Insomnia may strike for reasons that range from occasional stress to changes in medicine or an inability to give up coffee and cigarettes. As anyone who has spent even a few sleepless nights knows, insomnia not only aggravates you during the night, but also haunts you during the day with forgetfulness, fatigue and even the potential for serious accidents. Though you may come across skullcap as a traditional herbal treatment for your insomnia, modern doctors recommend other herbs or supplements.
Insomnia
The obvious symptom of insomnia is the inability to fall asleep. MayoClinic.com notes that other sleep disorders fall under the umbrella term of insomnia, including repeatedly waking up during the night, waking up too early, or waking up during the night and being unable to fall asleep. Not surprisingly, insomnia leads to sluggishness during the day, but may also lead to headaches, digestive issues and even fatigue-related injuries.
Traditional Skullcap Uses
According to the University of Maryland Medical Association, modern natural healers often turn to valerian rather than the once-popular skullcap to address insomnia and nervous tension. Skullcap's traditional use centered on its sedative qualities, which herbalists employed to soothe nerves and treat convulsions. In the late 1700s, physicians employed skullcap to help patients with rabies and referred to it as "mad dog skullcap." Today, skullcap generally appears as part of a mixture in calming tea or tincture blends. Too much skullcap may cause seizures, irregular heartbeat or mental fogginess, UMMC warns.
American vs. Chinese Skullcap
While herbs such as American and Chinese ginseng possess similar therapeutic properties, American and Chinese skullcap have completely different medical applications. Both come from the genus Scutellaria, but American skullcap, Scutellaria lateriflora, is the skullcap used by some herbalists as a sedative. Chinese skullcap, Scutellaria baicalensis, appears in traditional Chinese therapies to treat illnesses ranging from cancer to allergies, and has anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties. Herbalists use the leaves of American skullcap and the roots of Chinese skullcap.
Alternatives
Aside from valerian, UMMC suggests supplements of melatonin and L-tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan to promote sleep. Tryptophan, famous to Thanksgiving revelers as the compound found in turkey that leads to post-feast naps, raises serotonin levels. Serotonin, in turn, helps promote the relaxation needed for sleep. Melatonin supplements bolster the natural level of melatonin in your body responsible for setting sleep patterns. People with interrupted sleep schedules or naturally low melatonin levels may find the supplement especially useful. A traditional bedtime classic, chamomile tea, may also relax you enough to get a good night's sleep, notes UMMC. Always check with your doctor before trying any new over-the-counter remedies for insomnia. Long-term use of herbs like valerian or kava kava, another herbal relaxant, may cause liver damage.
