John Joseph Ratey,

M.D. Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. T ...

, (born April 7, 1948) is associate clinical professor of psychiatry at

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the graduate medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and is consi ...

. He is the coauthor, with Edward Hallowell of the books '' Driven to Distraction'', ''Answers to Distraction'', and ''

Delivered from Distraction Edward McKey Hallowell (born December 2, 1949) is an American psychiatrist, speaker, ''New York Times'' best-selling author and podcast host. He specializes in ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and is the founder of the Hallowell ...

''. Like Hallowell, Ratey claims that he's got ADHD himself but like Hallowell, he's never been officially diagnosed with it apart from a self-diagnosis. 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)'', which describes the positive benefits that

exercise Exercise is a body activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic ...

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

ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by excessive amounts of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that are pervasive, impairing in multiple contexts, and otherwise age-inapp ...

. In 2014 he coauthored the book '' Go Wild: Free Your Body and Mind from the Afflictions of Civilization'' with

Richard Manning Richard "Dick" Manning is an American environmental author and journalist who writes about music, neuroscience, and agriculture. Career Manning is the author of 11 books and has worked as a journalist, reporter and editor for more than 40 year ...

which discusses new evidence & case studies about the benefits of living according to the needs of our core DNA in the areas of: food, exercise, sleep,

mindfulness Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one's attention to the present-moment experience without evaluation, a skill one develops through meditation or other training. Mindfulness derives from ''sati'', a significant element of Hind ...

, being outside, being with others, and our central nerve well-being. Ratey claims that "No-one is truly normal".Commonsense Rebellion: Taking Back Your Life from Drugs - Bruce Levine - page 2 (2003)

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 Living people Harvard Medical School faculty Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder researchers 1948 births {{US-physician-stub