Type the valerian in one serving of your supplement, how many servings you take, and whether the label lists an extract or dried root. You see your day against every sleep trial of valerian alone in adults that gave the same form — what it gave, when, to whom and what it found, the mixed and empty results included — with the count of all twenty.
Your 500 mg of extract a day is
Among the extract doses the sleep trials gave 500 mg of extract a day — compared with the 11 trials that gave extract (200–1,215 mg)
Of the 20 placebo-controlled trials of valerian alone in adults that we could read, 9 reported a sleep measure better than placebo, 6 had mixed results and 5 found no difference.
Nearest, 3 trials: Diaper & Hindmarch 2004 gave 300 or 600 mg of extract (LI 156), one night each, at 21:00, to 16 adults aged 50–64 with disturbed sleep (crossover), and found no difference: “Results showed no significant effect between valerian 300 mg, valerian 600 mg or placebo on any EEG parameter or psychometric measure.” Balderer & Borbély 1985 gave 450 or 900 mg of aqueous extract (time of day not stated in the abstract), to 18 healthy young adults (10 at home, 8 in a sleep lab), and had mixed results: “Under home conditions, both doses of valerian extract (450 and 900 mg) reduced perceived sleep latency and wake time after sleep onset. In the sleep laboratory, where only the higher dose of valerian was tested, no significant differences from placebo were obtained.” Leathwood & Chauffard 1985 gave 450 or 900 mg of aqueous extract on 12 nights (time of day not stated), to 8 adults with mild insomnia, and had mixed results: “The 450-mg test sample of valerian extract reduced average sleep latency from about 16 to 9 minutes, which is similar to the activity of prescription benzodiazepine medication (used as a sedative or tranquilizer). No statistically significant shortening of sleep latency was seen with the 900-mg test sample. Although statistically significant, this 7-minute reduction in sleep latency and the improvement in subjective sleep rating are probably not clinically significant.”
| Trial | Form | Dose | When | Who | Found |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chandra Shekhar et al. 2024 | Extract | 200 mg of extract a night for 8 weeks | one hour before bedtime | 80 adults with sleep complaints | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Diaper & Hindmarch 2004 | Extract | 300 or 600 mg of extract (LI 156), one night each | at 21:00 | 16 adults aged 50–64 with disturbed sleep (crossover) | No difference |
| Taibi et al. 2009 | Extract | 300 mg of concentrated extract a night for 2 weeks | 30 minutes before bedtime | 16 older women with insomnia (crossover) | No difference |
| Leathwood et al. 1982 | Extract | 400 mg of aqueous extract on three nights | not stated in the abstract | 128 people (each took valerian, another product and placebo) | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Balderer & Borbély 1985 | Extract | 450 or 900 mg of aqueous extract | not stated in the abstract | 18 healthy young adults (10 at home, 8 in a sleep lab) | Mixed |
| Leathwood & Chauffard 1985 | Extract | 450 or 900 mg of aqueous extract on 12 nights | not stated | 8 adults with mild insomnia | Mixed |
| Vorbach et al. 1996 | Extract | 600 mg of extract (LI 156) a day for 28 days | not stated | 121 adults with documented insomnia | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Donath et al. 2000 | Extract | 600 mg of extract (LI 156), one night and then 14 days | not stated | 16 adults with insomnia (crossover, sleep lab) | Mixed |
| Oxman et al. 2007 | Extract | 600 mg of extract a night (three 200 mg tablets, made from 3,600 mg of root) for 14 days | about one hour before going to bed | 405 adults aged 18–75 with insomnia | Mixed |
| Taavoni et al. 2011 | Extract | 530 mg of concentrated extract twice a day (1,060 mg) for 4 weeks | twice a day | 100 postmenopausal women with insomnia | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Schulz et al. 1994 | Extract | 405 mg of extract three times a day (1,215 mg) for 7 days | three times a day | 14 older poor sleepers (8 on valerian) | Mixed |
