Aging, Well Played
There is a distinct sound that signals the beginning of a Mahjong round. It is the gentle clicking of tiles as they are shuffled, flipped face down and mixed around. The sound is referred to as the Twittering of the Sparrows as it sounds like the chattering of birds. The sound-based metaphor is linked to the game's origin, as the name "Mahjong" (or máquè) translates to "sparrow" or "sparrow tiles" in Chinese. The sparrow is further represented in the bird symbol on the 1-bamboo tile and the lively social nature of the game, akin to birds flocking together. For me this clicking of tiles is restorative. Mahjong entered my life quietly, almost ceremonially. What began as curiosity has become ritual — and if I am honest, it has evolved into my favorite anti-aging protocol.
I have spent years researching and conversing about the latest serums, supplements and sunscreen to support my skin integrity. I lift weights to protect my bones and guard my sleep as though it were currency. I read ingredient labels with the scrutiny. I immerse myself in nature, volunteer and practice kindness as discipline. All in the hope that when I arrive at an older age, I will do so with strong muscles, clear arteries, a strong skin barrier and a soul that has remained open.
But the mind requires its own devotion. And for me, that devotion looks like Mahjong. The mind deserves a ritual. After the long days at the office, I come home and turn my focus to writing, often profiling interiors or remarkable women whose lives are layered with intention. I am also an artist — my hands shaping clay into hand-built ceramics, painting canvas, repurposing vintage tableware into something with renewed purpose. I think often about texture, pattern and structure. Perhaps that is why the architecture of Mahjong feels so natural to me. The game demands attention. It asks you to hold sequences in your mind, to pivot strategy, to remember discards, to calculate probability while reading the subtle expressions of players around you. It is not passive entertainment. It is cognitive choreography.
And science affirms what I feel at the table. Research published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience has found that regular participation in Mahjong is associated with improved executive function and working memory in older adults. Studies in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry suggest that cognitively stimulating leisure activities — including tile-based strategy games — are linked to slower cognitive decline. Functional MRI research has shown increased activation in brain regions responsible for memory and problem-solving among experienced players.
When we play Mahjong, we are not merely passing time. We are building neural resilience. Compared to solitary puzzles like Sudoku or crosswords, Mahjong adds a layer of unpredictability. You must adapt in real time. You must hold multiple potential outcomes simultaneously. You must observe and interpret. It strengthens what neuroscientists call cognitive flexibility — our ability to shift thinking and update information quickly. It feels, to me, like lifting weights, but with my brain. Mahjong as my preferred anti-aging strategy. Above reading, above crossword puzzles and even above the quiet time I spend journaling. Mahjong is my preferred mental protocol.
The ritual begins before the first tile is drawn. I ready my home for guests. I unroll the mat. I arrange the racks. I settle into my seat with the awareness that for the next few hours, my attention will be sharpened, not scattered. No multitasking. No divided focus. My phone only used to call up a playlist. The next few hours will be patterns, memory and intuition.
There is research from the Mayo Clinic indicating that mentally stimulating activities may reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment. Additional studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association have shown that consistent engagement in complex cognitive activities is associated with better cognitive outcomes in later life. While no single activity guarantees protection from aging, there is compelling evidence that cognitive engagement builds what researchers call “cognitive reserve” — the brain’s ability to compensate for age-related changes. I think about cognitive reserve the way I think about muscle mass. It is something you build quietly over time. And so, I play.
My friends and I have perfected the art of the pick-up game — sometimes it is quick and dirty, a couple of rounds squeezed between responsibilities, lovingly referred to as the drive thru. Other gatherings are more intentional. There are themed mornings like Bubbles and BAMS Brunch, or afternoons at the museum where art and tiles coexist in gorgeous harmony. Most often, we coordinate through the TeamReach app, posting events and allowing women to RSVP with a single tap. The Junior League of Omaha maintains a calendar of Mahjong meetups there. Omaha’s OG Mahjong coach, Mary McBride, hosts her own schedule for former students to reconnect and play. It has become infrastructure for connection.
Mahjong is community. For the past three years, I have chaired the Women’s History Month committee within the women’s group at work. The 2026 theme — Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future — extends beyond environmental sustainability into societal sustainability. Resilient communities are not accidents; they are built. This year, we are offering two subsidized “Intro to Mahjong” sessions. My intention is simple: share the game with more women at the office and let the benefits multiply. I keep a set of tiles in my workspace in case someone wants to stop by for a round or two. There is so much informal networking done on golf courses and pickleball courts. There are business decision to be made around a Mahjong table.
There is substantial research supporting the power of women gathering together. Studies show that positive social interaction among women can lower cortisol and increase oxytocin, the hormone associated with bonding and stress reduction. Research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health links strong social ties to longer life expectancy and reduced risk of chronic illness.
When women gather consistently, they do more than socialize. They exchange resources. They mentor. They collaborate. They create cultural continuity. The rise of Mahjong in America feels, to me, like a quiet social movement. It is elegant. It is intergenerational. It is strategic without being aggressive. It is competitive without sacrificing warmth.
From Mahjong comes new traditions. Mid-day Mondays in December when I take off work for a long lunch and unhurried afternoon of tiles and conversation. Small rituals that remind me time is not only to be managed — it is to be inhabited. Community is not a luxury. It is preventive medicine.
There is substantial research supporting the power of women gathering together. Studies show that positive social interaction among women can lower cortisol and increase oxytocin, the hormone associated with bonding and stress reduction. Research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health links strong social ties to longer life expectancy and reduced risk of chronic illness.
