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Open Source Apothecary At Home / The herbs
The classic sleep herb, two years to a crop, and mixed trial results worth knowing before you plant. — Valeriana officinalis
remedyValerian (Valeriana officinalis) is the most traditional sedative herb in the European pharmacopoeia, grown for its root and used for sleep.
The evidence is mixed, and honest use says so. Trials of valerian for insomnia have produced inconsistent results: some show improvements in sleep latency and quality, others show no difference from placebo. The effect, where present, is mild, and it appears to build over weeks rather than acting acutely like a hypnotic.
The comparison that matters most. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) substantially outperforms valerian, and outperforms sleeping tablets. A handbook that recommends valerian for insomnia without saying this is misleading. Valerian is a mild adjunct for someone already doing the behavioural work.
What it does do reliably. Valerian is sedating enough to add to alcohol and to sedative drugs, which is both its mechanism and its main interaction risk.
Growing it is a two-to-three-year commitment for a root, which is a lot of bed space for a mild effect. The smell of the dried root is strong and characteristic; it is not spoilage — cats find it interesting for the same reason they find catnip interesting.
However, these results should be considered preliminary because of the unconvincing sample sizes, together with the potential effectiveness of placebos.PubMed 35378276 ↗
Sleep problems are widely prevalent and associated with various comorbidities including anxiety.PubMed 33086877 ↗
While there is insufficient evidence to support the use of herbal medicine for insomnia, there is a clear need for further research in this area.PubMed 25644982 ↗
Studies on the combination treatment of insomnia with hypnotics and cognitive behavioural therapy up to now were not able to show a superiority of the combination treatment versus monotreatment with behavioural therapy or hypnotics.PubMed 19506825 ↗
Future studies should assess a range of doses of standardized preparations of valerian and include standard measures of sleep quality and safety.PubMed 17145239 ↗
This article provides an overview of systematic reviews of herbal treatments for conditions common in elderly individuals.PubMed 10641953 ↗
| | | |---|---| | Life | Perennial | | Propagation | Division is much faster than seed; seed needs stratification | | Light | Sun to part shade | | Soil | Moist, reasonably fertile | | Spacing | 45 cm | | Harvest root | End of second or third season, autumn | | Dry | 45-55 C, sliced — the root is dense and moulds whole | | Note | The strong smell is normal |
Root tea — 1-2 teaspoons dried root, steeped 10-15 minutes, taken 30-60 minutes before bed. The smell is strong; many people blend it.
Tincture — the more palatable form; root in alcohol.
Capsules — commercial standardised extracts; what most trials used.
Combination — often blended with lemon balm, passionflower and hops for sleep.
The better first step — the behavioural programme for insomnia, which has stronger evidence than any herb here.