| Barton et al. 2011 | Dried root | 450 mg of ground root a night for 8 weeks | one hour before bedtime | 227 adults having cancer treatment (119 evaluable) | Mixed |
| Tammadon et al. 2021 | Dried root | 530 mg of dried root a night for one month | one hour before sleep | 39 adults on hemodialysis (crossover) | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Zare Elmi et al. 2021 | Not stated | 530 mg capsules for 30 nights (root or extract not stated in the abstract) | not stated in the abstract | 72 adults after heart bypass surgery | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Ahmadi et al. 2017 | Not stated | 530 mg a night for 4 weeks (root or extract not stated in the abstract) | one hour before sleep | 51 adults with HIV starting efavirenz | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Taibi et al. 2009 (arthritis) | Not stated | 600 mg for five nights (root or extract not stated in the abstract) | not stated in the abstract | 15 adults with arthritis and mild sleep disturbance | No difference |
| Jacobs et al. 2005 | Not stated | 28 days (dose not stated in the abstract) | not stated in the abstract | 391 adults with anxiety and insomnia, recruited online (a three-arm trial with kava) | No difference |
| Coxeter et al. 2003 | Not stated | repeated n-of-1 periods (dose not stated in the abstract) | not stated in the abstract | 42 adults with chronic insomnia in general practice (24 analysed) | No difference |
| Poyares et al. 2002 | Not stated | 15 days (dose not stated in the abstract) | not stated in the abstract | 19 adults with insomnia coming off long-term benzodiazepines | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Lindahl & Lindwall 1989 | Not stated | a sesquiterpene preparation (dose not stated in the abstract) | not stated in the abstract | poor sleepers (number not stated in the abstract) | A sleep measure better than placebo |
This is not medical advice and none of it is a dose recommendation — there is no official dose or upper limit for valerian. Trouble sleeping for weeks is worth a conversation with your doctor. Do not combine it with alcohol or sedatives, and ask your doctor or pharmacist first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have liver problems, or take any medicine.
Of the twenty placebo-controlled adult trials of valerian alone we could read, nine reported a sleep measure better than placebo, six had mixed results and five found no difference. The extract trials gave 200 to 1,215 mg a day; the NIH calls the evidence “inconclusive”, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests clinicians not use valerian for chronic insomnia.
How to use it
Type the valerian in one serving, as the label prints it, how many servings you take a day, and whether the label lists an extract or dried root. A capsule of “valerian root extract” and a capsule of powdered “valerian root” are different things — an extract is made from several times its weight in root — so your amount is compared only with trials that gave the same form. You see your day against those trials, the one nearest to your dose as it was run (dose, time of day, who took it and what it found, in its own words), and every trial in a table. It never tells you how much to take: it places your amount among theirs.
The trials
These are every placebo-controlled trial in adults of valerian on its own with a sleep outcome that a PubMed search for valerian and sleep or insomnia returned (searched 2026-10-09), plus two that the NIH’s fact sheet describes and PubMed lists without an abstract. Blends — valerian with hops, lemon balm or other herbs — are left out, and so are trials against a sleeping pill with no placebo, a trial in children, and trials about restless legs. Eleven trials gave an extract and two gave dried root; three abstracts print 530 or 600 mg without saying which, and four print no dose at all — those seven are counted and listed below but never placed against your label.
