Valerian Root: Sleep Benefits, Dosage, Tea & Side Effects

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Open a bag of dried valerian root and the smell reaches you before anything else. It's strong and unmistakable, and it comes from isovaleric acid, released as compounds in the root called valepotriates break down.6 People have put up with that smell for a very long time because of what the root does, and today they take it mostly for sleep, stress and nervous tension.1

I suggest valerian for sleep, and on my show I've said valerian root can be great, along with passionflower, skullcap, magnolia and jujube.78

Did you know?

• Valerian root has served as a mild sedative in many cultures, and Valeriana officinalis still holds official status in the pharmacopoeias of northern Europe.9

• In 2007, a weekly national TV health program in Norway randomized 434 viewers with insomnia into a placebo-controlled valerian trial run entirely over the internet.10

• When researchers offered 100 domestic cats four plants, about half of the cats responded to valerian root, the same kind of reaction catnip sets off in many cats.11

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What is valerian root?

The root's makeup varies a lot from plant to plant, shaped by genetics and growing conditions, which is one reason products differ and why valerenic acid is used as a marker to measure and standardize them.912

A short history of valerian root

Valerian's use as medicine reaches back to early Greece and Rome, where it was a remedy for sleeplessness, migraine, fatigue and stomach cramps.1 Europe has kept that tradition going. The European Medicines Agency recognizes valerian tea, tinctures and powdered root as traditional herbal medicines based on long-standing use, and it accepts one type of dry extract, made with alcohol, for mild nervous tension and sleep problems on the strength of clinical studies, a status called well-established use.2 The agency's plain-language summary notes that valerian root eased mild anxiety as well as other medicines in the comparison studies it reviewed, and some of those studies found it clearly better tolerated.14

What is valerian root good for?

How valerian root works in your body

Valerian's calming effect runs through GABA, your brain's main calming messenger. Steps 3 and 4 come from lab and mouse studies; steps 2, 5 and 6 were measured in people.

That timeline explains how valerian is best used: nightly, timed before bed, and given a couple of weeks to settle in.

Valerian root benefits, ranked by evidence

Ranked by the weight of human research, valerian does the most for sleep quality and calm under stress, with encouraging results for period pain, hot flashes, thinking after heart surgery and tension headaches.

Does valerian root help you sleep?

What the newest trial found

The newest trial, published in 2024, randomized 80 adults aged 18 to 50 with mild insomnia to 200 mg of a valerian root extract standardized to 2% valerenic acid or a placebo, taken 1 hour before bed for 8 weeks; neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what, and 72 finished. The trial was funded by the extract's maker.4

Their score on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, a standard questionnaire that runs from 0 to 21, where lower means better sleep, fell 2.05 points on valerian and 0.09 points on placebo. On a wrist sleep tracker, the valerian group fell asleep 48.03 minutes faster than at the start, against 11.73 minutes faster on placebo, and slept 56.31 minutes longer, against 2.33. In 20 people from each group who also slept a night in a sleep lab, total sleep time rose 75.21 minutes on valerian and fell 74.58 minutes on placebo, while deep sleep and REM sleep didn't differ between the groups. Side effects showed up in 3 of 40 people on valerian and 5 of 40 on placebo, all mild and none judged related to the capsules.4

Trials in women and in people with health conditions

In a placebo-controlled trial of 100 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 60 with insomnia, 530 mg of concentrated valerian extract twice a day for 4 weeks improved sleep-quality scores more than placebo, and 30% of the women on valerian improved their sleep quality, against 4% on placebo; neither the women nor the researchers knew who got what.15 It's a trial I've cited on my show when talking about herbs that help sleep.35

Valerian has also helped people whose health conditions disturb their sleep. In 39 adults on hemodialysis for kidney failure who each tried valerian and a placebo, 530 mg of dried valerian root 1 hour before bed for 1 month lowered their sleep-quality score by 7.6 points, against 3.2 points on placebo, during the first month of the trial.16

