Discover the benefits that valerian tea has for you

Valerian tea is also one of the most popular home remedies for falling asleep and promoting sleep, and it has been used since ancient Greece and Rome. In fact, Hippocrates, the Greek physician who inspired the name of the Hippocratic Oath, used valerian root to treat insomnia. Since then, valerian has continued to be used to harness a variety of potential health benefits, not just improving sleep. For example, it has been found to alleviate common menopause symptoms such as hot flashes.Below, we will tell you all about this home remedy so you can understand the benefits that valerian tea has for you.Ally of healthy sleepHerbal medicine has prescribed valerian for insomnia and sleep problems for centuries, and while several studies suggest that the effect exists, more research is still needed.Researchers do not yet know exactly how valerian root helps people sleep better, but it is believed to be a combination of different factors. One of them is that valerian increases the amount of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain.As a neurotransmitter, GABA inhibits unwanted activity in the nervous system. Studies have shown that increased levels of GABA in the brain lead to falling asleep faster and experiencing better sleep.Management of anxiety and stressSince the 16th century, physicians have used valerian to treat anxiety symptoms. Early research shows that valerian root may have an anxiolytic effect, and modern science shows that valerenic acid may be the anxiety-reducing component of valerian root.This acid not only showed anti-anxiety effects but also did not bind to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain, receptors that may be responsible for benzodiazepine addiction, a class of drugs prescribed for anxiety.Thus, valerenic acid may relieve anxiety somewhat and is less addictive than benzodiazepines. However, more research is needed to fully prove this point.Menopause symptomsValerian may help reduce hot flashes in menopausal and postmenopausal individuals, according to a 2018 study in which postmenopausal women took 1060 mg of valerian per day for 2 months.Premenstrual syndrome reliefPeople experiencing premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or painful menstruation also find benefits in valerian tea, as a study found it improved the physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.