Health Benefits and Uses for Valerian

In my early adult years, I managed a health food store. After trying a

product called Nerves and Stress, I decided to stock it in our store. It contained Valerian, which is known to relax your nervous system and alleviate your tension that is linked to stress. Many of my customers who complained of high stress levels reported excellent results with valerian. Today, many people have lost interest or forgotten about valerian but I hope I can help restore this plant to its rightful place in the world of herbal medicine.

Anxiety Alleviator:

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is well-documented for its anti-anxiety effects that can be attributed (at least in part) to the compound valerenic acid.

Fibromyalgia Fix:

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers often experience

sleep disturbances, such as difficulty falling asleep, interrupted sleep, and a lack of deep sleep. One of your goals in the treatment of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome is to improve your sleep quality to enable sufferers of these debilitating conditions to sleep more deeply. Deeper sleep allows your body a greater chance to heal at the cellular and tissue level.

Insomnia Solution:

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers are not the only ones who can benefit from using Valerian root tea to help with their sleep.

Bipolar Disorder Remedy:

Many people who suffer from the high and low moods of bipolar disorder also suffer from anxiety and insomnia;  researchers assessed the potential effectiveness of eleven different herbs as possible natural treatments for them. In an article published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, scientists found that Valerian showed the greatest promise for your treatment of both anxiety and insomnia in people suffering from bipolar disorder.

Muscle Tension and Cramp Relief:

Because valerian helps alleviate your tension, it is often effective in the treatment of your muscle and uterine cramps.

Childhood Restlessness and Hyperactivity Remedy:

Researchers who assessed a combination of valerian root extract and

lemon balm extract to reduce restlessness, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness in elementary school children found that the blend was effective and also significantly improved concentration after 7 weeks of treatment.

Using Valerian

Enjoy valerian’s ability to help you relax and cope with stress with this mixture:

Combine 2 quarts of water and 3 tablespoons of dried valerian root in a medium to large pot and then you bring to a boil. Once it boils, cover your pot, reduce the heat to low, and let the liquid simmer for 45 minutes to an hour; then you strain and drink as desired, storing any remaining tea in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. Drink one to three cups daily for best results.

Alternatively,

use one-half to one teaspoon of your tincture at a time, up to 2 teaspoons daily. Some people express concern about a possible interaction of valerian with benzodiazepines, a class of drugs used as antianxiety medications (such as Valium), anticonvulsives in epilepsy, and muscle relaxants, which have a long list of potentially harmful side effects.

A study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

found that valerian extract had no chemical affinity for benzodiazepine

binding sites, suggesting that the herb and the drugs have different mechanisms of activity and that interaction between them is unlikely. It can induce sleepiness or drowsiness, but these are typically the effects you want. In extremely rare instances, people have the opposite reaction to Valerian, finding that it actually has a stimulating effect. If you discover that you’re one of these people, simply stop using it.

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I think this is great information about a product that really works, and does us no harm in the process! Do any of you take Valerian root as a remedy for sleep, stress and/or anxiety?  Most of these go hand in hand and I’d love to hear your story if you’ve taken Valerian…

For a while, I was getting headaches

because of an issue with my neck, so the doctor, who thought I may have a pinched nerve, prescribed a muscle relaxer and Advil.  After finishing the prescription, I decided to try Valerian (without the Advil) when the headaches started as I don’t like taking NSaids. Guess what, no more headaches! I can only guess that it relaxes me enough so the stress doesn’t affect my neck as it did before.

I don’t take Valerian during the day; only before I go to sleep, and then only 4 days a week.  The other three days I take Epsom salt baths prior to going to sleep, and that also has a relaxing effect on me. If I do both the same night, I feel too drowsy in the morning, but that’s just me…

Have a great healthy day!