The Quick Answer
No clinical trial has tested melatonin and valerian root together. Each has a good short-term safety record on its own, and the main thing to know is that combining them may add to drowsiness.
In this article
If you already take one of these and are wondering about adding the other, that is a sensible question to ask. Some adults may be able to take melatonin and valerian root together, and some sleep products combine them. No clinical trial has tested the pair on its own, though. NCCIH calls each one generally safe for short-term use in most adults, and the main thing to know is that together they may add to drowsiness.
Key takeaways
- The pair has not been tested on its own. In the sources we reviewed, no clinical trial tested melatonin plus valerian alone.
- Each has a good short-term record. NCCIH calls each one generally safe for short-term use in most adults.
- The main thing to know is extra drowsiness. NIH says valerian might add to the effects of other sleep supplements, including melatonin, and Drugs.com lists the pair as a moderate interaction.
- Alcohol and some medicines matter most, and no combined amount has been studied.
- Melatonin and valerian are two parts of Sleep Harmony. Studies of each by itself do not describe the whole formula.
What do melatonin and valerian each do?
Melatonin helps time the sleep-wake cycle, and its effect on sleep is modest. A review of 19 trials found people fell asleep about 7 minutes sooner than with placebo. Valerian may act on a brain chemical called GABA, though researchers are still working out how it works. Its sleep results are mixed, as the herbs article in this series explains. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests against both for chronic insomnia, and both are weak recommendations.
Has the combination been studied?
Some sleep products combine the two. Trials have tested valerian with hops and valerian with lemon balm, and a 2020 review called valerian with hops the most studied herb pair. A trial of 184 adults found a modest effect from a valerian-hops combination, and a 2024 trial tested a blend of L-theanine, lemon balm, valerian and saffron. None of these sources includes melatonin, so there is no direct evidence yet on how melatonin and valerian act together. Blends often contain more than two calming ingredients, so the whole is worth considering separately from each part.
Is it safe to take melatonin and valerian root together?
Each one has a good short-term record on its own. NCCIH says valerian is generally safe for short-term use by most adults, with doses of 300 to 600 mg a day used with apparent safety for up to six weeks. Long-term safety is not yet known. Some people may have withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety and poor sleep if they stop abruptly after long-term use. NCCIH also says melatonin appears safe short-term for most people, and long-term information is lacking.
The question is what the two do together. NIH says valerian might add to the effects of drowsiness-causing medicines and supplements, including melatonin. The Drugs.com interaction checker lists the pair as a moderate interaction. It mentions possible extra dizziness, drowsiness, confusion and trouble focusing, especially in older adults, and notes that its ratings are only a guideline. In plain terms, the concern is added drowsiness, not a known dangerous reaction.
What do studies say about amounts and timing?
In one small study, 900 mg of valerian increased sleepiness the next morning. A test of 600 mg of a standard valerian extract found no meaningful effect on reaction time or alertness the morning after. Melatonin's half-life is about 45 minutes, but a single dose raises blood levels for about five hours, per the 2023 review. No one has tested a schedule for the pair.
Melatonin and valerian are two parts of Sleep Harmony
If you are taking Sleep Harmony, you are getting both melatonin and valerian, and neither is working alone. Sleep Harmony combines melatonin, calming herbs and three probiotics in one formula, and we chose ingredients that have each been studied for relaxation and sleep.
Because no trial has tested the pair, and the finished formula has not been clinically tested, we cannot say how the ingredients work together.
Good to know
NCCIH suggests not taking valerian with alcohol or drowsiness-causing medicines. Little is known about valerian in pregnancy or breastfeeding. There are also very rare reports of liver injury with valerian, most often when it was taken with other herbal products. For melatonin, people who take blood thinners or have epilepsy need medical supervision. If you take prescription medicines or have a health condition, it is a good idea to check with your healthcare provider first.
| Situation | Why it matters | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking alcohol | May add to dizziness, drowsiness and poor focus | NCCIH; Drugs.com |
| Taking sleep, anxiety or pain medicines | May add to sedation | NIH ODS; Mayo Clinic |
| Older adults | More likely to notice changes in thinking, judgment and coordination | Drugs.com |
| Blood thinners or epilepsy | Melatonin needs medical supervision | NCCIH |
| Liver disease, pregnancy or nursing | Valerian information is limited, or advice is to avoid it | Mayo Clinic; NCCIH |
A quick look at the research
| Question | Research | What it found | How solid | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melatonin plus valerian alone | None found in these sources | No trial of the pair | Insufficient | Not studied |
| Extra drowsiness together | NIH fact sheet; interaction database | Possible added drowsiness | Limited | Based on how each acts, not a trial of the pair |
| Valerian short-term safety | NCCIH summary | Generally safe up to 6 weeks at 300–600 mg | Moderate | Long-term safety unknown |
| Melatonin short-term safety | NCCIH summary | Appears safe short-term | Moderate | Long-term information lacking |
| Next-day sleepiness | Small valerian study | More sleepiness at 900 mg | Limited | Small study |
If you decide to try both
A few simple precautions come up in the sources. NCCIH says to avoid alcohol with valerian, and Drugs.com advises waiting to drive until you know how the pair affects you. A pharmacist or clinician can also review your medicines. If sleep trouble has been going on for a while, a clinician can also help you look at the whole picture.
