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When it comes to sleep and medical botany, there are very few plants as well-known as Valerian.\u00a0It is\u00a0frequently used both on its own and blended with other herbs or plant extracts. Though not a North American native, it grows abundantly in the US. It’s\u00a0even considered weedy or invasive in some States!<\/p>\n
Here we’ve put together\u00a0a short description of Valerian, followed by entries on other plants commonly paired with it. You’ll see these pairings\u00a0in tea blends, some of which we will note below. The combinations may also appear in supplements, tinctures and other\u00a0forms.<\/p>\n
Always consult your doctor before trying these remedies. Just because something is natural doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s automatically good for you.<\/strong><\/p>\n As with traditional sleep aids, don\u2019t mix with alcohol and don\u2019t operate machinery after taking these natural alternatives.<\/p>\n Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is said to be a potent and natural\u00a0sedative. The extract from the root of this perennial flowering plant is what’s considered medicinal. This is why it’s often referred to as Valerian root.<\/strong><\/p>\n It is also known as All-Heal, Garden Heliotrope, Garden Valerian, and Setwall.\u00a0Valerian\u00a0is native to Europe\u00a0and parts of temperate Asia.<\/p>\n To most, Valerian root\u00a0can be\u00a0a safe and moderately effective natural sleep aid. It has the potential\u00a0to increase both sleep quality and duration,\u00a0and may even help with sleep onset. Valerian has been studied as a treatment for insomnia<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0other sleep disorders.<\/p>\n Apart from being a sedative and tranquilizer, it\u2019s also been known to act as an analgesic, anticonvulsant and antispasmodic. Valerian root is\u00a0even said to lower blood pressure.<\/p>\n Want to give Valerian root a try? Take the proper dosage in the form of tinctures, tea or capsules. A word of caution: Some may find that they are sensitive to the effects of Valerian root, and the side effects may outweigh the benefits.<\/p>\n If you’re already on\u00a0prescription sleep aids, it may not be a good idea to use Valerian root on top of that. However, Valerian\u00a0root is sometimes taken with other plant extracts.<\/p>\n Ingesting Valerian root as part of a blend or pairing may help with the rather unpleasant taste and smell, and mitigate possible grogginess upon waking up. Below are some of our favorite plants paired with Valerian root.<\/p>\n This plant is also known as camomile, German chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla, and wild chamomile. It is native to Europe, North Africa, and parts of temperate Asia.<\/p>\n When we think of chamomile, we are actually thinking of two distinct plants: the popular German chamomile and the less common Roman chamomile (Anthemis nobilis). German and Roman chamomile share many medicinal properties<\/a>, but we will stick to German chamomile for this article.<\/p>\n Chamomile is looked at as both an anti-anxiety agent and a sleep aid. It’s\u00a0used for anything from irritability to insomnia, even as a topical anti-inflammatory sometimes. Abundantly cultivated in the US, it is easy to source and very popular.<\/p>\n On its own\u00a0or as part of a mild blend—usually with ginger, lavender or lemongrass—it is best taken the time-honored, traditional way: as a cup of tea.<\/p>\n Chamomile combined with Valerian root<\/b> is more potent, but no less soothing. Both are associated with pain relief. Chamomile provides a delicate touch of relaxation, while Valerian root contributes a strong calming effect that reduces anxiety and agitation while inducing drowsiness.<\/p>\n The two are best taken together as tea.\u00a0In fact, this pairing is often part of complex tea blends with three or more ingredients.\u00a0Chamomile and Valerian root also appear together as ingredients in specially formulated dietary supplements.<\/p>\n Our favorite\u00a0products featuring both Chamomile and Valerian root:<\/p>\n You can also learn more about the latter by checking out our in-depth ORB Sleep Complex review<\/a>.<\/p>\n This plant is also known as haw, maythorn, motherdie, and oneseed hawthorn. It is native to Europe, Northwest Africa, and Western Asia.<\/p>\n The fruit of the hawthorn shrub is edible and is used as a natural remedy.\u00a0Modern medical botany uses the flowers, twigs and leaves more often for extracts, though.\u00a0They are believed to contain more antioxidant phytochemicals.<\/p>\n Hawthorn is a well-known treatment for cardiovascular problems<\/a>, and also has a long history as a sedative and neurotonic. It’s been\u00a0used in treating mild sleep disorders and minor stresses and pains.<\/p>\n Hawthorn tea is typically tart or sour.\u00a0It may be used to induce a calm and peaceful sleep.\u00a0There are also tinctures available. As this member of the rose family grows abundantly in the US, sometimes even in the wild, you may try preparing the tea or tincture yourself.<\/p>\n Common pairings include lemon balm, St. John\u2019s wort and the North American native goldenrod.<\/p>\n Hawthorn combined with Valerian root<\/b>\u00a0may be found in both tea and tincture form, though the former is less common. Together they work to relieve nervousness and regulate the body\u2019s heart rate, potentially slowing down palpitations and normalizing irregular heartbeats.