Get a Good Night’s Sleep
11th September 2018
After obesity, inadequate sleep is our biggest public health problem, says Dr Pixie McKenna who was the keynote speaker at a Network Ireland West Cork event held last month titled “Gráinne McCarthy of Wall Street Journal in conversation with Dr Pixie McKenna”.
The occasion took place at the beautiful Glebe Garden in Baltimore, Co. Cork. Dr. McKenna who is a TV doctor, writer, radio broadcaster, GP and Cork native, spoke about the importance of sleep and said: “After obesity, it is our biggest public health problem. If you’re using your phone before bedtime you are more likely to wake up during the night. As a result, you are more likely to die younger, get cancer or cardiovascular disease. We should actively track our sleep, like we do our calories or our steps. There are so many stages of sleep and it is done in 90-minute blocks.
Dr McKenna is an advocate for more female involvement in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and spoke about her belief growing up that her four brothers were more intelligent than she was. “I think there is a huge void in Ireland and across Europe. It’s a real shame that girls are put off science because they think they’re not bright enough or that it’s a lads career. Science is for everyone.”
Asked about her opinion on vaccinations, Dr McKenna replied “I am pro vaccination and feel very strongly about it. We should be vaccinating our children and listening to science and the research and evidence that is out there.”
Network Ireland West Cork holds networking events for members and guests in different locations in West Cork on the last Wednesday of every month. The organisation currently has over seventy members and welcomes new members from across West Cork. You can find more information about the organization here. www.facebook.com/NetIrlWestCork / www.twitter.com/NetIrlWestCork)
Photography Emma Jervis
