John Joseph Ratey (born April 7, 1948) is an American physician who is associate clinical professor of psychiatry at

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...

. He is the coauthor, with Edward Hallowell of the books '' Driven to Distraction'', ''Answers to Distraction'', and '' Delivered from Distraction''. Like Hallowell, Ratey believes that he has ADHD but has never been clinically diagnosed. He is also the coauthor, with Catherine Johnson, of the book ''Shadow Syndromes: The Mild Forms of Major Mental Disorders That Sabotage Us'', 1997, . In 2001 he published the book ''A User's Guide to the Brain,'' in which he describes the human brain as a flexible muscle, which works on a "use it or lose it" basis. He is the author of ''Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain (2008).'' This book describes the positive benefits that

exercise Exercise or workout is physical activity that enhances or maintains fitness and overall health. It is performed for various reasons, including weight loss or maintenance, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardio ...

can have for learning and for people with anxiety, depression and

ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation that are excessive and pervasive, impairing in multiple ...

. It also discusses the neurological effects that occur during exercise as it relates to these conditions. In 2014 he coauthored the book ''Go Wild: Free Your Body and Mind from the Afflictions of Civilization'' with Richard Manning which discusses new evidence & case studies about the benefits of living according to the needs of our core

DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...

in the areas of: food, exercise, sleep,

mindfulness Mindfulness is the cognitive skill, usually developed through exercises, of sustaining metacognitive awareness towards the contents of one's own mind and bodily sensations in the present moment. The term ''mindfulness'' derives from the Pali ...

, being outside, being with others, and our central nerve well-being. Ratey and Hallowell reunited for the book '' ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction—from Childhood through Adulthood'', released and published in 2021. The book serves as an updated review of current research on ADHD or VAST (Variable attention stimulus trait) as described in the book. Current non-medical and medical treatment protocols are reviewed in this book. This includes new empirical research over the last 30 years. Ratey claims that "No-one is truly normal".Commonsense Rebellion: Taking Back Your Life from Drugs - Bruce Levine - page 2 (2003) In December 2024, Ratey was featured in the award-winning documentary film '' Inactive, Americaʼs Silent Killer'' about the growing global epidemic of physical inactivity and its impact on health.

References

External links

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Dr. John Ratey: Exercise and the Brain

Interview with John RateySattelmair, Jacob; Ratey, John J.: Physically Active Play and Cognition: An Academic Matter?
American Journal of Play, Vol. 1 No. 3, Pages 365-374 Win 2009
Ratey, John J.; Loehr, James E.: The positive impact of physical activity on cognition during adulthood
Reviews in the Neurosciences, Vol. 22, Issue 2, Pages 171–185 2011 {{DEFAULTSORT:Ratey, John Living people Harvard Medical School faculty Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder researchers 1948 births