Explore the formula
About Sleep Harmony
Each 2-capsule serving of Sleep Harmony has 5 mg of melatonin and 100 mg of valerian root extract, along with other herbs, magnesium, L-theanine, GABA, 5-HTP and probiotics. Melatonin at 5 mg is at the top of the 1 to 5 mg range used in many studies, and valerian at 100 mg is below the 300 to 600 mg studied. Sleep Harmony has not been clinically tested as a finished formula.
See the Sleep Harmony product page →The short version
Some adults may be able to take melatonin and valerian root together, and each has a good short-term record on its own. No trial has tested the pair, though, and the main thing to know is that they may add to drowsiness. If you take other medicines or drink alcohol, a quick word with your pharmacist or clinician is a good idea.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to take melatonin and valerian root together?
It is not known for certain, because no clinical trial has tested the pair. NCCIH calls each one generally safe short-term for most adults. Together they may add to drowsiness and dizziness, and Drugs.com rates the interaction as moderate. If you take other medicines or drink alcohol, a pharmacist or clinician can help you decide.
Can I take valerian root and melatonin together every night?
There is little information on long-term nightly use. The long-term safety of valerian is unknown, and information on long-term melatonin is limited. NCCIH says valerian has been used with apparent safety for up to six weeks, and no study has tested the two together for any length of time.
What are the side effects of taking them together?
Drugs.com lists possible extra dizziness, drowsiness, confusion and trouble focusing, and older adults may notice more effect on thinking, judgment and coordination. Headache and stomach upset can occur with valerian, and melatonin can cause headache and nausea. In trials of each one on its own, effects were mostly mild.
Can you drink alcohol with valerian and melatonin?
NCCIH says valerian should not be taken with alcohol, and Drugs.com says alcohol can add to valerian's dizziness and drowsiness. Drugs.com also notes that alcohol may reduce melatonin's effect on sleep, so alcohol can make the results harder to predict.
Do melatonin and valerian work better together?
No trial has compared the pair with either one alone, so there is no evidence yet either way. Each has modest, sometimes mixed, effects by itself, and most trials measured small changes, such as a few minutes of sleep. So we cannot say whether combining them adds benefit.
Does Sleep Harmony contain both melatonin and valerian?
Yes. Each 2-capsule serving has 5 mg of melatonin and 100 mg of valerian root extract, plus other ingredients. Sleep Harmony combines melatonin, calming herbs and three probiotics in one formula. No trial has tested the pair, and the finished formula has not been clinically tested, so we cannot say how they work together.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Melatonin: What You Need To Know. NIH. Link
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Valerian. NIH. Link
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Valerian: fact sheet for health professionals. Link
- Ferracioli-Oda E, Qawasmi A, Bloch MH. Meta-analysis: melatonin for the treatment of primary sleep disorders. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(5):e63773. PMID 23691095. Link
- Sateia MJ, Buysse DJ, Krystal AD, Neubauer DN, Heald JL. Clinical practice guideline for the pharmacologic treatment of chronic insomnia in adults. J Clin Sleep Med. 2017;13(2):307–349. PMID 27998379; DOI 10.5664/jcsm.6470. Link
- Guadagna S, et al. Plant extracts for sleep disturbances: a systematic review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020. DOI 10.1155/2020/3792390. Link
- LiverTox. Hops (includes summary of Morin CM et al. Sleep 2005;28:1465–1471). NCBI Bookshelf. NBK548872. Link
- 2024 trial of a multi-ingredient blend (L-theanine, lemon balm, valerian, saffron). PMC10997602. Link
- Drugs.com Interaction Checker. Melatonin and valerian root. Link
- Mayo Clinic Staff. Valerian: Is it safe to combine with other sedatives? Link
- Givler D, Givler A, Luther PM, et al. Chronic administration of melatonin: physiological and clinical considerations. Neurol Int. 2023;15(1):518–533. DOI 10.3390/neurolint15010031. Link
- Mayo Clinic Staff. Melatonin side effects: What are the risks? Link
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