A Good Night’s Sleep with Valerian!

Insomnia is more common than you would believe. It may affect as many as one-third of the adult population of the world. Valerian is the most famous herb for sleep. You know it works, but you may not believe how well!

This double-blind study took advantage of a higher than usually standardized extract. Instead of the 0.8% valerenic acid commonly used in standardized extracts, the valerian extract used in this study was standardized for 2%. The dose was 200mg an hour before bedtime, and the study lasted for 8 weeks. 72 young adults with mild insomnia either took the valerian or a placebo.

Valerian worked like a dream. Compared to placebo, the valerian significantly improved total scores on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index as well as time taken to fall asleep, sleep time and sleep efficiency. People in the valerian group also had less daytime drowsiness and woke up feeling more refreshed.

Not surprisingly, if you’ve ever tried valerian, there was also a significant improvement in anxiety.

And the valerian did all of this safely.

Adv Ther. 2023 Oct 30;41(1):246–261.

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For much more on natural approaches to insomnia and anxiety, see our book The Family Naturopathic Encyclopedia.

For much more on valerian, see our book Healthy Herbs: Your Everyday Guide to Medicinal Herbs and Their Use.

For comprehensive natural help with your health, including sleep and anxiety, make an appointment to see Linda Woolven now. Linda’s clinic is now open for in person and virtual appointments.

The Natural Path is intended for educational purposes only and is in no way intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. For health problems, consult a qualified health practitioner for a comprehensive program.

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