Can Valerian Be Used For Curing Insomnia?
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Since insomnia seems to be just a troubling fact of life, many people avoid taking prescription drugs to help them get blissful sleep. Some say there is a natural herbal way to fight insomnia. These people use Valerian to cure insomnia.
Valerian is an herb that is typically sold in organic sections of stores or pharmacies, close to the vitamins and supplements. It is important to note that Valerian has not been scientifically proven to help with insomnia. Still, people say that it works and many sufferers use the herb for that purpose.
Valerian is a plant that grows in Europe and Asia. It now grows in the United States and it is a perennial plant. The parts of the Valerian plant that are used are the stems and the roots. The root is most often sold as a tea, not related to curing insomnia.
The plant is known to have a very mild sedative effect and it may help some people with minor problems of getting restful sleep. The dried stems are usually put into capsule form. Scientifically, the reason for its effectiveness is not really understood. Early civilizations used Valerian to cure insomnia and it was written about in the second century A.D. It was also popular in Greece and throughout the Roman Empire.
Other Reasons For Valerian For Curing Insomnia
Using Valerian to cure insomnia is legal and recognized by the FDA as a dietary supplement and not a drug. Because of this, it is treated as a supplement with very few rules to govern its use.
However, there are some things to keep an eye out for when using Valerian. The most common complaints about Valerian are headaches, dizziness, and stomachaches. These side effects are not too serious, and if you find that it helps you sleep, you will have to weigh the positive and negative effects like with any supplement or medication.
Not everyone who tries Valerian will get sick or even experience any of the side affects mentioned because of its organic nature. Also if a woman is pregnant or breast feeding, they should not use Valerian until they have checked with their doctor. It might be best to just not use it until breast feeding is over. There is a detailed explanation for this, but it’s better left as good advice for now…=)
Because of the minor side effects and the low risks, Valerian is a reasonable method for curing insomnia to try out. As always, consult your doctor if you have any questions.
