Using Valerian To Cure Insomnia

Since insomnia seems to be a troubling fact of life, many people don’t want to take prescription drugs to help them sleep. There are some people who say that there is a natural herbal way to fight insomnia. These people use Valerian to cure insomnia.

Valerian is an herb that is sold in organic sections of stores or close to the vitamins and supplements. It is important to note that Valerian has not been shown to help with insomnia, at least scientifically. Still, people say that it works and many people use the herb for that purpose.

Valerian is a plant that grows native to parts of Europe and Asia. It now also grows in the US and it is a perennial plant. The part of the plant that is used is the underground stems, the above ground stems, and the roots. The root is most often sold as a tea.

The plant is known to have a very mild sedative effect and it may help some people with minor problems of getting sleep. The dried stems are most often 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 To Cure 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.

There are some things to watch out for when using Valerian to cure insomnia. The most common complaints about using Valerian to cure insomnia are headaches, some dizziness, and upset stomachs. These are the most common side effects and if people find that it helps them sleep, they will have to weigh the good and the possibly bad into the total equation.

Not everyone who tries Valerian will get sick or even experience any of the side affects mentioned. Something else that is important to know is that 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.

Each person has to make the decision to either use it or not use it. One thing that is always good to do is talk to one’s doctor before beginning this treatment.