Getting a good night's sleep is important for health and for maintaining normal function during the day. Both the amount of sleep and the quality of sleep matter, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep every night, and it is important that sleep be uninterrupted and includes enough of the different stages of sleep. The institute estimates that 40 million Americans experience problems sleeping. Several approaches might help improve sleep, including use of an herbal preparation made from valerian root. A person with a sleep disorder should consult a doctor before taking valerian.
Sleep Disorders
There are several common sleep disorders, including insomnia, or the inability to fall asleep and stay asleep, nightmares and sleepwalking. Signs of a sleep disorder vary but can include taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep each night, waking during the night and finding it difficult to get back to sleep, feeling sleepy in the daytime or often napping during the day. The institute recommends several strategies to help improve sleep, including sticking to a sleep schedule, avoiding large meals and alcohol at night, eliminating afternoon naps and relaxing with a hot bath before bed.
Valerian Root
Valerian, or Valeriana officinalis, is a variety of the common garden heliotrope. The plant is native to Europe and Asia and has a distinctive, unpleasant odor. Valerian has underground stems or rhizomes that have been used since ancient Greece and Rome to treat insomnia. The root is dried and sometimes prepared as a tea or a tincture. Today, dried roots or root extracts are prepared as capsules or combined into pill form.
The Mechanism
According to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, valerian root has many chemical constituents, including valerenic oil and a class of compounds called iridoids. Both valerenic oil and iridoids might have sedative properties, and the office's website suggests that the combination of all of valerian's components might act together to improve sleep, possibly by increasing the level of a neurotransmitter that is important in maintaining normal sleep patterns.
How Valerian Is Used
Valerian root is commonly available as an extract or in powdered form in capsules at most health food stores. Medline Plus recommends taking valerian from 30 minutes to two hours before bedtime, at a dosage of 400 to 900 mg valerian extract. It suggests that this dose can be maintained for up to 28 days.
Safety and Precautions
Valerian is generally safe when used medicinally for up to one month. It might cause mild side effects such as headaches, dizziness, upset stomach or a feeling of tiredness in the morning. Medline Plus recommends that driving or operating machinery should be avoided the morning after taking valerian. It also warns against using valerian in combination with alcohol or any sedative or anti-depressant medications. Anyone considering using valerian should consult a doctor to discuss possible drug interactions.
