Valerian ( Valeriana officinalis) 1 L Container

🌿**Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)** is a deeply rooted medicinal plant with a long history of use across European and Asian herbal traditions for calming the nervous system and restoring rest. Traditionally used for anxiety, insomnia, and nervous tension, valerian has been valued as a powerful ally for grounding scattered energy and settling the body into deep relaxation.

**Primary actions** include nervine, antispasmodic, sedative, and mild hypotensive effects. Valerian is commonly used for insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, muscle spasms, digestive cramping, and stress-related tension. It is especially helpful when the nervous system is overstimulated yet exhausted, or when sleep is disrupted by racing thoughts or physical tension.

**Affinities** include the nervous system, muscles, digestive tract, and brain, with a strong relationship to tension, spasms, and nervous depletion.

**Energetically**, valerian is warming, grounding, and deeply relaxing. It moves stuck or cold tension in the body, settles excess nervous activity, and draws energy downward, making it particularly useful for people who feel unrooted, restless, or unable to “switch off.”

**Contraindications:** Use with caution alongside sedatives, sleep medications, or alcohol due to its strong calming effects. Not recommended during pregnancy. Some individuals may experience paradoxical stimulation at higher doses—start low and adjust as needed.

**Growth cycle:** Valerian is a hardy perennial that emerges in early spring, producing tall flowering stalks with clusters of pale pink-white flowers in early summer. The roots develop medicinal potency over time and are typically harvested in autumn of the second year, once the plant has fully stored its energetic and chemical reserves underground.