In a placebo-controlled trial of 72 people recovering from heart bypass surgery, 530 mg valerian capsules for 30 nights improved overall sleep quality, the time it took to fall asleep, sleep duration and daytime function more than placebo capsules, and clotting tests didn't change.17 And in a pilot placebo-controlled trial of 51 adults starting efavirenz, an HIV medicine known for side effects on sleep and mood, 530 mg nightly for 4 weeks improved sleep and anxiety more than placebo.25

Valerian's sleep research goes back decades. In a 1982 study, 128 people each took a 400 mg water extract of valerian root, a commercial valerian-containing product and a placebo, in coded samples on different nights; the water extract helped them fall asleep faster and sleep better by their own ratings, especially people who saw themselves as poor sleepers.36 In a sleep-lab study of 16 adults with insomnia who each tried valerian and a placebo, deep sleep began sooner on valerian after 14 nights than on placebo and filled more of the night than at the start, while a single dose made no difference; sleep efficiency, the main measure, improved on both. Side effects were reported 3 times during the valerian weeks and 18 times during placebo.32 In a placebo-controlled pilot study of 14 older poor sleepers, 405 mg three times a day for a week also increased deep sleep in the lab, though their own ratings of sleep quality didn't change.37

Trials with smaller or no differences

Other placebo-controlled trials found no clear gap between valerian and placebo on their main measures:

• A 2-week trial of 434 adults: In the Norwegian trial run through a TV health program, 405 of the 434 people randomized were analyzed. 600 mg of extract nightly improved sleep quality by at least the amount the researchers counted as meaningful in 28.7% of people, against 21.2% on placebo, a gap that could have been chance; asked at the end how they'd slept overall, 9.1% of people on valerian rated their sleep better or much better, against 3.7% on placebo, a difference unlikely to be chance.10
• Older women: In 16 women with insomnia, average age 69, who each tried 300 mg of concentrated extract and a placebo for 2 weeks, sleep in the lab, on a wrist tracker and in their own ratings didn't differ.38
• Single nights: In 16 adults aged 50 to 64 who each tried 300 mg, 600 mg and a placebo on single nights in a sleep lab, no sleep or morning-test measure changed.39
• Cancer treatment: In 227 adults undergoing cancer treatment, 119 of whom could be evaluated, 450 mg 1 hour before bed for 8 weeks didn't change the main sleep score more than placebo, though people on valerian reported less fatigue and less trouble sleeping in additional analyses.40
• Anxiety with insomnia: In an internet-based trial of adults with anxiety and insomnia, 135 took valerian and 135 a placebo for 28 days, and their insomnia scores improved by about the same amount, 0.4 points apart.41
• Falling asleep at home: In a 4-week placebo-controlled trial led by researchers at a valerian-hops maker, 500 mg of valerian extract on its own didn't shorten the time to fall asleep on a home sleep recorder more than placebo did.42

What the pooled analyses show

A 2006 review of 16 placebo-controlled trials with 1,093 people found that those taking valerian were 1.8 times as likely to report better sleep, across the six trials that asked that question, though the authors saw signs that some trials with negative results went unpublished.3 A 2010 meta-analysis of 18 placebo-controlled trials pointed the same way: in its six trials with a yes-or-no sleep question, people on valerian were 1.37 times as likely to report improved sleep.23 A 2020 review found that the form matters. In the four trials of whole dried root, the effect on sleep quality was about eight times the size seen in the six trials of extracts (0.83 against 0.10), though the result across all 10 trials together could have been chance.6 A 2025 scoping review of 51 trials of over-the-counter sleep products in adults named valerian and melatonin as the most studied, with substantial evidence for their effectiveness and safety.43

How to get the most from valerian for sleep

Take it every night and give it time. European regulators call valerian's effect gradual and recommend 2 to 4 weeks of continued use, which matches my advice that it can take two weeks for the effect to take hold.27

Build a steady circadian rhythm around it, too. In my Deep Sleep Protocol, I note that every sleep nutrient works better with a fixed wake time, morning light and a cool, dark room, because the rhythm is the multiplier.5 Sleep is medicine, and I want you getting about 8 hours a night, at least 7, ideally with 90 minutes to 2 hours of that as deep sleep.44 For long-standing insomnia, my protocol also points to cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), which major guidelines recommend first because its benefits last after treatment stops.5 Valerian fits alongside it, along with the basics in sleep hygiene and other natural sleep aids.

