Valerian root experiences anyone?

[69ron]

Last night, I made a cold tea with 10 grams of valerian root. I placed the root into a muslin tea bag and let it sit in a jar of water for about ten minutes. I occasionally shook it up as well. I have to say, I slept very well last night and feel good this morning. I had more dreams than usual and I remember them much more clearly as well. I will say that I am still feeling the effects of it not. I feel very clear headed, but kind of have this calming feeling all over. It's hard to describe exactly, but its not necessarily a bad thing. I think I can still be productive right now.

The effect is very mild and could easily go unnoticed by some people I think. It makes you mentally calm, sort of centered emotionally, but doesn’t really sedate you exactly. I think most people are expecting a physical sedative effect from it, and it doesn’t really do that. It’s more a mental calmness that it embarks. That can really help you sleep if you’re the type of person that tends keep yourself awake at night by thinking too much.

 

[joedirt]

Kannamate, I never got much effects from valerian either until last night. I think the cold water extraction was the reason it worked so well. Apparently, the actives are volatile oils, and they easily vaporize away if hot water is used. I don't know if that's true, but that's what I read recently.

Has anyone tried vaporizing valerian root?

 

[Imp]

Anyone but me like lobelia for similar purposes as valerian? I used to use it for meditation. I feel like its fond of me, a feeling i have not gotten from anything else. I normally do not like sedatives either, but the Lobelia makes meditation very deep and easy to enter into. Lobelia's spiteful though-use too much and it could quite possibly kill you, but before that itll give you a bad headache. Then , if you take much too much like i did one time itll make you very sick in the stomach. It's also known as vomitweed...
But its fun stuff, really! Just take it slow on the dose.

 

[curious1]

I have used valerian for insomnia....It doesnt put you to sleep as a sleeping tablet does, rather it just puts you in the space where you are able to sleep

 

[Virola78]

I am a much better at shooting when i use valerian. It helps me relax into focus.. This is what it does.
This is subtle zen medicine.

 

[fender1212]

Kannamate, I never got much effects from valerian either until last night. I think the cold water extraction was the reason it worked so well. Apparently, the actives are volatile oils, and they easily vaporize away if hot water is used. I don't know if that's true, but that's what I read recently.

We could test this theory. If it's true then cooking valerian in a pressure cooker with no steam outlet should theoretically be just as effective as the cold water method once allowed to cool (oils would vaporize, and then re-condense)

 

[xantho]

I know this is an old thread but I'd rather post here than start a new one.

SWIM tried valerian tincture while on the end of a LSD journey. That was really pleasant, just before a bath, it doesn't take the effect off but it rather make the trip more dreamy and shut the nerves off. That's a very good thing.

I had my first opportunity this weekend to try valerian root extract at the end of an LSD/MDMA experience. Approximately 150-200mg MDMA was taken ~6/7 hours after ingestion of ~125mics L, with 10 drops valerian extract administered another 4 or 5 hours later. By that point my body was tired from many hours of dancing and my head-space was relaxed but active. The valerian has a subtle yet welcome calming effect on my body and mind. I found r0m's description of 'shutting the nerves off' to be very accurate. It smoothed the edges of my body-mind, allowing me to sit in a calm and restful state. A further 5 drops very taken immediately before retiring to my tent for the night. Beautiful headspace, quiet and without racing thoughts or feelings of mental fatigue. I would definitely recommend using valerian in this way.

 

[bluesky]

I tried Valerian root about a year ago for a few weeks to help with some anxiety and sleeping problems that I had then. Unfortunatly I have to say that I got no effects at all except possibly placebo.

A guy I know once took 100 pills (about 20 grams of extracted valarian root) and got no effects at all either.

Ofcourse people react differently to drugs so maybe I am just belonging to a minority for whom valerian root does not work.

 

[WarpZone]

I tried Valerian root about a year ago for a few weeks to help with some anxiety and sleeping problems that I had then. Unfortunatly I have to say that I got no effects at all except possibly placebo.

A guy I know once took 100 pills (about 20 grams of extracted valarian root) and got no effects at all either.

Ofcourse people react differently to drugs so maybe I am just belonging to a minority for whom valerian root does not work.

Could be genetic but I suspect that the pills were bunk. They are usually very weak. Always brew or extract with alcohol from whole roots. Good quality valerian is very powerful sedative.

 

[dithyramb]

"One study found that valerian tends to sedate the agitated person and stimulate the fatigued person, bringing about a balancing effect on the system."-wikipedia

In general, valerian makes me relaxed and thus tired. Occasionally, it will "pep" me up, but not in a stimulated way. Just makes me feel better, and thus "wakes" me up. Lately, I have been playing with cold versus hot water extractions. The cold extracts seem to be more sedating, than the hot-water extracts.

Exactly. In fact valerian usually energizes me. It can help with sleep, and bestow enchanting dreams, as was how my first experience was, eating fresh roots of V. officinalis. I have more experience with V. tuberosa than V. officinalis, and I must tell you, this species has quite psychedelic effects in sensory perception. Along with strong euphoria, colors and acuity are highly enhanced as well as mental acuity. And it is more clearly a stimulant for me. Amanita is a GABA agonist too, so why not.