| Trial | Form | mg a day | Found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chandra Shekhar et al. 2024 | extract | 200 | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Diaper & Hindmarch 2004 | extract | 300–600 | No difference |
| Taibi et al. 2009 | extract | 300 | No difference |
| Leathwood et al. 1982 | extract | 400 | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Balderer & Borbély 1985 | extract | 450–900 | Mixed |
| Leathwood & Chauffard 1985 | extract | 450–900 | Mixed |
| Vorbach et al. 1996 | extract | 600 | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Donath et al. 2000 | extract | 600 | Mixed |
| Oxman et al. 2007 | extract | 600 | Mixed |
| Taavoni et al. 2011 | extract | 1,060 | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Schulz et al. 1994 | extract | 1,215 | Mixed |
| Barton et al. 2011 | dried root | 450 | Mixed |
| Tammadon et al. 2021 | dried root | 530 | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Zare Elmi et al. 2021 | not stated | 530 | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Ahmadi et al. 2017 | not stated | 530 | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Taibi et al. 2009 (arthritis) | not stated | 600 | No difference |
| Jacobs et al. 2005 | not stated | not stated | No difference |
| Coxeter et al. 2003 | not stated | not stated | No difference |
| Poyares et al. 2002 | not stated | not stated | A sleep measure better than placebo |
| Lindahl & Lindwall 1989 | not stated | not stated | A sleep measure better than placebo |
In their own words. Chandra Shekhar et al. 2024 (80 adults with sleep complaints; 200 mg of extract a night for 8 weeks): “On Days 14, 28, and 56, the PSQI Total Score in the VE group decreased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to the placebo group.” Diaper & Hindmarch 2004 (16 adults aged 50–64 with disturbed sleep (crossover); 300 or 600 mg of extract (LI 156), one night each): “Results showed no significant effect between valerian 300 mg, valerian 600 mg or placebo on any EEG parameter or psychometric measure.” Taibi et al. 2009 (16 older women with insomnia (crossover); 300 mg of concentrated extract a night for 2 weeks): “There were no statistically significant differences between valerian and placebo after a single dose or after 2 weeks of nightly dosing on any measure of sleep latency, wake after sleep onset (WASO), sleep efficiency, and self-rated sleep quality.” Leathwood et al. 1982 (128 people (each took valerian, another product and placebo); 400 mg of aqueous extract on three nights): “Valerian produced a significant decrease in subjectively evaluated sleep latency scores and a significant improvement in sleep quality: the latter was most notable among people who considered themselves poor or irregular sleepers, smokers, and people who thought they normally had long sleep latencies.” Balderer & Borbély 1985 (18 healthy young adults (10 at home, 8 in a sleep lab); 450 or 900 mg of aqueous extract): “Under home conditions, both doses of valerian extract (450 and 900 mg) reduced perceived sleep latency and wake time after sleep onset. In the sleep laboratory, where only the higher dose of valerian was tested, no significant differences from placebo were obtained.” Leathwood & Chauffard 1985 (8 adults with mild insomnia; 450 or 900 mg of aqueous extract on 12 nights): “The 450-mg test sample of valerian extract reduced average sleep latency from about 16 to 9 minutes, which is similar to the activity of prescription benzodiazepine medication (used as a sedative or tranquilizer). No statistically significant shortening of sleep latency was seen with the 900-mg test sample. Although statistically significant, this 7-minute reduction in sleep latency and the improvement in subjective sleep rating are probably not clinically significant.” Vorbach et al. 1996 (121 adults with documented insomnia; 600 mg of extract (LI 156) a day for 28 days): “After 28 days, the group receiving the valerian extract showed a decrease in insomnia symptoms on all the assessment tools compared with the placebo group.” Donath et al. 2000 (16 adults with insomnia (crossover, sleep lab); 600 mg of extract (LI 156), one night and then 14 days): “Valerian had no effect on any of the 15 objective or subjective measurements except for a decrease in slow-wave sleep onset (13.5 minutes) compared with placebo (21.3 minutes).” Oxman et al. 2007 (405 adults aged 18–75 with insomnia; 600 mg of extract a night (three 200 mg tablets, made from 3,600 mg of root) for 14 days): “For the primary outcome of a minimally important improvement in self-reported sleep quality (> or = 0.5 units on a 7 point scale), the difference between the valerian group (29%) and the placebo group (21%) was not statistically significant (difference 7.5%; 95% CI-0.9 to 15.9; p = 0.08). On the global self-assessment question at the end of the treatment