Can valerian root ease stress and anxiety?

In that dental study, the patients, aged 17 to 30, took valerian before one surgery and a placebo before the other, and neither they nor the researchers knew which was which. The surgeon's ratings pointed the same way, but the gap was too small to rule out chance, and 55% of the patients said they felt more comfortable during the valerian surgery, against 25% for the placebo one. Sleepiness was reported by 45% after valerian and 35% after placebo, a difference that wasn't significant.18

Valerian also softens the body's stress response. In a lab study of 54 healthy adults, the 18 who took valerian for a week had a smaller rise in systolic blood pressure and heart rate during a stressful color-and-word task than they'd had a week earlier, and they felt less pressure, while the 18 untreated controls didn't change.33 In the dialysis trial above, scores for how anxious people felt in the moment fell 14.7 points on valerian, against 7.3 on placebo, in the first month.16

In a placebo-controlled trial of 64 adults under psychological stress, 100 mg of extract three times a day for 4 weeks improved anxiety and stress scores, but no more than placebo did, though brain-wave measures shifted only in the valerian group.26 In a placebo-controlled pilot trial of 36 adults with generalized anxiety disorder, a valepotriate-rich valerian extract for 4 weeks didn't differ from placebo on the main anxiety scale, though it eased the scale's mental-symptom score within its own group, as diazepam did.45 A Cochrane review found that single trial and called the evidence for anxiety disorders too thin to draw conclusions.46

Valerian is one of my top five remedies for anxiety because it improves sleep, at 1 teaspoon of tincture a day.7 For more calming options, see natural remedies for anxiety, stress relievers and cortisol levels.

Valerian root vs. sleep and anxiety medicines

In two trials of adults with insomnia, valerian extract gave similar results for sleep quality to oxazepam, a benzodiazepine sleep medicine, with fewer side effects in the larger one.4748 In other head-to-head trials, the drug did better on some measures.

In next-morning tests, valerian didn't cause the sedation several sleep drugs did; if you take a sleep medicine or a benzodiazepine, read the safety section below before adding valerian.

How to take valerian root: tea, tincture or capsules

To make the tea, pour about 2/3 cup (150 mL) of boiling water over 0.3 to 3 grams of dried, cut root, cover it, let it steep, then strain it, and drink it half an hour to an hour before bed.2 If you'd like it sweeter, add a little raw honey, and see herbal tea benefits for other calming cups, such as chamomile and lemon balm.

Many products pair valerian with hops, lemon balm or passionflower. A blend is its own product, so look for research on that exact combination: in a 4-week placebo-controlled trial, a valerian-hops extract helped people fall asleep faster on a home sleep recorder.42

When you shop, check for:

• The plant name on the label: Valeriana officinalis, root.

• A stated valerenic acid content on extracts; the newest trial's extract was standardized to 2%.4

• More than one number when you can get it: in a mouse study, two extracts with the same total valerenic acids differed fourfold in calming potency, depending on their ratio of valerenic acid to acetoxyvalerenic acid.51

• Whole root or extract, by choice: in the 2020 review, trials of whole dried root showed larger effects on sleep quality than trials of extracts.6

• A single-herb product if you want valerian alone, since many sleep formulas are blends.

How much valerian root should you take?