<\/p>\n The pair is frequently blended with either lemon balm, peppermint and others for an extra calming and relaxing effect. You may also find blends focusing on heart health more than better sleep.<\/p>\n Our favorites products featuring both Hawthorn and Valerian root:<\/p>\n This plant is also known as common hops\u00a0or European hops. It is native to Europe\u00a0and Western Asia.<\/p>\n The flowers of this plant are\u00a0well-known for giving beer its bitter flavor. As its popularity in the use of beermaking spread throughout the West, its sedative properties came to be observed. Why? Workers tending to hop fields tended to fall asleep on the job more than usual.<\/p>\n Hops have a rich herbal history.\u00a0It’s been used as a folk remedy for many ailments, ranging from dyspepsia to rheumatism and more.\u00a0\u00a0Hops may help with sleep problems<\/a>\u00a0and menopausal complaints like intestinal cramps\u00a0or hot flashes.<\/p>\n If all this sounds like it\u2019s too good to be true, it is: Drinking beer containing hops is not recommended for better sleep quality!\u00a0The alcohol may cause disruptions during slumber.\u00a0On its own, it can be consumed as part of non-alcoholic beer, though dosage will be difficult to manage. As a tea or tincture, it is bitter but better in terms of controlling the amount.<\/p>\n Hops combined with Valerian root <\/b>has been studied as an alternative treatment specifically for insomnia<\/a>. It is not popular as a tea blend because neither hops or Valerian root taste great on their own. Looking for this pairing? Try tinctures or dietary supplements.<\/p>\n Our favorite\u00a0products featuring both\u00a0hops and Valerian root:<\/p>\n You can also\u00a0learn about the latter two by checking out our\u00a0in-depth reviews of Nested Naturals LUNA<\/a> and Jarrow Formulas Sleep Optimizer<\/a>.<\/p>\n This plant is also known as goatweed, Klamath weed, rosin rose, and common St. Johnswort. It is\u00a0native to Europe\u00a0and Western Asia.<\/p>\n The flowers and leaves of St. John\u2019s wort are used in medical botany as more than just a sedative or to calm nerves. Similar to hawthorn, this plant has a rich history as a medicinal plant.\u00a0St. John’s wort is most known as an alternative treatment for depression<\/a>.<\/p>\n As sleep health and mental health are intertwined<\/a>, it makes sense that St. John\u2019s wort may also have efficacy as a sleep aid. In traditional folk herbalism, it has also been used as an analgesic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiparasitic, digestive, and to promote the healing of wounds and insect bites.<\/p>\n On its own, you can can take St. John\u2019s wort in capsule, tablet, or its noteworthy vivid red tincture form; but St. John\u2019s wort tea is actually pleasant. It has a mild, woody taste with bitter and astringent undertones, but also a lingering sweetness as a faint aftertaste.<\/p>\n Be extra careful with dosage, as too much may cause a variety of minor discomforts: stomach upsets, vivid dreams, skin rashes, headaches, or rare cases of photosensitivity.<\/p>\n St. John\u2019s wort combined with Valerian root <\/b>is a powerhouse combination.\u00a0It eases nervous exhaustion, helps with the weight of depression, and provides a relaxing and calming sensation leading the path to sleep onset. One study even concludes that this combination is more effective as an anti-anxiety treatment than Diazepam<\/a>!<\/p>\n You can take the blend as tea or tincture. Note: St. John\u2019s wort with Valerian root may interact and increase the minor side effects associated with them; including drowsiness and dizziness.<\/p>\n Our favorite products featuring both St. John’s wort and Valerian root:<\/p>\n Jump to: Valerian Root: An Introduction Valerian Root & Chamomile: What to Expect & Where to Buy Valerian Root &\u00a0Hawthorn: What to Expect & Where to Buy Valerian Root &\u00a0Hops: What to Expect & Where to Buy Valerian Root &\u00a0St. John’s Wort: What to Expect & Where to Buy When it comes to sleep […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":295,"parent":273,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"article-template.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/278"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=278"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/278\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4200,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/278\/revisions\/4200"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/273"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a>What Is Valerian Root?<\/h2>\n
![\"Valerian](\"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/article-plant-valerian-800x600.png\")
<\/p>\nPlants Paired with Valerian Root in Teas, Tinctures, Etc.<\/h2>\n
<\/a>1.\u00a0Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)<\/h3>\n
![\"Chamomile](\"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/article-plant-chamomile-800x600.png\")
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<\/a>2.\u00a0Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)<\/h3>\n
![\"hawthorn](\"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/article-plant-hawthorn-800x600.png\")
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<\/a>3.\u00a0Hops (Humulus lupulus)<\/h3>\n
![\"hops](\"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/article-plant-hops-800x600.png\")
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<\/a>4.\u00a0St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/article-plant-st-johns-wort.png\")
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