Valerian Root Experiences

[Khala]

I'd just like to offer my experience with Valerian, the legal sleep aid.

I am troubled by insomnia and have massive difficulty (often up to two hours) falling asleep at night due to a racing mind. So I decided to try out Valerian root - 500mg pills.

At first, I tried one approximately 30 minutes before bed, and felt no effects and had the same difficulty in falling asleep.

The next day, I downed four (2000mg) an hour before bed and was feeling mentally exhausted when falling asleep and slumbered pretty hard for 9 hours. Upon awakening, I was experiencing the exact same mental exhaustion but with an energetic body. It's like having the opiate weariness in your head. I've been experiencing this tiredness for two days in similar potency and will be thankful for when it ends. I'm drained of motivation and coffee is ineffective in stopping it.

So I do not recommend exceeding the recommended dosage of Valerian. Unless you are a severe insomniac and have no ability to fall asleep, in which case you'll feel drained but I guess you'll get some shut eye.

Thanks

And if this is against any rules, or is in the correct place, apologies.

[Psylo]

I find that those valerian, hops & passiflora don't do much for my racing mind and hellish insomnia, and sometimes it seems to have the reverse effect in that i am even more restless and sleepless. also feel very groggy the next morning after a dose, guaranteed. its not the passiflora because i have had that plenty of times in the past (until it started to weird me out) and its unlikely to be the hops.

Cool that its working for you, but im not sure if you can use them as a long term solution. PM me if you want a cheap australian supplier of the root, it would work out way cheaper than the tablets

[Foo]

I find that those valerian, hops & passiflora don't do much for my racing mind and hellish insomnia

 

Ive found all 3 of those to be quite effective in my partner who has relied on far less natural sleep aids in the past. But dont pump the valerian too hard havent had a problem with lots of hops of p flower though

[Foo]

The next day, I downed four (2000mg) an hour before bed and was feeling mentally exhausted when falling asleep and slumbered pretty hard for 9 hours. Upon awakening, I was experiencing the exact same mental exhaustion but with an energetic body. It's like having the opiate weariness in your head. I've been experiencing this tiredness for two days in similar potency and will be thankful for when it ends. I'm drained of motivation and coffee is ineffective in stopping it.

 

Dont drink coffee is you have trouble sleeping, even in the morning ;)

sometimes you dont need to add something to your diet, you need to remove something

[Khala]

Dont drink coffee is you have trouble sleeping, even in the morning ;)

I find it is often the only way to get through the day when I have bouts of extremely limited sleep. I've taken it to extremes sometimes. For quick, short lived buzzes I got to the point of chewing coffee grounds and even railed it on occasion. Blech. Sore nose, terrible idea - but desperate times I guess.

For science!

[Zen Peddler]

Ive used valarian - mainly ever now and then for insomnia but also as a relaxant. I never take it right before bed - I usually take at least 2000mg about three to fours hours before bed, feel relaxed and unwind then drift into sleep. If i take it right before bed i find that I cant sleep or that I feel drowsy the next day.

Once when I had stuffed up some papers and nearly lost the house we were trying to buy and I felt pretty panicked. Two valarian 2000mgs and I was feeling much better

[∂an]

maybe try making tea out of valerian root instead of pills. I find the process of making the tea, letting it cool and drinking it very relaxing. It doesn't knock me out but I find a small amount of valerian helps me relax enough to get to sleep without any side effects the following day.

edit: only problem with valerian tea is your house mates will think your insane for drinking such a horrendous tasting and smelling beverage. I dunno, it tastes fine to me.

Edited May 22, 2011 by kalika

[Khala]

Zen, so you feel drowsy afterwards if you take it just before bed?

I was mentally depleted for two days. Back to normal now. Maybe I have a slow metabolism, or it may have something to do with my low body weight.

Interesting stuff! Definitely more than a placebo though.

[Mycot]

maybe try making tea out of valerian root instead of pills. I find the process of making the tea, letting it cool and drinking it very relaxing. It doesn't knock me out but I find a small amount of valerian helps me relax enough to get to sleep without any side effects the following day.

edit: only problem with valerian tea is your house mates will think your insane for drinking such a horrendous tasting and smelling beverage. I dunno, it tastes fine to me.

 

Richard Alan Miller strongly recomends steeping the root for 15 minutes in a covered pot so no volatile components are lost. When it tastes fine its likely that your body is craving it.

Edited May 22, 2011 by Mycot

[Khala]

The smell is horrific, I've tried making a tea from the crushed tablets but the steam stunk the house out. Taste isn't too bad. Kind of spicy-herbish.

[Psylo]

Even the pills I have smell horrible just by opening the cap on the bottle. Dread to think what boiling it up would be like.

Anyone know of a simple extract on valerian root to get the goodies out ? Might get some root and try steeping in spirits (any excuse to have a shot before bed)

[∂an]

Wikipedia: Valerian (herb)

In medieval Sweden, it was sometimes placed in the wedding clothes of the groom to ward off the "envy" of the elves.

 

I'll have to remember that one...

An unusual feature of valerian is that the essential oil of valerian root is a cat attractant similar to catnip.

...

Cat attractants might mimic the odor of cat urine, which is caused by 3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol (MMB)

 

yummy.