period 5.5% (95% CI 0.2 to 10.8) more participants in the valerian group perceived their sleep as better or much better (p = 0.04).” Taavoni et al. 2011 (100 postmenopausal women with insomnia; 530 mg of concentrated extract twice a day (1,060 mg) for 4 weeks): “A statistically significant change was reported in the quality of sleep of the intervention group in comparison with the placebo group (P < 0.001).” Schulz et al. 1994 (14 older poor sleepers (8 on valerian); 405 mg of extract three times a day (1,215 mg) for 7 days): “Subjects in the valerian group showed an increase in slow-wave sleep (SWS) and a decrease in sleep stage 1. There was no effect on sleep onset time or time awake after sleep onset. There was also no effect on self-rated sleep quality.” Barton et al. 2011 (227 adults having cancer treatment (119 evaluable); 450 mg of ground root a night for 8 weeks): “This study failed to provide data to support the hypothesis that valerian, 450 mg, at bedtime could improve sleep as measured by the PSQI. Participants also reported less trouble with sleep and less drowsiness on valerian than placebo.” Tammadon et al. 2021 (39 adults on hemodialysis (crossover); 530 mg of dried root a night for one month): “Valerian significantly improved sleep quality, the symptoms of state anxiety, and depression in HD patients.” Zare Elmi et al. 2021 (72 adults after heart bypass surgery; 530 mg capsules for 30 nights (root or extract not stated in the abstract)): “The consumption of oral valerian root extract over 30 nights could significantly improve the patients’ sleep quality safely after CABG surgery.” Ahmadi et al. 2017 (51 adults with HIV starting efavirenz; 530 mg a night for 4 weeks (root or extract not stated in the abstract)): “Sleep (P ≤ 0.001) and anxiety (P = 0.001) significantly improved in the valerian group compared with the placebo group.” Taibi et al. 2009 (arthritis) (15 adults with arthritis and mild sleep disturbance; 600 mg for five nights (root or extract not stated in the abstract)): “Nonsignificant differences between the groups were found on all sleep outcomes, measured by daily diaries and wrist actigraphy.” Jacobs et al. 2005 (391 adults with anxiety and insomnia, recruited online (a three-arm trial with kava); 28 days (dose not stated in the abstract)): “Those receiving valerian and placebo had similar improvements in sleep (0.4 point greater reduction in the placebo than the valerian group; 95% CI, -1.3 to +2.1).” Coxeter et al. 2003 (42 adults with chronic insomnia in general practice (24 analysed); repeated n-of-1 periods (dose not stated in the abstract)): “Valerian was not shown to be appreciably better than placebo in promoting sleep or sleep-related factors for any individual patient or for all patients as a group.” Poyares et al. 2002 (19 adults with insomnia coming off long-term benzodiazepines; 15 days (dose not stated in the abstract)): “Valerian subjects reported significantly better subjective sleep quality than placebo ones, after BZD withdrawal, despite the presence of a few side effects.” Lindahl & Lindwall 1989 (poor sleepers (number not stated in the abstract); a sesquiterpene preparation (dose not stated in the abstract)): “When compared with placebo it showed a good and significant effect on poor sleep (p less than 0.001).”
What the reviews and guidelines say
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (fact sheet last updated March 15, 2013): “Evidence from clinical studies of the efficacy of valerian in treating sleep disorders such as insomnia is inconclusive.” and “Overall, the evidence from these trials for the sleep-promoting effects of valerian is inconclusive.” NIH’s NCCIH (updated May 2025): “The evidence on whether valerian is helpful for sleep problems is inconsistent.” The American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s 2017 guideline: “We suggest that clinicians not use valerian as a treatment for sleep onset or sleep maintenance insomnia (versus no treatment) in adults. (WEAK)” A 2024 umbrella review of eight systematic reviews: “Despite its widespread use and prescription by general practitioners, psychiatrists and other professionals, valerian does not have empirical support for insomnia.” A 2010 meta-analysis of 18 trials: “The qualitative dichotomous results suggest that valerian would be effective for a subjective improvement of insomnia, although its effectiveness has not been demonstrated with quantitative or objective measurements.” A 2006 meta-analysis: “The available evidence suggests that valerian might improve sleep quality without producing side effects.” — “but there was evidence of publication bias in this summary measure”. A 2007 systematic review: “Overall, the evidence, while supporting that valerian is a safe herb associated with only rare adverse events, does not support the clinical efficacy of valerian as a sleep aid for insomnia.”
