Is valerian addictive?

Nothing in the traditional record or the trials I reviewed suggests that it is habit-forming. If you have been taking sleeping tablets, do not stop them or swap them for valerian without speaking to your GP.

Can I take valerian every night?

Courses of a few weeks are the usual herbal pattern, and long-term data are limited. If you still need it after a month or so, a practitioner can help you look at what is driving your sleep.

Will I feel groggy in the morning?

Some people do, particularly at higher doses. The monograph notes that valerian may impair the ability to drive or use machinery, so be cautious until you know how it affects you.

Does it work straight away?

For some people it does, but the monograph says effects build gradually, which is why a two to four week course is the traditional approach.

Can I mix it with alcohol or sleeping tablets?

No. Both may increase drowsiness. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before combining valerian with any sedating medicine.

Valerian: What It Is, How It Works, and When to Use It

Sarah Burt

Oct 14

6 min read

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a tall flowering plant whose root has been used in European herbal medicine for centuries to ease nervous tension and support sleep. The research is mixed: some trials and reviews are encouraging, but many studies are small and inconsistent, so the evidence is best described as promising and uneven. It is one of the six herbs in the EarthWise Sleep Deep tonic.

Close-up of Valerian with white stamens on a green stem, against a softly blurred green garden background

What it is

Valerian is a perennial that grows in damp grassland, hedgerows and woodland edges across Britain and Europe. In summer it carries clusters of small, pale pink flowers on stems that can reach well over a metre. The part used is the root and rhizome (the underground stem), which is dug in autumn and dried.

The smell is the first thing most people notice. Dried valerian has a strong, earthy, slightly cheesy odour that people often compare to old socks. That scent comes from volatile compounds in the root, and it is a useful quality marker: fresh, good-quality root smells strongly, and a root with no scent at all has probably lost much of its character.

Valerian has a very long history in European herbal medicine, and it has been valued as a calming herb for centuries. Its place in modern herbal practice rests on that tradition and on a reasonable, if uneven, body of trials.

A buyer's note worth reading. Look for a named plant part (root), the Latin name Valeriana officinalis, and a product that smells distinctly of valerian. Quality varies a great deal between suppliers, and reviewers have argued that inconsistent extracts are one reason trial results disagree. A tincture or a whole-root preparation keeps more of the root's full range of compounds than a heavily processed single-compound extract.

The active compounds

Valerian root contains valerenic acid and related compounds (found only in this genus), iridoids known as valepotriates, a volatile oil that includes bornyl acetate and isovaleric acid, lignans, flavonoids and small amounts of the amino acids GABA and glutamine.

The main proposed mechanism: GABA signalling. GABA is the main calming neurotransmitter in the brain. In laboratory and animal studies, valerenic acid and other compounds appear to interact with GABA receptors, and some work points to an effect on adenosine and serotonin receptors as well. These are cell and animal findings. Researchers do not yet agree on which compounds matter most or exactly how valerian works in people.

Whole-root synergy. Many herbalists believe valerian works through the combination of compounds, not a single one. The stability of some of the constituents is also a problem: a 2020 review noted that several are unstable, which may help explain why results differ from one preparation to the next.

How it is traditionally used

In Western herbal medicine, valerian is classed as a sedative nervine: a herb traditionally used to ease nervous tension and support sleep. It is usually taken in the evening, 30 to 60 minutes before bed, and often combined with other calming herbs such as passionflower, lemon balm, hops and lime flower. That is how it appears in Sleep Deep.

The EU herbal committee (HMPC) published its first valerian root monograph in 2006. It recognises valerian root for the relief of mild nervous tension and sleep disturbance, with preparations that include dried root for tea, tinctures and dry extracts. The monograph has since been revised, so check the European Medicines Agency's site for the current wording.

Herbal tradition regards valerian as a course herb as much as a same-night one. The monograph notes that effects build gradually, and it advises continued use over two to four weeks, with a visit to a doctor if symptoms persist after two weeks.

What the research shows

Valerian is one of the better-studied sleep herbs, and the evidence is still uneven. Here is how it grades.

Moderate evidence: sleep quality. A 2006 systematic review (Bent and colleagues, The American Journal of Medicine) pooled 16 placebo-controlled trials with 1,093 patients. Six trials reported whether sleep improved, and the pooled result favoured valerian, with a relative risk of improved sleep of 1.8. The authors were careful, though: most studies had significant methodological problems, doses and preparations varied widely, most trials lasted a month or less, and there was evidence of publication bias, meaning small negative studies may be missing. They concluded that valerian might improve sleep quality and called for larger, better trials.

