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INSOMNIA, Nutritional Supplements

How effective is valerian for insomnia?

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June 29, 2024

By Joie Meissner ND, BCB-L

The sleep-promoting effects of valerian have been confirmed by Germany’s Commission E, a government-appointed committee of toxicologists, doctors, and pharmacists.

Valerian is the most studied botanical medicine used to improve sleep. 1

But some American authorities say that the evidence for valerian’s sleep-promoting effects is “inconclusive”. 2

Evidence for valerian being helpful for insomnia has been mixed with some studies showing benefits 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and other studies not finding benefits.13, 14, 15 But the most recent studies show that valerian whole-root extract improves sleep quality. 16, 17, 18

One of the many studies that found valerian isn’t effective, an older study done in 1985, found that valerian’s positive impacts on sleep were not clinically significant, meaning that they are too small to make a difference. 19

It is worth noting that in some people, valerian can actually cause insomnia.

In 2020, researchers looking to find a cause for the inconsistent and contradictory results of valerian studies concluded that valerian “could be a safe and effective herb to promote sleep”. The researchers reached that conclusion after analyzing ten studies, spanning 1,065 people. 20 They also analyzed eight studies that included 535 people with anxiety and found valerian to be particularly effective for those with both anxiety and insomnia. 20 But an expert panel of pharmacists and physicians report that there is not enough evidence to support valerian’s effectiveness for anxiety. 22

The 2020 researchers found that whole-root preparations are more effective than those made from other parts of the plant and that the plant’s constituents may have an unstable shelf life and can lose potency over time. These researchers said that inconsistent results among the studies included in their analysis could be due loss potency. 20 They also noted that potency can be negatively affected by the type of standardization used in certain manufacturing processes. 20 That means some products could be more effective than others.

Suboptimal product preparation methods that fail to preserve the herb’s potency can be a problem as the products sit on store shelves. Products made from parts of the plant other than its root might also be less effective.

Valerian was as effective for improving sleep quality as low-doses of a sedating, anti-anxiety medication—a benzodiazepene—oxazepam (Serax), according to a small randomized, double-blind study using a 6-week course of valerian in patients with chronically unsatisfactory quantity and/or quality of sleep. 25 The patients in this study had difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or with early wakening of long duration. 

Though this herb is shown to improve sleep quality, there are a number of studies that show that valerian does not help people fall asleep quicker, stay asleep longer or decrease the overall severity of sleep loss. 26, 27, 28, 29

This botanical doesn’t work immediately such as sleeping pills like Ambien. Taking valerian before bedtime or even taking it daily for less than eight days, may not be effective, studies show. 30, 31, 32, 33 It could take up to 4 weeks of daily use for valerian to work. 34, 35

Valerian May be More Helpful for Certain People

Menopausal women with insomnia who took valerian root extract twice daily for 28 days moderately improved sleep quality, according to a 2011 randomized, placebo-controlled study. 36

Patients with kidney failure being treated with dialysis taking valerian supplements for four weeks improved their sleep quality as much as those taking the pharmaceutical medication gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant), a 2023 study found. 37

Elderly sleepers taking valerian had improvements in slow-wave sleep but not other sleep parameters, a study small study found. 38 Slow-wave sleep is our most restorative phase of sleep. Slow-wave sleep declines with age.

Valerian might improve sleep quality in patients on long-term benzodiazepenes— Anti-anxiety drugs like Valium and Xanax. 39

Multi-Herb Combinations with Valerian

Valerian formulations frequently contain multiple botanical medicines like hops; lemon balm and passionflower.  A number of studies have shown that these formulations improved sleep quality, some superior to single-herb formulations.. 40, 41, 42

One such study, a 2013 double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, compared extracts of valerian and two other herbs. It found the herbal extract formulation to be as effective as zolpidem (Ambien). 43

The multi-herbal product containing standardized extracts of Valeriana officinalis (valerian), Passiflora incarnate (passion flower) and Humulus lupulus (hops) was found to improve total sleep time, number of nightly awakenings, insomnia severity and the time it takes to fall asleep (sleep latency). There was no statistical difference in improvements on sleep measures between the drug-treated group and the herb-treated group. Researchers concluded that the polyherbal formulation was “a safe and effective short-term alternative to zolpidem (Ambien) for primary insomnia.” 43

It’s important to keep in mind that botanical medicines like hops, lemon balm and passionflower all can have unique safety profiles.

Herbal products—like drugs—can interact with each other, compounding the safety risks. There have been several case reports of liver toxicity that have been linked to multi-ingredient oral preparations containing valerian. 45, 46

A patient who took a valerian and passionflower combination with the anti-anxiety drug Ativan (lorazepam) experienced throbbing and muscular fatigue, shaking hands and dizziness. 47

Like Sleeping Pills, Valerian Might Not Be Safe Long-Term

When used chronically and abruptly stopped, symptoms of valerian withdrawal can include anxiety and irritability. 48, 49

It’s not known for sure if valerian is safe to take for more than a month to six weeks. 48 To read more about valerian safety, click link: Is Valerian Safe?

Nothing you can swallow for help with sleep is as safe or effective as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), the insomnia treatment that has been considered the most appropriate treatment for patients with primary insomnia since 1999. 51, 52, 53 While valerian can help improve subjective sleep quality, it cannot help people fall asleep quicker, stay asleep longer or decrease the overall severity of sleep loss. CBT-I can do all that an more.

“Almost all patients should receive” CBT-I, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine declared in its clinical practice guideline for chronic insomnia published in 2021. 54

Whereas medications and most sleep supplements cannot be safely taken long-term, the skills learned in a CBT-I program can help people to get good sleep for the rest of their lives. CBT-I has no potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Click link to learn more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia 

Information provided on this website is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your doctor before taking starting or stopping any supplement or medication.

For more information on valerian, click links below:

Insomnia, Anxiety & Depression: Is Valerian Effective?

Plant Valium: Is valerian effective for anxiety?

Is Valerian Effective for Depression?

Is Valerian Safe?

To find out about valerian safety, click link below:

Is Valerian Safe?

To find out more about cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, click link below:

Integrative Therapy for Insomnia

To find out how Mood Change Medicine helps people who have insomnia with depression or anxiety, click link below:

INSOMNIA’S UNBIDDEN BEDFELLOWS: Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Insomnia, Anxiety & Depression

Care informed by the understanding that emotional and physical wellbeing are deeply connected

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Terms of Use

Citations

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