# Da Vinci's Habits for Life
Leonardo da Vinci — Habits and Regimen of Life
Compiled from notebooks, anecdotes, and contemporary accounts
See also Da Vinci's Regimen for Painters
On Diet and Moderation
- He warned against overindulgence in food and drink, urging light eating so the body remained agile and the mind alert.
- He believed gluttony and drunkenness dulled perception, corrupting the painter’s eye and the thinker’s judgment.
- Accounts from contemporaries describe Leonardo as preferring a simple, mostly vegetarian diet, and he often spoke against cruelty to animals.
On Sleep and Rest
- Leonardo valued regular, moderate rest as essential to clear vision and reasoning.
- Anecdotes suggest he experimented with segmented / polyphasic sleep — brief naps throughout the day — though evidence is fragmentary.
- He advised against working in fatigue, since tired eyes distort proportion, light, and color; for any thinker or observer, rest was a tool of accuracy.
On Cleanliness and Health
- He stressed cleanliness and orderly appearance, not for vanity but for discipline and respect toward one’s craft.
- He recommended fresh air and good ventilation in workspaces, avoiding damp and unwholesome places that weaken the body or damage works.
- He advocated maintaining the health of both body and mind, seeing them as interdependent instruments.
On Habits of Mind and Character
- Leonardo insisted on patience, solitude, and sustained observation of nature.
- He advised avoiding “base company” and idle habits that distracted from contemplation and high study.
- His model of life resembled that of a philosopher more than a craftsman — disciplined, reflective, detached from excess.
- He cultivated curiosity as a daily practice, filling his notebooks with observations on anatomy, geology, hydraulics, flight, and more.
On Work Rhythm
- He practiced intermittent focus: alternating periods of intense labor with intervals of withdrawal and reflection, letting ideas mature.
- He encouraged mental rehearsal — “in bed, in the dark” — replaying forms or ideas before sleep, to strengthen memory and insight.
- This rhythm gave him a reputation for leaving works unfinished, but also for extraordinary breadth of inquiry.
On Ethics and Conduct
- Leonardo often wrote of justice, compassion, and reverence for life, consistent with his dietary restraint.
- He praised truth, proportion, and harmony as guiding ideals — in nature, art, and behavior.
- His life pattern suggests a deliberate shaping of habits to serve not only craft but also moral clarity and intellectual freedom.