When women gather consistently, they do more than socialize. They exchange resources. They mentor. They collaborate. They create cultural continuity. The rise of Mahjong in America feels, to me, like a quiet social movement. It is elegant. It is intergenerational. It is strategic without being aggressive. It is competitive without sacrificing warmth.
From Mahjong comes new traditions. Mid-day Mondays in December when I take off work for a long lunch and unhurried afternoon of tiles and conversation. Small rituals that remind me time is not only to be managed — it is to be inhabited. Community is not a luxury. It is preventive medicine.
If you are new and wondering how to play mahjong, the basics are deceptively simple: build a complete hand based on a designated card of patterns by drawing and discarding tiles strategically. But beneath that simplicity lies an intricate dance of probability, memory and emotional intelligence. You must remember what has been played. Anticipate what others are building. Adjust when the tiles refuse to cooperate. That act of adaptation is cognitively profound.
Learning something new in adulthood has measurable neurological benefit. Studies in Nature Reviews Neuroscience show that novel skill acquisition stimulates neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to reorganize and form new connections. Mahjong is not static; every hand is different. Every table dynamic shifts. In that constant recalibration, the brain remains alive.
Learning something new in adulthood has measurable neurological benefit. Studies in Nature Reviews Neuroscience show that novel skill acquisition stimulates neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to reorganize and form new connections. Mahjong is not static; every hand is different. Every table dynamic shifts. In that constant recalibration, the brain remains alive.
I would be lying if I claimed the intellectual stimulation alone sustains me. The aesthetics are part of the draw. There are infinite combinations of American Mahjong sets and Mahjong accessories — tiles adorned with florals or rendered in sleek minimalist lines, mats in grand millennial prints or subtle neutrals. Some women gravitate toward the uber feminine, posh sets with Nantucket blues and hydrangea motifs, scalloped racks, bows and paisley patterned carrying cases. Others, like myself, lean toward restrained palettes, clean lines, wooden racks and leather bags. I am currently coveting a set designed by artist Mary Benson — sophisticated, understated, botanical and quietly striking.
My favorite accessory, though, is the dice dish. I source them from estate sales and thrift stores — small vintage brass baskets, delicate porcelain bowls, sometimes with just enough patina to hint at a prior life. Recently, I found a petite brass basket with a handle at a local thrift store. I polished it with Brasso until it caught the light again. It spends each game beside my tiles — aesthetically perfect, functional and living a second life. I always have my eye out for a dice dish that fits a friend’s Mahjong set perfectly. I gift them often. There is a personal satisfaction in finding something that fits her vibe, her mood, her personality. Mahjong set style is not superficial. It is an extension of identity. Selecting your first Mahjong set is a genuine opportunity for self-expression. Choosing tiles, racks, a mat, and carrying case becomes an act of curation — not unlike layering textiles in a room. We gather not only to stimulate our minds, but to engage our senses.
My favorite accessory, though, is the dice dish. I source them from estate sales and thrift stores — small vintage brass baskets, delicate porcelain bowls, sometimes with just enough patina to hint at a prior life. Recently, I found a petite brass basket with a handle at a local thrift store. I polished it with Brasso until it caught the light again. It spends each game beside my tiles — aesthetically perfect, functional and living a second life. I always have my eye out for a dice dish that fits a friend’s Mahjong set perfectly. I gift them often. There is a personal satisfaction in finding something that fits her vibe, her mood, her personality. Mahjong set style is not superficial. It is an extension of identity. Selecting your first Mahjong set is a genuine opportunity for self-expression. Choosing tiles, racks, a mat, and carrying case becomes an act of curation — not unlike layering textiles in a room. We gather not only to stimulate our minds, but to engage our senses.
Mahjong feels like the most gentle feminist movement. It is women claiming time. Women building strategy. Women strengthening memory. Women laughing, disagreeing, recalibrating and winning.
There is no performance here for the outside world. Just four women focused on winning. When I think about sustainability I think about resilience of body, clarity of mind and strength of community. Mahjong supports all three. It strengthens memory and executive function. It lowers stress through social bonding. It builds interwoven networks of women who support one another beyond the table. That is societal sustainability.
I will continue to lift weights. I will continue to research peptides and collagen supplements. I will continue to protect my sleep. But if you ask me what feels most enduring — most likely to carry me with grace into older age — it is a table, four chairs, a set of tiles and the women who join me for the wins. Mahjong is ritual, resistance to cognitive decline, aesthetics and design. Mahjong is community, infrastructure and I'm now convinced — an anti-aging protocol.
I will continue to lift weights. I will continue to research peptides and collagen supplements. I will continue to protect my sleep. But if you ask me what feels most enduring — most likely to carry me with grace into older age — it is a table, four chairs, a set of tiles and the women who join me for the wins. Mahjong is ritual, resistance to cognitive decline, aesthetics and design. Mahjong is community, infrastructure and I'm now convinced — an anti-aging protocol.
For those who are curious, consider this your invitation. Shadow a table game. Gather a few friends. Sign up for an intro session. Make a few new friends. Learn slowly. Host imperfectly. Stay with me to explore more of the practical realities of playing Mahjong — the sticker shock of startup costs, where and when to splurge, how to save, and building a set that reflects your style, with or without excess.
For now, I hope you will consider what rituals you are building for your future self. It is said the mind, like muscle, responds to intention. And mine is stronger because I play.
