Depression
About Valerian
By David McMillin
Jan 7, 2008

Valerian is a popular herb that has quietly established itself as a viable sleep aid and anxiety fighter. With increasing public concerns over addiction/dependency issues associated with many of the mainstream sedatives, valerian provides a relatively safe and natural alternative for individuals in need of relaxation.

The medicinal use of valerian can be traced back to ancient Greece where it was utilized to treat digestive upsets, nausea, liver problems, and urinary tract disorders. Over the centuries valerian has steadily developed a solid reputation as a gentle sedative for the treatment of epilepsy, sleeplessness, and anxiety.

Although valerian is indigenous to Europe and western Asia, it is cultivated in many parts of the world and has become naturalized in portions of North and South America. Valerian may be found in meadows and grasslands, and along banks of streams and roads. This attractive plant with tiny white flowers tinged at the edges with colors ranging from pink to pale purple has a distinctively unpleasant aroma.

As a medicine, valerian is generally classified as an antispasmodic or nerve tonic. Traditionally, dried valerian roots are prepared as teas or tinctures. Modern commercial valerian- based products make use of dried plant materials and extracts that are put into capsules or made into tablets that are sold in health food stores as dietary supplements. Valerian is a common ingredient in products sold as mild sedatives for nervous tension and sleep aids for insomnia. In contrast to many herbs and most mainstream medicines, adverse effects (that may include mild headache or stomach upset) are rarely reported with valerian usage.

Although some small studies indicate that valerian promotes decreased sleep onset time and deeper sleep, larger clinical studies on the efficacy of valerian in treating sleep disorders will be required to conclusively establish this herb as a medical treatment for these conditions. Edgar Cayce recommended valerian in over two hundred readings to improve digestion and calm the body. One reading specifically described it as a nonhabit- forming nerve sedative.