100 Gram Valerian Root Powder - Valeriana Officinalis - 100% Certified Organic
1. Naturally Aids Sleep
Studies show that valerian reduces the time it takes to fall asleep and improves the quality of sleep, so if you can’t sleep, it may be just what you’re looking for. Unlike many prescription sleeping pills, valerian has fewer side effects and is a lot less likely to result in morning drowsiness.
In one double-blind study conducted by the Foellinge Health Center in Sweden, the effects of valerian on poor sleep were significant. Of the study participants, 44 percent reported perfect sleep while 89 percent reported improved sleep when taking valerian root. In addition, no side effects were observed for this group.
Valerian root is often combined with other sedating herbs, such as hops (Humulus lupulus) and lemon balm (Melissa officianalis), to treat insomnia. In one study of children with minor sleep problems published in Phytomedicine, 81 percent of those who took an herbal combination of valerian and lemon balm reported sleeping much better than those who took a placebo.
Why can valerian root help you sleep so well? Valerian extract can cause sedation is by increasing your brain’s GABA level. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and in large enough quantities it can cause a sedative effect.
Results from an in vitro study suggest that valerian extract may cause GABA to be released from brain nerve endings and then block GABA from being taken back into nerve cells. In addition, valerian’s valerenic acid inhibits an enzyme that destroys GABA, another way that valerian can improve your GABA levels and promote a great night’s rest.
2. Calms Anxiety
Scientists have found that valerian root increases the amount of a chemical called gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. GABA helps regulate nerve cells and calms anxiety. Drugs such as alprazolam (Xanax) and diazepam (Valium) also work by increasing the amount of GABA in the brain. The valerenic acid and valerenol contained in valerian root extract act as anti-anxiety agents.
3. Eases Menstrual Cramps
The relaxing nature of valerian root can make it a smart choice for natural Relief from Menstrual Cramps. It can reduce the severity and discomfort of menstrual cramps, which is a common problem for women who suffer monthly from PMS.
How exactly can valerian root help? It’s a natural sedative and antispasmodic. Valerian root can effectively calm the severe uterine muscle contractions that cause the terrible pain many women experience during menstruation, as a double-blind, randomized, placebl-controlled study from Islamic Azad University in Iran showed.
4. Improves Stress Management
By reducing anxiety and improving the length and quality of sleep, valerian root can significantly help with daily stress management. It can make you feel anxious, but anxiety can also make you feel more stressed out.
By improving GABA levels, valerian makes it easier for both the mind and body to relax. Since relaxation is the antithesis of stress, valerian root is an excellent natural way to help keep your stress down and your quality of life up.
Further, valerian root has been shown to suppress both physical and psychological stress, according to research in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
