Can You Take Valerian Root With Melatonin?

Quick answer

NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements names melatonin among supplements with sedative properties that valerian might add to, and says to discuss valerian with a healthcare provider. Melatonin trials used 0.1 to 5 mg and valerian trials 300 to 900 mg of extract. We found no trial of the two taken together.^1,2

Key facts

The NIH fact sheet on valerian says it might have additive effects with herbs and supplements that have sedative properties, and it lists melatonin, kava and St. John's wort.¹
NCCIH says valerian should not be taken along with alcohol or sedatives.³
Melatonin trials used 0.1 to 5 mg, almost always in the evening, and valerian trials used 300 to 900 mg of extract, with the 4-week trial dosing 30 minutes before bed.^1,2,4
Melatonin peaks in the blood about 50 minutes after a dose, while a valerian marker compound peaked 1 to 2 hours after a 600 mg dose and stayed measurable for at least 5 hours.^5,6
In a 2025 scoping review of 51 trials, valerian and melatonin were among the most studied products, but mostly one at a time against placebo.⁷

Why the question comes up

Valerian root and melatonin sit side by side in the sleep aisle, and some blended sleep products list both. They are different kinds of thing. Melatonin is a hormone your brain makes in response to darkness, and valerian is a plant root whose effects scientists do not fully explain. They are asked about together because both are taken in the evening, not because the research has paired them.^1,8

In the research they were studied one at a time. A 2025 scoping review of 51 randomized trials of over-the-counter products found that most were given as a single product and compared with placebo. A search of PubMed did not turn up a randomized trial of valerian root and melatonin given together as separate ingredients.⁷

What the official sources say about the pair

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet on valerian says it might have additive therapeutic and adverse effects if taken with sedatives, other medicines, or certain herbs and supplements that have sedative properties. It names St. John's wort, kava and melatonin among the supplements, and says people taking them should discuss valerian with their healthcare providers.¹

That is a caution about effects adding up, drawn from how the two are expected to act. It is not a measured result from people who took both. NCCIH adds that valerian should not be taken along with alcohol or sedatives.^1,3

Ask your pharmacist or doctor first

NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements says valerian might add to the effects of sedatives and other medicines that slow the nervous system. It names benzodiazepines such as alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam and triazolam, and barbiturates and other depressants such as phenobarbital, morphine and propofol. NCCIH says valerian should not be taken along with alcohol or sedatives.^1,3

Expected from how the two work, not shown in studies

Side effects reported in short-term studies in adults were mild: headache, dizziness, nausea and sleepiness.^8,9

What each is graded for

Helps you fall asleep a little sooner on nights of occasional sleeplessness*^2,10,11

Moderate evidence

Pooled placebo-controlled trials show melatonin shortens the time it takes to fall asleep by about 4 minutes (17 studies, 284 people) to 7 minutes (19 studies, 1,683 people, doses of 0.1 to 5 mg). The effect is consistent but small, most trials were short, many enrolled people with diagnosed sleep problems, and the largest 2 mg trials used a slow-release tablet.

Amount studied: 0.1 to 5 mg, almost always taken in the evening

May modestly improve self-rated sleep quality; not shown on objective sleep measures*^{1,12,13,14,15}

Early evidence

Two meta-analyses found that people taking valerian were more likely than people taking a placebo to say their sleep had improved: about 1.8 times as likely across 6 studies, with signs that negative studies went unpublished, and about 1.4 times across 18 trials. Time to fall asleep, sleep quality scores and sleep measured in a lab did not differ, most trials had flaws, many enrolled adults with diagnosed sleep problems, and NIH calls the evidence inconclusive.

Amount studied: 300 to 900 mg of root extract in the evening, from single nights up to 4 weeks

Both gradings concern sleep, which is why the pair is a candidate for additive effects. Neither grade is strong, and none of the evidence we read shows that taking both gives a larger effect than either alone.^2,13

Amounts and when each is in the blood

What the studies give for each^1,2,3,5,6
	Melatonin	Valerian root
Amount in sleep trials	0.1 to 5 mg a day	300 to 900 mg of root extract
Peak in the blood after a dose	About 50 minutes	1 to 2 hours for a marker compound after 600 mg
How long it lingers	Half is cleared in about 45 minutes	A marker compound stayed measurable for at least 5 hours
Upper limit	None set	None set; apparent safety at 300 to 600 mg a day for up to 6 weeks

On those numbers, an evening dose of each would be in the blood together for several hours. That overlap is an inference from the timing studies, not something either study tested.^5,6

Do the labeled amounts hold?

In a 2017 study of 31 melatonin supplements, the amount in most products did not match the label, and 26 percent of them contained serotonin.^8,16

In the United States valerian is sold as a dietary supplement. Because supplements are not always checked for manufacturing consistency, NIH says their composition may vary considerably between production lots.¹

Both points matter more when two sedating products are combined, because the actual amount of each in a capsule may differ from the number printed on the label.^1,16

Who should ask first

In one small study, people felt sleepier the morning after a 900 mg dose.¹

Ask first if you take sleeping pills, benzodiazepines, opioid painkillers or any other medicine that makes you drowsy.^1,8
Ask first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, since neither has enough safety research for pregnancy.^1,9
Ask first if you take a blood thinner such as warfarin, or have epilepsy or take seizure medicine, for melatonin.⁸
Ask first if you have liver disease, or have surgery with anesthesia planned, for valerian.^1,3
Do not take valerian on an evening when you plan to drink alcohol.³

What is in our products

What’s in ours

Sleep: Melatonin, 2 mg per serving, from the label

What’s in ours

Sleep: Valerian Extract, 150 mg per serving, from the label

Questions people ask

Is valerian root with melatonin in one capsule different from taking them separately?

The sources we read do not compare the two. The NIH caution is about valerian with sedating supplements, and it does not distinguish between separate bottles and a blended capsule.¹

Should I space valerian and melatonin apart?

No source we read sets a gap between them. Ask your pharmacist, especially if you take any other medicine that causes drowsiness.^1,8

Can I take valerian root and melatonin every night?

Valerian has been used with apparent safety at 300 to 600 mg a day for up to 6 weeks, and NCCIH says information on long-term melatonin use is lacking. If sleep trouble lasts more than a few weeks, ask a doctor.^3,8,17

Who should avoid taking valerian with melatonin?

Ask first if you take sleeping pills, benzodiazepines or any medicine that causes drowsiness, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you take a blood thinner or seizure medicine. NCCIH says valerian should not be taken with alcohol or sedatives.^1,3,8

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Sources

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.