Time it 30 minutes to 2 hours before bed, the window that fits how fast valerenic acid peaks in the blood.29 The European Medicines Agency allows an earlier dose in the evening when needed, up to four doses a day in all, and advises seeing a practitioner if sleep hasn't improved or has worsened after 2 weeks of continued use.2 In a study of older women, blood levels of valerenic acid varied widely between people, and within the same person from one test to the next, even though the capsules themselves were nearly identical, which may help explain why some people respond more than others.12

Valerian root side effects & who should be careful

A 2020 review found no severe side effects in trials of people aged 7 to 80.6 NCCIH lists headache, stomach upset, mental dullness, excitability, uneasiness and vivid dreams as possible side effects, and it notes valerian has been used with apparent safety at 300 to 600 mg a day for up to 6 weeks, while its safety over longer stretches hasn't been studied.1 In a reported overdose of about 20 times the recommended amount, symptoms were mild and cleared within 24 hours.52

Next-morning testing is reassuring. Valerian didn't slow reaction time, alertness or concentration the morning after a single 600 mg dose or after 2 weeks of nightly use, in a placebo-controlled, manufacturer-run trial of 102 volunteers.53 In three placebo-controlled studies of 9 to 14 healthy adults each, single doses of valerian at 400 to 1,800 mg didn't cause measurable sedation or slow tests of coordination and reaction speed, while temazepam, diphenhydramine, triazolam and diazepam did, and in another placebo-controlled trial in which each person tried both, a single 1,600 mg dose didn't change reaction time, field sobriety tests or a driving simulator.54555657

The bottom line

Valerian root: frequently asked questions

References

1. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Valerian: Usefulness and Safety. Last updated May 2025.
2. European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products. European Union herbal monograph on Valeriana officinalis L., radix. EMA/HMPC/150848/2015. Adopted 2016 (sections 4.1 well-established use: dry extract, DER 3-7.4:1, ethanol 40-70% V/V; 4.2 posology: single dose 400-600 mg dry extract, up to 3 times daily for nervous tension; to aid sleep half to one hour before bedtime, an earlier evening dose if needed, maximum 4 single doses a day; continued use over 2-4 weeks; herbal tea 0.3-3 g in 150 ml boiling water; not under 12; 4.5 interactions: none reported; 4.6 pregnancy and lactation not recommended; 4.7 may impair driving).
3. Bent S, Padula A, Moore D, et al. Valerian for sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2006;119(12):1005-12. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2006.02.026 · PMID:17145239
4. Chandra Shekhar H, Joshua L, Thomas JV. Standardized Extract of Valeriana officinalis Improves Overall Sleep Quality in Human Subjects with Sleep Complaints: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Study. Adv Ther. 2024;41(1):246-261. doi:10.1007/s12325-023-02708-6 · PMID:37899385
5. Axe J. The Deep Sleep Protocol: The 30-Day Healing Protocol. DrAxe.com. 2026 ("How to test — ranked": home sleep apnea test first if you snore and feel sleepy during the day; "Ferritin under 75 is linked to restless legs"; "Morning cortisol, TSH, fasting glucose ... all cause night waking when they're off"; Phase 4 Protect (p. 19): "Retest ferritin and vitamin D at 90 days if they were low"; p. 20 "Top 8 sleep nutrients": magnesium glycinate "The first thing to start"; "Every one works better with a fixed wake time, morning light and a cool, dark room — the rhythm is the multiplier"; "Honorable mentions Lemon balm · Passionflower · Valerian · Saffron · Reishi · Kiwi (2 before bed)"; p. 24 FAQ: wine ("Skip it for the first two weeks, then keep it occasional and early"), snoring ("Get tested before relying on supplements"), "For chronic insomnia, major guidelines recommend CBT-I first, because its benefits last after treatment stops").
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36. Leathwood PD, Chauffard F, Heck E, et al. Aqueous extract of valerian root (Valeriana officinalis L.) improves sleep quality in man. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1982;17(1):65-71. doi:10.1016/0091-3057(82)90264-7 · PMID:7122669
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