Healing Properties of The Valerian Herb

The Valerian Root Benefits You Never Knew!

The use of valerian herb has been shown to increase mood as well as concentration and quality of sleep.

Do you have sleep problems? Do you long for a good night’s sleep? Unbelievably, one in three adults has some degree of sleeplessness. Regrettably, pharmaceutical drugs with potentially dangerous adverse effects are the most common therapies for insomnia. These drugs don’t work very well. They only serve as a temporary fix; as soon as you stop taking them, the issue reappears.

Therefore, many of those struggling with insomnia are choosing to try more natural herbal medications and they aren’t the only patients making this change.

The valerian herb has become increasingly popular for the treatment of insomnia (as it has a sedative side effect), menopausal symptoms, and many other conditions. Through this article, you’ll learn all the healing properties of the valerian herb and the benefits with which it can provide you.

What can valerian treat and heal?

The root of the plant valerian, which is cultivated throughout North America, certain regions of Asia, and Europe, is converted into a drug. Valerian has therapeutic benefits that may be used to treat a variety of diseases and disorders. The usage of valerian is effective in treating the following conditions:

Insomnia.

Taking valerian regularly for several days of weeks can decrease the amount of time it takes you to fall asleep and improve the overall quality of your sleep. Patients have reported even better results when they combined valerian with other herbs like lemon balm and hops. Some research claims valerian isn’t as effective as most prescription sleep medicines.

Menopause.

Studies have shown that taking valerian root three times a day for eight weeks can reduce the frequency and severity of the hot flashes postmenopausal women have to face.

The conditions that follow have been said to be effectively treated with valerian, but there’s not enough evidence available to deem them proven fact:

• Anxiety
• Stress
• Depression
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• ADHD
• Menstrual Cramps
• Restlessness
• Headache
• Convulsions
• Mild Tremors
• Epilepsy
• Muscle and joint pain
• Stomach discomfort
• Many more

As you can see from the long list above, valerian has a wide range of healing properties that can be used to treat various ailments and illnesses.

Potential side effects.

Every medication, even herbal medications, has a risk of causing side effects ranging in severity. Valerian has been known to cause headaches, mental dullness, stomach discomfort, uneasiness, excitability, heart disturbances, and can cause insomnia (though rare) in some people. Some have reported experiencing vivid dreams and dry mouth from taking Valerian, as well.

Many report a hangover effect of increased sluggishness the next day; this seems to be more prominent the more valerian you take. Though studies have shown valerian is safe for short-term use, none have been conducted for longer than 28 days.

This means that the safety of taking valerian for a prolonged period of time is currently unknown. It’s advised that you stop taking valerian two weeks before a surgery, as it slows the central nervous system down and can have adverse effects when combined with other medications that have the same effect, like anesthesia.

More and more people are turning to the healing properties of natural herbal medications like valerian to treat their pain and insomnia. These medications tend to be safer than the prescription ones commonly used for treatment.

We hope we’ve been able to provide you with a complete overview of the healing properties of valerian and the conditions it can treat. If you want to try valerian, but still have a few more questions first, you can ask your doctor or pharmacist for assistance. They may even be able to provide you with recommendations for trustworthy brands.