The popular herbs valerian and kava may help people kept awake by stressful thoughts to finally get some sleep, suggest results of a small-scale study. Dr D Wheatley found that when given individually, kava and valerian reduced stress enabling study participants to nod off and get a good nights’ sleep. Those involved in the study had suffered from insomnia for more than 15-years on average, however participants reported that both herbs significantly reduced stress and offered relief from insomnia. Even though 42% of volunteers did report side effects (16% had vivid dreams after taking valerian, and 12% of those being treated with kava felt dizzy) they were minor and significantly less troublesome than those caused by conventional sleeping medications. Wheatley concluded: “The study showed that kava and valerian were effective at relieving stress itself and insomnia caused by stress.”
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Phytotherapy Research 2001; 15:549-551
