Review Detail
Somewhat helpful for anxiety and insomnia
I have used valerian on and off for a number of years in capsule and tablet form and find it can be a useful herb.
My symptoms tend to vary with the seasons due to the involvement of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) so I am able to sleep better during some periods during the year than others. When I need help with sleep I find valerian to be quite helpful in getting me off to sleep. I take 1000mg-1500mg for this purpose. Another supplement I use for sleep is melatonin (the body's own "sleep hormone") and I would rate melatonin above valerian for this purpose. Just 1mg of melatonin has me drifting off in 15 minutes and I can really feel myself drifting into unconciousness with it.
I have found that valerian however is also useful for taking the edge off anxiety and states of irritability and restlessness if taken throughout the day. It is nowhere near as powerful as prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines for this purpose, but it does have an effect.
I would certainly recommend anyone suffering from mild insomnia, anxiety, or stress-related symptoms give it a try as it could be a cheap and drug-free solution.
