Does valerian root help you sleep? What the trials show

Several trials report better sleep quality with valerian root, but results are mixed and it has not clearly helped people fall asleep faster.

Published October 2026

Short answer

Some trials show better self-rated sleep with valerian, but the evidence is limited and mixed, and it has not clearly shortened time to fall asleep. Evidence grade C (Limited). Several small, inconsistent placebo-controlled trials and umbrella reviews; downgraded for inconsistency, small trials and reliance on self-rated sleep.

Key takeaways

Several placebo-controlled trials and a 2020 review found people rated their sleep somewhat better with valerian, but the pooled benefit was small and not statistically certain [1].
Across 18 placebo-controlled trials, valerian did not clearly shorten the time it took people to fall asleep [2].
Reviews of the evidence find no firm proof that valerian treats insomnia, and the trials are small and of low quality; it appears to be well tolerated [3].

The short version

Valerian root may help some people rate their sleep as better, and several small trials found this [4][5]. The overall evidence is mixed, though, and valerian has not clearly helped people fall asleep faster [2]. Talk to a doctor before using valerian for sleep, especially if you take other medicines.

What the studies show

A 2020 meta-analysis pooled 10 placebo-controlled trials with 1,065 people on self-rated sleep quality. The average effect was small (0.36 on a standard effect-size scale), and the range of results included no benefit, so the result is not statistically certain [1].

Whole-root preparations looked more helpful than standardised extracts in the same review, with a larger effect of 0.83 against 0.10. That comparison rests on only four trials, so treat it as a clue rather than a finding [1].

An older 2010 meta-analysis of 18 placebo-controlled trials found people were about 1.4 times as likely to report better sleep with valerian. The time to fall asleep changed by 0.7 minutes on average, a difference too small to tell apart from placebo [2].

Individual trials are mixed. In an 8-week trial of 80 adults with sleep complaints, a standardised extract improved the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index compared with placebo, and time to fall asleep measured by a wrist sensor also improved [4]. In a trial of 72 people after heart bypass surgery, 530 mg of valerian root capsules a night for 30 nights improved sleep quality compared with placebo [5]. A 6-week trial of a blend with valerian, lemon balm, saffron and L-theanine found no improvement over placebo [6].

Reviews that combine the trials are more cautious. An umbrella review of eight systematic reviews found no clear evidence that valerian treats insomnia, although it seemed to help people's own rating of their sleep [3]. A separate 2023 umbrella review also found that valerian did not significantly improve sleep outcomes [7].

The anxiety evidence is also unclear. A 2022 network meta-analysis of herbal medicines found insufficient evidence that valerian reduces anxiety [8]. In the 8-week trial, anxiety scores fell more with valerian than with placebo [4].

The nuances

Most of the best-known trials had fewer than 100 people [4][5]. Valerian is sold in many forms, and the same herb can differ a lot between products, so a result from one product may not carry over to another [1].

Several trials tested valerian mixed with other herbs. In one 2-week trial, a blend of valerian, hops and passionflower and the prescription sleeping pill zolpidem improved sleep about equally. The manufacturer donated the tablets, though it had no role in the design or analysis [9].

What this means for you

The evidence suggests valerian may make some people feel their sleep is better, with no clear effect on how quickly they fall asleep [1][2]. Valerian has been linked to liver injury in case reports, including one in which it was part of a multi-herb product [10]. If you are pregnant, have liver disease, or take other medicines, speak to a doctor or pharmacist before you start.

Go deeper

Valerian — Valerian may make some people feel their sleep is better, and several trials report this, but the evidence is small and mixed.

References

Valerian Root in Treating Sleep Problems and Associated Disorders-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. J Evid Based Integr Med, 2020.
Effectiveness of Valerian on insomnia: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.. Sleep Med, 2010.
Does valerian work for insomnia? An umbrella review of the evidence.. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol, 2024.
Standardized Extract of Valeriana officinalis Improves Overall Sleep Quality in Human Subjects with Sleep Complaints: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Study.. Adv Ther, 2024.
Efficacy of Valerian Extract on Sleep Quality after Coronary Artery bypass Graft Surgery: A Triple-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.. Chin J Integr Med, 2021.
Effect of a nutraceutical combination on sleep quality among people with impaired sleep: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial.. Sci Rep, 2024.
Complementary and alternative treatments for insomnia disorder: a systematic umbrella review.. J Sleep Res, 2023.
Medicinal herbs for the treatment of anxiety: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.. Pharmacol Res, 2022.
Efficacy and safety of a polyherbal sedative-hypnotic formulation NSF-3 in primary insomnia in comparison to zolpidem: a randomized controlled trial.. Indian J Pharmacol, 2013.
Acute Liver Injury After Long-Term Herbal "Liver Cleansing" and "Sleep Aid" Supplement Use.. J Emerg Med, 2021.