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National Geographic
a day ago
- Health
- National Geographic
How knitting may be rewiring your brain
From knitting to woodwork, slow and steady hobbies may offer surprising brain benefits, including reduced stress and better long-term memory. Photograph by Dusan Ladjevic, Getty Images 'Grandma hobbies' like knitting are making a comeback among Gen Z—but it's not just for nostalgia. Neuroscience shows these tactile pastimes may help preserve brain health as we age. The rhythmic click of needles. The softness of yarn running over fingertips. The satisfying logic of knit, purl, repeat. Knitting—and other so-called 'grandma hobbies'—is making a comeback, especially among younger generations. According to Eventbrite data, Gen Z's interest in 'grannycore' gatherings, such as knitting circles and needlework workshops, has surged in recent months, driven in part by a search for relief from digital burnout. But the benefits go beyond nostalgia. Recent studies suggest that slow, tactile tasks, such as knitting, may activate brain systems in ways that support long-term cognitive health in various ways, including engaging memory, attention, and motor function, while helping to regulate stress. In other words, regardless of age or gender, engaging in hands-on, mentally demanding hobbies—whether knitting, wood carving, or model building—may be one of the simplest ways to support brain health. Here's what the science says. How knitting activates your brain While meditation and puzzles also offer brain benefits, knitting uniquely combines fine motor coordination, creative planning, and rhythmic bilateral movement—all of which engage different brain systems at once. This kind of creativity in any capacity is helpful, says Emily Sharp, a licensed therapist at NY Art Therapy. That bilateral stimulation—created by the alternating use of both hands—is similar to what's used in EMDR therapy, says Sharp, adding that this type of stimulation is linked to reduced cortisol levels, increased serotonin and dopamine, and improved emotional regulation. It also engages the brain's dopamine system in ways that can improve focus and potentially delay age-related cognitive decline, says Alvaro Pascual-Leone, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and chief medical officer at Linus Health. A 2024 study in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience supports this outlook, demonstrating how creative endeavors activate the brain's dopaminergic reward network, particularly in areas deeply involved in pleasure, motivation, and mood. But unlike the dopamine spikes triggered by scrolling or sugar, knitting provides a slower, steadier reward. (Do crossword puzzles really keep your brain sharp?) That's key, Pascual-Leone says: 'It's not good to have too much [dopamine], it's not good to have too little. A steady, pleasant functioning of the brain is better than a binging of chemicals.' Plus, since activities like knitting require planning, sequencing, and problem-solving, they activate executive function alongside motor and emotional systems. This full-brain engagement helps reinforce neural connectivity, a crucial tool for maintaining the brain's flexibility and resilience as we age. If you are already an accomplished knitter, don't pat yourself on the back just yet. The cognitive benefits of activities like knitting aren't about the task itself—they're about the process of learning something new. 'If you've never knitted, then knitting is perfect,' says Pascual-Leone. 