Is valerian root effective?

Valerian root is often marketed as a natural sleep aid, and many people use it with the hope of improving their sleep quality. However, the scientific evidence does not strongly support its effectiveness. According to Dr. Matthew Walker, a guest on the Huberman Lab, despite valerian being popularly touted for its benefits, studies generally do not support these claims. Out of seven high-quality studies, five showed no benefits of valerian root for sleep, and two were inconclusive. Even in a study that tested two different doses of valerian root, none of the numerous sleep metrics measured showed significant improvements. This suggests that, statistically, valerian root might not be effective at all for improving sleep 1.