeing

Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher, isn’t the first name that comes to mind when we talk about health and wellness. Yet, buried in his philosophical dialogues are timeless insights that speak directly to our modern challenges, anxiety, burnout, poor sleep, disconnection from nature, and disordered lifestyles.

Plato, like many ancient Greeks, didn’t see health as just the absence of disease. To him, true well-being was a balanced harmony of body, mind, and soul. In fact, he believed that one could not pursue truth, justice, or wisdom unless the body was in a state fit to support it.

Plato himself was physically fit and placed great value on the connection between physical and mental health. His holistic view of health is evident in his works, where he emphasizes the necessity of maintaining a balance between the body, mind, and soul for overall well-being.

Here are some insights from Plato on maintaining health and overall well-being, supported by relevant references from his works.

1. Balance Between Mind and Body

"For the body which is diseased is an impediment to the soul in her striving after knowledge." Plato

Plato saw the body as a vessel for the soul. If the body is unwell, the soul is hindered. Not just in health, but in wisdom and decision-making also. In modern terms, your brain fog might not be a mindset issue eg. it might be your sleep, your diet, or your movement. Lesson: Invest equally in mental stimulation and physical care, as one supports the other.

Useful Members link: Energy Management (Health)

2. Train Physically, Educate Holistically

"And therefore, I said, gymnastic is one part of education, and music is the other." Plato

In Plato’s ideal society, education included physical training as a non-negotiable. The aim wasn't to sculpt bodies for vanity, it was to build discipline, vitality, and the physical resilience needed to think clearly and act justly.

Lesson: A complete education builds both character and capacity. Movement and learning are not separate paths, they’re complementary to each other.

Useful Members link: Movement (Health)

3. Moderate Your Diet — It Shapes Your Character

"The right measure of eating and drinking will be not only the health and strength, but also the temperance of the body." Plato

Plato associated gluttony with chaos and virtue with moderation. For him, a balanced diet wasn’t about aesthetics, it was another practice of self-mastery.

Lesson: Your eating habits are not just physical acts they’re expressions of your values, discipline and inner harmony.

Useful Members link: Nutrition (Health)

4. Exercise Is a Form of Mental Preparation

"The body is to be in the best condition for the soul to be well disposed and active in her own proper sphere." Plato

Plato would’ve been a fan of modern neuroscience, he understood that movement sharpens thought. Exercise for Plato wasn't just physical fitness, it was preparation for ethical and intellectual life. Lessons: Move daily, not just to look good, but to think well and act with clarity.

Useful Members link: Strength (Potential)

5. Cultivate Harmony in the Soul

"The soul which has seen most of truth shall come to the birth as a philosopher, or artist, or some musical and loving nature." Plato

In our results driven, always-on culture, Plato’s insistence on inner harmony is a step change. His version of well-being is closer to what today we’d call mental clarity, emotional regulation, and a life aligned with purpose.

Lesson: Don't just chase productivity, pursue space and alignment with your true self.

Useful Members link: Peace & Joy (State)

6. Importance of Rest and Recreation

"The purpose of education is to give to the body and to the soul all the beauty and all the perfection of which they are capable." Plato

Plato valued life's rhythms, rest, leisure, and exposure to beauty were part of a life well-lived. He'd remind us that burnout isn't a badge of honor, it’s a sign of imbalance, which leads to poor performance.

Lesson: Rest isn’t a reward. It’s a requirement for a full, productive and positive life.

Useful Members link: Energy Management (Health)

7. Health and Virtue

"The good body is the natural property of the good soul." Plato

Plato didn’t separate ethics from health. In his eyes a well-cared-for body, supported moral clarity and strength of will.

Useful Members link: Strength (Potential)

8. Impact of Environment

“The environment and way of life in which men live are of supreme importance…” Plato

Plato believed that one's environment and lifestyle significantly impact health and well-being. He likely would have understood the negative effects of blue light, noise pollution, and toxic media. He believed the structures around us shape what we become.

Lesson: Curate your surroundings. They’re shaping you consciously or not.

Useful Members link: Clean Living Environment (Potential)

9. Simplicity in Living

"They will live a healthy life, with simple fare, and not be tempted by luxury to disease and early death." Plato

Plato advocated for a simple, unadorned lifestyle as a way to maintain health and avoid the pitfalls of excess. Consumer culture sells indulgence. Plato preached restraint. He knew that excess in food, wealth, or entertainment leads to decay.

Lesson: Strip back the unnecessary. Simplicity isn’t boring, it’s powerful.

Useful Members link: Alignment (Autonomy)

10. Holistic Approach

"For all that is good and evil in the body and in the whole man springs from the soul, and overflows from thence, as if from the head into the eyes." Plato

Plato’s approach to health was holistic, considering the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of well-being. Modern health often fragments us, body vs. mind, science vs. spirit. Plato reminds us that true well-being is integrated.

Lesson: Don’t reduce yourself to parts. You’re a complex being, treat yourself accordingly.

Useful Members link: Holism (Fulfilment)

To Summarize

Plato’s Wellness Philosophy in the 21st Century

Plato didn’t have access to functional medicine, wearables, or mindfulness apps. But what he did offer was a powerful framework, one where health is about balance, simplicity, and alignment with deeper truths. His lessons on simplicity and balance are similar to other great minds from history such as Epictetus & Lao Tzu.

In a world obsessed with quick fixes, perhaps the wisest thing we can do is return to the roots. Not just about how we move and eat, but also why we live the way we do.

By integrating these insights from Plato into one’s life, individuals can work towards achieving a balanced and healthy lifestyle, nurturing the body, the mind and the greater world around us.