'But if you are a professional knitter, then not so much. It can give you a sense of accomplishment, which is valuable, but the goal is to make your brain work on solving a challenge it has never done before.' (Here's why adults need to make time for playtime.) Novelty matters. When you challenge the brain with unfamiliar tasks, such as learning to knit, it lights up new pathways, offering a unique neurological boost. With time and repetition, those same actions become fluent and meditative, allowing the brain to shift into a restorative flow state. This challenge-to-mastery arc helps maintain neural plasticity. However, you must continually reinvent the challenges for your brain as you master old ones. The good news? The cognitive challenge doesn't have to be big or lofty, says Pasucal-Leone: 'What is actually critical is to give your brain a challenge it hasn't yet mastered.' Cognitive decline begins to develop decades before there's any outward evidence, says Lakelyn Eichenberger, a gerontologist and caregiving advocate at Home Instead, which is why engaging in mentally stimulating hobbies throughout one's life is so important. 'Challenging your brain in these ways will be really good for you in terms of long-term brain health,' she says. For aging brains, creative hobbies can offer a form of low-stakes cognitive training—mental workouts that strengthen neural wiring and flexibility over time. Sharp says tactile hobbies create 'greater brain connectivity that helps aging populations where neurons are naturally dying off as the aging process happens.' Activities like quilting, cross-stitching, whittling, pottery, or even bookbinding offer similar cognitive benefits, especially when they involve both hands, sequence-based thinking, and a learning curve. (Here's why having a hobby is good for your brain and body.) While there is a notion that we are better off engaging in tech-driven activities targeted at brain health, Pascual-Leone says we may only need those tools because we've abandoned traditional pastimes. Unlike brain games or apps, these tactile activities offer emotional benefits, which can help reduce cortisol levels and meet the brain's need for social interaction, says Eichenberger. Group knitting circles or crafting classes, for instance, can help reduce loneliness and provide emotional grounding, especially during major life transitions such as retirement. Eichenberger adds that 'people who engage in these activities often report themselves as happier, healthier, and more satisfied with life.' A meta-analysis in BMC Public Health underscores this point, highlighting how hands-on, repetitive hobbies may boost psychological well-being. Other research shows that among individuals with Parkinson's disease, creative art interventions improve memory, dexterity, and emotional resilience, suggesting benefits even in late-stage neurodegeneration, indicating it's never too late to start these hobbies. 'We focus so much on the medical side of aging,' Eichenberger says, 'but we have to consider our physical, mental, and emotional health, and these leisure activities are part of that.'
South Wales Argus
18-07-2025
- South Wales Argus
Llwyn Celyn farmhouse to open to public for rare weekend
Llwyn Celyn, a Grade I listed building in the Black Mountains, will welcome visitors from July 25 to 27 for a rare opportunity to explore its historic grounds. The Landmark Trust, a leading building restoration charity, has organised the event, which will feature creative writing and wellbeing activities. Celebrated poet Clare E Potter will lead a free creative house tour on Saturday, July 26, from 11am to 12pm, followed by a Writing for Wellbeing workshop from 1pm to 2pm. Tickets for the workshop are £6.13, including the booking fee, and can be pre-booked via Eventbrite at The farmhouse, typically reserved for holiday guests, is one of Monmouthshire's most atmospheric historic buildings. Set in the picturesque Llanthony Valley, it is only open to the public two weekends a year. Visitors can look forward to a free general entry, learning about the building's journey from ruin to restoration, and engaging in creative writing activities. Restored by The Landmark Trust, Llwyn Celyn was recently featured on Channel 4's Historic House Rescue series. The event is open to all, family-friendly, and refreshments will be available. Dogs are also welcome on site. Llwyn Celyn is approximately a 15-minute drive from Abergavenny, with accessible parking on site and general parking in a neighbouring field. Pre-booking is preferred via the Landmark Trust website. This rare event offers a chance to discover a slice of history in a stunning natural setting.
Axios
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
A new Houston audience goes all-in on mahjong
Mahjong is making a major comeback — and the tile game is now trending with a younger, diverse audience. Why it matters: The centuries-old Chinese strategy game often associated with older generations in the Asian diaspora has a new wave of players in Houston who are making it their own. Stunning stat: Between 2023 and 2024, mahjong events on Eventbrite surged 179% nationwide and a staggering 867% in Houston, per the online platform's data. Among the nine major cities analyzed by Eventbrite, Houston ranked third for most events last year, behind New York and San Francisco. State of play: While longtime players continue their regular games, a new crowd is reshaping the hobby — drawn in by post-pandemic social appeal, and, of course, all the new pretty tiles in the market. Houston - and Dallas -based tile companies now sell sets that run upward of $300. Houstonian Amanda Commons discovered mahjong on a bachelorette trip about three years ago and, along with her friend Nicole Cottone, joined a group of HISD moms in West University who had a Google Sheet of roughly 100 players. In November 2023, Commons and Cottone launched That's aMAHJzing, a company offering $60–75 lessons to help people start their own neighborhood groups. They also host $50 open plays, tournaments and kids camps. "I think it's people craving connection … and I think people like to get involved with beautiful trends," Commons tells Axios. Making an old game "bougie" and slapping "a big price point" also makes more people want to play, Commons adds. The big picture: As demand grows, many instructors now regularly teach the American version of mahjong in collaboration with tile companies. While many new players are white women, the resurgence is drawing people of all ages and backgrounds — including those reconnecting with the game through their cultural roots. Flashback: Originally Chinese, mahjong was embraced by Jewish women in 1930s New York, shaping the American version still played today — including at the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston. Versions like Cantonese, Taiwanese and American each have distinct rules — all played by four people, often with gambling elements. Zoom in: The Chinese Community Center in Houston is seeing a rise in mahjong participants, too. After a successful AAPI Heritage Month game event in May, the center began hosting monthly beginner meetups using the Taiwanese version and is now adding bimonthly club sessions for more experienced players, CCC development manager Jo Truong tells Axios. The most recent meetup hit capacity with 40 players across 10 tables — only four of whom were CCC members. Entry is $35, and the event gained traction through a "very active" Facebook mahjong group sharing the invite. What they're saying: Lynn Chou, who started playing at age 6, now teaches alongside friends at the CCC and says attendees have ranged from young children to a 100-year-old.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Eventbrite's CEO is using AI to analyze personality compatibility with colleagues— it helps her decide who to promote and hire
Eventbrite CEO Julia Hartz tells Fortune she uses AI to complement her emotional judgment in hiring and promotion decisions, leveraging personality tests and data-driven insights to reduce bias and better understand team dynamics. She credits AI with helping her identify development gaps, improve coaching, and make more consistent decisions—enabling the company to cut reliance on expensive recruiting firms. Fears are rife that AI will be the reason for job losses, but one CEO is doing precisely the opposite—she's using it to figure out who she should be hiring and promoting. Like many of her contemporaries, Eventbrite's CEO Julia Hartz is embracing emerging technology for the efficiencies and insights it can offer. She's also using it to balance her emotional, human reactions with the rationality of tech. Hartz founded the events management and ticketing business with her husband Kevin, and the company's founding technical architect Renaud Visage in 2006. The company now has a market cap of more than $225 million. Hartz took over the top job from her spouse in 2016, as the pair had agreed to switch roles after 10 years of running the company. With the Hartz family treating the business like a sibling to their daughters, teamwork and emotional investment has been built into the DNA of the brand. But with AI rapidly improving seemingly by the day, Hartz is using the technology to match the 'human emotional mind' with relatively unbiased decision-making. Hartz explained she's utilizing AI through personality tests, preferring the Hogan method to establish how complementary her style is with teammates and candidates. Speaking to Fortune in an exclusive interview in London, Hartz explained: 'The Hogan series is pretty in depth, and is about how you react to certain landscapes shifting. And then I'm actually able to draw a through line between my Hogan test to a candidate's Hogan, and using AI can assess the places where it's going to cause friction, and where are we not going to show up great together?' Of course, one of the major questions about AI at present is how accurate its results are, and how much of the inputter's assumptions it absorbs in its analysis. That being said, studies have demonstrated that AI can draw fairly accurate conclusions about personality traits—to some extents even more so than a person's family and friends. Even a decade ago, before most people had even heard the phrase 'large language model', researchers at the University of Cambridge and Stanford University discovered AI could draw very accurate