A later review (Shinjyo and colleagues, 2020, Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine) covered 60 studies with 6,894 participants, including meta-analyses of subjective sleep quality and of anxiety. The authors concluded that valerian is a safe and effective herb to promote sleep, and suggested that earlier inconsistent results come largely from variable extract quality.

Early evidence: anxiety and nervous tension. The same 2020 review included an anxiety analysis, and the EU monograph covers mild nervous tension.

Safety evidence. The 2020 review reported no severe adverse events in people aged 7 to 80. The EU monograph lists mild digestive effects such as nausea and abdominal cramps as the undesirable effects, with unknown frequency. Adverse events are inconsistently reported across trials, which limits what anyone can say with confidence.

Sarah's clinical perspective

I use valerian as the deeper, more sedating herb in Sleep Deep, where it sits with passionflower, lemon balm, lime flower, hops and lavender. Each of those herbs has its own traditional place, and I like to combine them so that no single herb has to do all the work.

I take care with anyone on sedatives, sleeping tablets or antidepressants, and with anyone taking medicines that the liver breaks down. I also ask about alcohol, because the two should not be combined.

Practical guidance

Dose. There is no single trial-tested dose. The original EU monograph gives traditional ranges for adults and adolescents over 12 of 1 to 3 g of dried root as a tea, 0.3 to 1 g of root as a powder, or a tincture equivalent to 0.3 to 1 g of root, with a maximum of four single doses a day. These are traditional amounts, not a dosing instruction for any particular product.

Format. Tea from the dried root is traditional, though the taste is strong. A tincture is the most convenient way to take it, and it is the format used in Sleep Deep.

Time to effect. Some people feel a difference the same evening, though the monograph says effects build gradually. Herbalists generally allow two to four weeks before judging whether valerian suits you.

Timing. Traditionally 30 to 60 minutes before bed.

What it does not replace. Valerian does not replace attention to the basics: a regular bedtime, light in the morning, and a cooler, darker room. It also does not replace a GP visit for sleep problems that last more than a few weeks.

For how to take the EarthWise tonic specifically, the dose and full safety information are on the product page.

Common questions

Is valerian addictive? Nothing in the traditional record or the trials I reviewed suggests that it is habit-forming. If you have been taking sleeping tablets, do not stop them or swap them for valerian without speaking to your GP.
Can I take valerian every night? Courses of a few weeks are the usual herbal pattern, and long-term data are limited. If you still need it after a month or so, a practitioner can help you look at what is driving your sleep.
Will I feel groggy in the morning? Some people do, particularly at higher doses. The monograph notes that valerian may impair the ability to drive or use machinery, so be cautious until you know how it affects you.
Does it work straight away? For some people it does, but the monograph says effects build gradually, which is why a two to four week course is the traditional approach.
Can I mix it with alcohol or sleeping tablets? No. Both may increase drowsiness. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before combining valerian with any sedating medicine.

Where valerian appears in the EarthWise range

Valerian is one of the six herbs in Sleep Deep, Sarah's tonic for restless nights, where it sits with Passionflower, Lemon Balm, Lime Flower, Hops and Lavender, all herbs with a long history of traditional use to support relaxation and sleep.

If you are not sure which formula fits, the EarthWise health quiz is the best place to start. Full safety information is on each product page.

When to seek professional support

Valerian is generally well tolerated, with mild digestive upset the main reported effect. Check with a practitioner first in these situations:

Sedatives, sleeping tablets, anti-anxiety medicines or antidepressants. Valerian may add to their effect, and the EU monograph does not recommend combining it with synthetic sedatives without medical supervision.
Medicines broken down by the liver. Valerian may interact with the way some medicines are metabolised, so ask your GP or pharmacist.
Alcohol. Do not combine valerian with alcohol.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Safety has not been established, so it is not recommended.
Children under 12. Not recommended.
Driving or operating machinery. Avoid until you know how valerian affects you.
Persistent sleep problems. If poor sleep lasts more than two weeks, loud snoring or pauses in breathing are present, or low mood is part of the picture, see your GP.

Sarah Burt is a registered naturopath, medical herbalist and iridologist with 25+ years of clinical experience. All EarthWise tonics are formulated by Sarah based on her clinical protocols.

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This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any health condition. Always consult a qualified health practitioner before making changes to your health regimen.