does valerian improve sleep outcomes?

Introduction

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a popular herbal remedy often used to improve sleep quality and treat insomnia. Despite its widespread use, scientific studies have produced mixed results regarding its effectiveness. This synthesis aims to provide a cohesive analysis of the research on valerian's impact on sleep outcomes.

Key Insights

General Improvement in Sleep Quality:
- Several studies suggest that valerian can improve subjective sleep quality, particularly in individuals with mild to moderate sleep disturbances .
- Valerian has been shown to reduce sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) and improve overall sleep quality in some populations, such as poor sleepers and postmenopausal women .
Effectiveness in Specific Populations:
- Valerian appears to be particularly effective in improving sleep quality in individuals who consider themselves poor or irregular sleepers, smokers, and those with long sleep latencies.
- In children with intellectual deficits, valerian significantly reduced sleep latencies and nocturnal awakenings, and improved total sleep time and sleep quality.
Objective Measures and Polysomnography:
- Some studies using polysomnography (PSG) and actigraphy found no significant differences between valerian and placebo in objective sleep measures such as sleep latency, wake after sleep onset (WASO), and sleep efficiency .
- However, valerian has been shown to increase slow-wave sleep (SWS) and reduce sleep stage 1 in elderly poor sleepers.
Safety and Side Effects:
- Valerian is generally considered safe with no severe adverse events reported across various studies .
- Minor side effects were reported but did not significantly differ between valerian and placebo groups.
Inconsistent Outcomes and Quality of Extracts:
- The variability in the quality of valerian extracts and differences in study methodologies contribute to inconsistent outcomes in clinical trials .
- Standardization of valerian preparations and more rigorous study designs are recommended for future research .

Conclusion

The collective evidence suggests that valerian may improve subjective sleep quality and reduce sleep latency in certain populations, such as poor sleepers and postmenopausal women. However, objective measures of sleep improvement are less consistent, and the quality of valerian extracts plays a significant role in these outcomes. Valerian is generally safe with minimal side effects, but further standardized and well-designed studies are needed to confirm its efficacy in treating sleep disturbances.

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Does valerian improve sleep outcomes?

Summary

Consensus Meter

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Valerian for sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Valerian root extract may improve sleep quality without causing side effects, but more standardized studies are needed to confirm this.

Aqueous extract of valerian root (Valeriana officinalis L.) improves sleep quality in man

Valerian root extract significantly improves sleep quality and reduces sleep latency in men, particularly benefiting poor or irregular sleepers, smokers, and those with long sleep latencies.

Effect of valerian, Valeriana edulis, on sleep difficulties in children with intellectual deficits: randomised trial.

Valerian may be a safe and effective long-term treatment for intransigent sleep difficulties in children with intellectual deficits, particularly in those with hyperactivity-related deficits.

A randomized clinical trial of valerian fails to improve self-reported, polysomnographic, and actigraphic sleep in older women with insomnia.

Valerian does not improve sleep in older women with insomnia, and its use in clinical management of insomnia is not supported by this study.

Critical evaluation of the effect of valerian extract on sleep structure and sleep quality.

Valerian extract shows positive effects on sleep structure and sleep perception in insomnia patients, making it a recommended treatment option for mild psychophysiological insomnia.

Valerian Root in Treating Sleep Problems and Associated Disorders—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Valerian root may be a safe and effective herb for promoting sleep and preventing associated disorders, but quality control processes may need revision due to multiple active constituents and unstable active constituents.

The effect of valerian extract on sleep polygraphy in poor sleepers: a pilot study.

Valerian extract increases slow-wave sleep in poor sleepers without affecting sleep onset time, time awake after sleep onset, or self-rated sleep quality.

Effectiveness of Valerian on insomnia: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.

Valerian shows potential for subjective improvement of insomnia, but its effectiveness has not been demonstrated through quantitative or objective measurements.

Effect of valerian on sleep quality in postmenopausal women: a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial

Valerian extract significantly improves sleep quality in postmenopausal women experiencing insomnia.

A Feasibility Study of Valerian Extract for Sleep Disturbance in Person With Arthritis

Valerian extract is a feasible and potentially inconclusive sedative herb for arthritis-related sleep disturbance, but larger trials show no clear evidence supporting its efficacy.

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