personality conclusions about an individual based on their digital footprint. Indeed, using Facebook 'likes' alone, the AI reached judgements similar to those of the individual's nearest and dearest, with the milestone being described as an 'emphatic demonstration' that the technology could discover an individual's psychological traits through data analysis alone. While accuracy when it comes to relationship analysis may lie in the 'eye of the beholder,' Hartz adds, it's been incredibly beneficial in helping her overcome certain habits, she explained: 'When you think about how you relate to other people, I actually see that there's a big opportunity here to not judge a book by its cover, to actually not be biased, based on 'I like this person.' There's a really interesting way to relate to people in a much deeper way.' Identifying mentoring gaps At present, Hartz is using AI as a tool to help assess people for different roles and see where she can help develop them, as opposed to incorporating it more widely into her everyday decision-making at the San Francisco-based company. She explained: 'It's mostly about how I've chosen the people I've hired as of late, or the people that I've asked to step up into roles, and the insights that I have about what I'm asking them to do and and how they'll show up. 'And then it's also where I can help coach them—so much about being a good coach or mentor is assessing where the gaps might be, but also one of the things with managers is the missed expectations, particularly at the CEO level. 'So I'm really curious about how to reverse engineer the expectation to the skills and the personality of the person to help figure out how to intentionally develop them to that place where they can meet that expectation.' But the tool also helps Hartz with more consistent decision-making, she explained: 'It gives me a different perspective that is not based on how I'm feeling that day or my last interaction with that person. It has totally opened the aperture of human potential.' While the CEO added she is using AI in many different ways to automate 'little things that frustrate me', Hartz may not be taking her AI usage as far as peers. A study released earlier this year found that 74% of executives are more confident asking AI for business advice than colleagues or friends, according to research by SAP, a data and software company. But these leaders are putting their faith even more fully in the hands of the bots, with 38% saying they trust AI to make business decisions for them, and 44% deferring to the technology's reasoning over their own insights. AI 'gives me a different perspective', said Hartz, and poses questions about 'how I think 'how I should think about human potential differently, which is very interesting because it's a robot.' Indeed, Eventbrite's experiments with AI in this sense have proved so useful the business no longer needs enterprise licenses for 'fancy recruiting firms', added Hartz, because she can see the results of this research herself. 'It's not inaccessible, and I think recruiting firms are definitely on the chopping block in terms of industries that will get disrupted [because of AI],' added Hartz. This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Glasgow Times
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Bestselling author Adele Parks to appear at Glasgow events
Adele Parks MBE will appear in Glasgow to launch her latest novel Our Beautiful Mess at two Bookface Sip & Swap events on Sunday, August 31. The first event will take place at Glaschu from 9.30am to 12.30pm, followed by a second at Saints of Ingram from 1.30pm to 4.30pm. Read more: New bookshop with cheese and wine bar opens its doors Adele already has 24 bestselling novels behind her, with more than six million copies sold in English and translations available in 31 languages. In 2022, she was awarded an MBE in recognition of her services to literature. Our Beautiful Mess is described as "an emotional, high-stakes family drama packed with twists and long-held secrets." The story, which will be published on August 28, follows Connie, a woman who has built a seemingly perfect life, only to see it threatened by a mistake from her past. Fellow author Lisa Jewell praised the book, saying: "Adele Parks consistently writes banger after banger, and Our Beautiful Mess might just be her best yet. "Addictive and brilliant." During the Glasgow book launch events, guests will have the chance to meet Ms Parks, enjoy a 45-minute interview, ask questions, and purchase a signed copy of the new book. These events will also feature the popular Bookface book swap, offering more than 300 titles for guests to choose from. Attendees are encouraged to bring up to four books to swap, though it is not a requirement. Adele said: "I'm so excited to be coming to Glasgow. "The city oozes fabulous, joyful readers. "There's a real passion for reading – and for having loads of fun. "Bookface events allow for both brilliant things. "I can't wait to come and talk about my brand-new release Our Beautiful Mess." Bookface is an online community with 5000 members worldwide. Its events are considered a regular highlight for readers and aspiring writers, providing a space to connect with authors and fellow book lovers. Read more: New tournament invites Glasgow footballers to raise funds for a good cause Founded in 2020, it brings readers together to discuss books, share recommendations, and hear directly from successful writers. Past guests at Bookface events have included Lisa Jewell, Val McDermid, Davinia Taylor, John Niven, Chris Brookmyre, Fran Littlewood, Heather Morris, Alan Parks, Nikki May, and Susannah Constantine. Tickets for the Glasgow events are limited and available through Eventbrite.
