Skullcap - A Breath of Fresh Air

Skullcap (skutellaria) is a member of the mint family. I first tried skullcap as a tincture because I had heard it might help with headaches. I was experiencing terrible hormone migraines. I have had them since I was 20 years old and had always managed to push through and continue functioning. They got so bad last year that I could not do anything except lie in a dark room for hours. Unfortunately, the skullcap did not have any effect on the migraines. It did, however, help me with the anxiety and a general feeling of ungroundedness that I had been experiencing.

Skullcap is a nervine, which means it has a calming effect on the nervous system. I take skullcap on an as-needed basis. If I wake up feeling anxious, which I often do, I will take 10 drops of skullcap tincture in an ounce of water about 10 minutes before I leave the house. If I wake up during the night and can’t fall back to sleep I will take 10 drops. It doesn’t have a sedative effect on me so I can take it during the day, but if I take it at night, it has a calming effect so that I can fall back to sleep. It works very quickly, and I have not experienced any side effects.

I have found that skullcap is very fast acting but has a gentle effect. I recommend it for anyone struggling with anxiety or if you ever have that spaced-out feeling that I have experienced a lot as I have been navigating perimenopause. As always, do your research, especially if you are taking any pharmaceuticals or if you have any chronic health conditions. To read about the other herbs I am using to manage my perimenopause symptoms check out my blog at www.crowmagicbotanicals.com.

Skullcap