11 Incredible Health Benefits of Valerian Root

Valerian Root health incredible benefits includes improving sleep, reducing anxiety, improving stress, helpful for controlling hyperactivity, decrease in menopausal symptoms, improving heart rate, cure for restless leg syndrome, effective for cancer therapy, improves OCD, prevent dizziness, and helpful in treat drug addiction and alcoholism.

What is Valerian Root?

If you have ever experienced anxiety or have a scattered sleeping pattern, then you must have tried many prescription drugs as well as OTC medications. There isn’t any doubt that allopathic medicine can do wonders for our health, but with many beneficial effects, they do have some side effects as well. The easiest and stress-free way to treat any disease is first to approach homeopathic medications.

With the lifespan of more than two years, a height of 5 feet and sweetly scented pink, white or purple flowers, Valerian is a plant with many health benefits. The name of this herb itself means to be healthy.

Historical importance of the Valerian Root

Let’s start with a brief history of Valerian plants, with potent medicinal properties, this plant is well known among many traditional herbalists. As we call it Valerian, many myths legends claim that it was named after different legends of their time. For example, some argue that the plant is named after “Valerius” (the person who used the valerian root for medicinal purposes for the first time).

All this draws us back to the time when people rampantly used Valerian roots to treat a slew of medical complications. For example, back in time, it was used for diseases such as epilepsy, sleep disorder, anxiety, headaches, asthma, migraine, joint pain, menopause and many used it to treat hot flashes.

Since ancient times Valerian has been used for medicinal purposes as an herb. The most famous usage of valerian was during the first and second world war, and it was used not only for soldiers but also for the people affected by the war. People used Valerian specifically for the treatment of shell shock and nervous stress. Moreover, people used it to calm their nerves even before that in the 18th century. The Persians and Chinese have also reported having made a natural medicine to treat wounds – using the plant as an antiseptic.

In light of this, mentioned below are some fantastic reasons why a lot of people still use the Valerian root to treat an assortment of medical conditions.

11 Incredible Health Benefits of Valerian Root

1. It Improves Sleep

The inability to sleep is commonly known as insomnia. Insomniacs state that it feels like you’re living in hell if you are not able to sleep at all. It profoundly affects a person’s performance, ultimately disrupting both his professional and personal life. By taking just 300-600 milligrams of valerian root before hitting the sack will help you a lot and will put your sleeping pattern on track. Another way to take valerian root is to take it as tea, for that you just have to soak 2-3 grams of dried valerian roots in a hot cup of water.  Don’t take it for more than four weeks!

Because of many antioxidants, isovaleric and valeric acid found in the Valerian roots, it’s proved that you could cure your insomnia with the help of tea made up if valerian roots.

2. Reduce Anxiety

Anxiety can lead to stress, which in turn can lead to panic attacks and numerous other psychological complications. Anxiety can also lead to sleep deprivation and restlessness, which is essentially why people rely on strong muscle relaxants such as Xanax and whatnot. However, if you want to steer clear of the long-term side effects of sleeping pills and muscle relaxants, why not try and opt for an herbal alternative. Valerian roots have been known to help calm the nerves and help you relax and unwind.

The psychoactive compound present in valerian root is the reason anxiety is controlled with the help of valerian root.

3. Improves Stress

Stress leaves a person awake all night as you tend to over think so many situations, which in turn can lead to a pessimistic mood and weakened immunity. Not to mention you will also start eating a lot of junk food as a direct reaction to stress. To steer clear of stress and its debilitating effects, use Valerian roots.

It improves stress by not only herbalists but doctors and scientists have proved this too that valerian relieves stress because of its sedative and calming effect.

4. Helpful for Controlling Hyperactivity and ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD is common in children, and if not diagnosed and treated on time, the disease may last their lives. If in any case, you are unaware of the symptoms of ADHD, the symptoms include; hyperactivity in children, unable to control impulses and trouble paying attention.

To treat children with ADHD, many doctors prescribe heavy drugs, which can have debilitating consequences in the long run.  So, when it comes to children, we must first focus on their safety. And thanks to this wonder of Mother Nature, you can help your child treat ADHD using Valerian roots.  The best thing about the plant is the fact that it relaxes the mind and the body, which will automatically increase your child’s focus and attention span.

This herb contains the ability to energize a specific chemical present in the human brain which is known to be GABA.

5. Decrease in Menopausal Symptoms

Menopause is typical in women crossing the age of forty. However, if you’re suffering from premature menopause, you must get it treated before the symptoms worsen. As an herbal treatment, medical professionals prescribe using Valerian roots to ease the symptoms of early menopause.

The decrease in menopause symptoms is because of the presence of volatile oils present in Valerian roots, which prove to be helpful for women suffering from hot flashes.

6. Improves Heart Rate

Whether you have hypertension or low blood pressure, Valerian roots will enhance your blood vessel elasticity, expanding the arteries; significantly improve your blood flow, strengthening the heart muscle.

Valerian roots help in improving heart rate because of its sedative nature.

7. Cure for Restless Leg Syndrome

Valerian roots are incredibly useful for the restless leg syndrome reduce this type of syndrome. Many people suffering from restless leg syndrome have shared their experience by confirming that valerian roots can cure RLS.

When it comes to restless leg syndrome aka RLS, scientists are still finding which specific compound of valerian root helps cure RLS.

8. Effective for Cancer Therapy

It is noticed that the therapy of cancer increases the rate of fatigue. While going through with the process of curing cancer, patients could also use Valerian roots to reduce fatigue due to its calming nature.

9. Improves OCD

The Obsessive Compulsive Disorder commonly known as OCD is a mental disease which is not bound to an age limit. It occurs when a person is engaged in any activity obsessively. Here VR helps the person to act normally by ignoring those unwanted thoughts, compulsions, and obsessions.

Using for two or three weeks only, valerian roots essential with monoterpenes nature will help you in improving your OCD.

10. Prevents Dizziness

Dizziness is the most common disease to be present. It is caused due to a migraine, high usage of medications and most of the time due to alcohol. Valerian roots, if taken as supplements will cure dizziness. After curing dizziness, valerian roots may help you to improve your memory.

11. Helping Drug aAddicts

If someone is engaged in drug addiction or alcoholism, then that person could be cured with the help of supplements made of valerian roots. However, only relying on valerian roots is not the only answer; the addict must reach out for advice from a physician.

Conclusion

There are many incredible benefits of valerian root; however, the users must take notes that it must be used appropriately when it comes to the regular dosage. If the precautions are not taken properly, then the same herb could be considered as dangerous.