In today’s conversation John Ratey explores the revolutionary science behind Spark — how movement changes brain chemistry in real time and why it should sit beside therapy and medication for depression, anxiety, ADHD, and even addiction. He tells the Naperville District story, where daily fitness flipped academic outcomes, then connects it to what we now know about BDNF, endocannabinoids, and neurogenesis. John and Dr. Wells go deep on stress reactivity, GABA, and why fitter people are harder to panic. They finish with a vision for a future where we move more, together, outside — because connection and nature amplify everything exercise does.