A recent study evaluated the effects of valerian extract taken nightly on the improvement of sleep quality in postmenopausal women. Somewhere around 50 percent of postmenopausal women experience sleep disturbances, such as insomnia.
Study participants consisted of 100 postmenopausal women who were experiencing insomnia. They were randomly divided into two groups, and received either 530 mg of concentrated valerian extract or a placebo twice a day for 4 weeks.
According to the study, as reported by Green Med Info:
“A statistically significant change was reported in the quality of sleep of the intervention group in comparison with the placebo group ... Also, 30 percent of the participants in the intervention group and 4 percent in the placebo group showed an improvement in the quality of sleep ... Findings from this study add support to the reported effectiveness of valerian in the clinical management of insomnia.”