Safety, in the NIH’s words
NCCIH: “It has been used with apparent safety in doses of 300 to 600 milligrams daily for up to 6 weeks.” “The safety of long-term use of valerian is unknown.” “In very rare cases, liver injury was reported when taking valerian, most often in combination with other herbals; however, valerian’s long-term effect on liver function is unknown.” “Little is known about whether it’s safe to use valerian during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.” NIH ODS: “Although few adverse events have been reported, long-term safety data are not available.” “In one study an increase in sleepiness was noted the morning after 900 mg of valerian was taken” “Individuals taking valerian should be aware of the theoretical possibility of additive sedative effects from alcohol or sedative drugs, such as barbiturates and benzodiazepines”. The tool marks any day over 600 mg and prints NCCIH’s sentence beside it; 300 to 600 mg is what was studied, not an official dose or limit — there is none.
Worked examples
- One 500 mg capsule of extract (the page’s example): among the extract doses; the nearest trials are three that gave 300–600 or 450–900 mg — one found no difference and two had mixed results.
- A 100 mg extract: less than any trial gave; the nearest is Chandra Shekhar 2024’s 200 mg.
- 530 mg of extract twice a day: 1,060 mg — Taavoni 2011’s dose, over the 600 mg NCCIH describes.
- Two 800 mg capsules of valerian root: 1,600 mg of dried root — more than either dried-root trial gave (450 and 530 mg).
Common mistakes
- Comparing root with extract. “Valerian root 1,600 mg” is powdered root; most trials gave an extract, and an extract is made from several times its weight in root.
- Counting only the good results. Six trials had mixed results and five found no difference — including the large online trials (391 and 405 adults).
- Reading a sleep blend as valerian. A capsule with hops, lemon balm, melatonin or magnesium beside the valerian is not what these trials tested — they were left out.
- Taking it with alcohol or a sleeping pill. NIH ODS warns of “additive sedative effects from alcohol or sedative drugs”.
Frequently asked questions
Does valerian root help you sleep?
Of twenty placebo-controlled adult trials of valerian alone, nine reported a sleep measure better than placebo, six had mixed results and five found no difference. The NIH calls the evidence inconclusive, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests clinicians not use valerian for chronic insomnia.
How much valerian root for sleep did the trials use?
Extract trials gave 200 to 1,215 mg a day — most often 300 to 600 mg; the two dried-root trials gave 450 and 530 mg. NCCIH says valerian “has been used with apparent safety in doses of 300 to 600 milligrams daily for up to 6 weeks”.
What is the valerian root dosage for sleep?
There is no official dose. The trials that found something gave 200 mg (Chandra Shekhar 2024), 400 mg (Leathwood 1982), 600 mg (Vorbach 1996) and 1,060 mg (Taavoni 2011) of extract; Diaper 2004 (300 and 600 mg, one night each) and Taibi 2009 (300 mg for two weeks) found no difference.
When should you take valerian for sleep?
The trials that said gave it 30 minutes before bedtime (Taibi 2009), about an hour before (Oxman 2007, Barton 2011, Chandra Shekhar 2024, Tammadon 2021, Ahmadi 2017), at 21:00 (Diaper 2004), twice a day (Taavoni 2011) or three times a day (Schulz 1994).
Is valerian root better than melatonin?
None of these trials compared them. For melatonin’s own trials and doses, see the Melatonin Dose & Timing Calculator.
Is valerian safe?
NCCIH: “Research suggests that valerian is generally safe for short-term use by most adults”; long-term safety is unknown, rare liver injury has been reported, and it should not be taken with alcohol or sedatives. Little is known about pregnancy and breastfeeding.
For other sleep aids, see the Melatonin Dose & Timing Calculator, Magnesium for Sleep, L-Theanine for Sleep, Chamomile for Sleep, Glycine for Sleep and Tart Cherry Juice for Sleep.
Read next
This is not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats anything. It shows what trials gave and what they found; it is not a dose recommendation, and there is no official dose or upper limit for valerian. Insomnia that lasts is worth a conversation with your doctor. Do not combine valerian with alcohol or sedatives, and talk to your doctor or pharmacist first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have liver problems, or take any medicine. Some links on this site are affiliate links: I buy what I review at full price, and a commission never changes a verdict.