Chamomile vs Valerian Root for sleep
Short answer: For sleep, users rate them about the same: 85% report improvement with Chamomile (46 reports) and 82% with Valerian Root (109 reports).
Chamomile has 59 meta-analyses and 93 randomized trials on PubMed; Valerian Root has 2 and 8.
Based on 122 reports about Chamomile and 233 about Valerian Root. Not medical advice.
| Chamomile Supplement | Valerian Root Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 62%helped51 reports · medium confidence | 57%helped119 reports · high confidence |
| Verdict | Mostly positive | Mixed |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | BResearch: Moderate |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 59 / 93 | 2 / 8 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Sleep % reporting improvement | 85% (46) | 82% (109) |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 83% (12) | 86% (36) |
| Common side effects | drowsiness, tolerance with, brain fog, adverse reaction | vivid dreams, drowsiness, brain fog, tolerance |
| Typical dose reported | 20 mg / before bed | 500 mg / before bed |
Chamomile improved sleep, especially the number of awakenings after sleep or staying asleep; however, it did not lead to an improvement in the duration of sleep, percentage of sleep efficiency, and daytime functioning measures. Future studies are suggested to assess objective measures.
Complement Ther Med, 2024 ↗“chamomile significantly improves the clarity of my thought. I also find that I can be a lot more patient, and therefor focus on what I am working on with less distraction.”
In conclusion, valerian could be a safe and effective herb to promote sleep and prevent associated disorders. However, due to the presence of multiple active constituents and relatively unstable nature of some of the active constituents, it may be necessary to revise the quality control processes, including standardization methods and shelf life.
J Evid Based Integr Med, 2020 ↗“I really like lemon balm especially if combined with valerian root! Helps me sleep and relax at night.”
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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate