# Lucid Dreaming > Attaining Lucidity > Lucid Aids >  >  Anybody Else Use Valerian?

## WaaayOutThere

I have noticed that the herb Valerian gives me very vivid and prolific dreams when I take it.
I originally started taking it to help me relax and sleep better.  But then I noticed the increase in bright, vivid dreams that I can easily recall.
(Valerian also helps with my sinus troubles too!)
But a friend warned me not to use it too frequently as it has been linked to depression.

----------


## Firewalker

I've only tried it once, this was after sleeping probably 6 hours, staying up for a couple of hours, I tried Valarian to relax me more and hopefully help me WILD, I didn't become relaxed enough and it didn't work. I would like to try it again though, I might try it before bedtime tonight. Has it helped you become lucid or just have more vivid dreams?

----------


## WaaayOutThere

Valerian has only given me more vivid dreams, not lucids.
But when my dreams are more vivid, it does help with recall.  I'm hoping it will help me link into a lucid dream sometime, but no luck so far.

----------


## Firewalker

I tried Valerian last night, one 500mg capsule, one hour before bedtime, by the time I went to bed I was very tired, and I slept well all night. I woke up 7 hours later still tired. This is about as much sleep as I ever get anymore, and I am lucky if I get that much. I recalled two very vivid dreams, but no lucid ones. Valerian seems to make me sleep very deeply and I have found that in order to have lucids I have to be more awake. Still I believe there may be a use for Valerian if it is perhaps combined with a more stimulating substance or taken early in the night, then waking up 4 or 5 hours latter and taking something like perhaps Galantamine or Tyrosine. This may make Galantamine work better as I have an extremely difficult time falling asleep after taking Galantamine. It may also work taken with Tyrosine at the beginning of the night. I am not sure of the safety of combining any of these substances however. I have also had sucess on 200mg of Vitamin B6. With both large doses of Vitamin B6 and Tyrosine however the lucids do not last long, perhaps Valarian would make it not as easy to wake as it seems to be with the Tyrosine or B6 and allow longer lucids.  I might try some of these combos one day if I can find out if they are safe together, I beleive the B6 and Valerian would be okay, not sure about the others.

I also suspect Valerian may be usefull for WILD's tried when you are not really tired, such as after sleeping all night, or in the afternoon.

----------


## WaaayOutThere

That's some very interesting information there, Firewalker.
I would definitely be hesitant in combining anything I was unsure of.
I do take Valerian with other vitamins however, usually Vitamin E and a multivitamin.  I plan to try the B6.  It's been a long time since I've taken it.  I don't remember if I went lucid any more frequently when I did take it.  Maybe it's time to try again.

----------


## ChrissyMaria

I take 100mg of 5-htp and valerian with vitamin b before bed and i get dreams that seem like reality lol

----------


## WaaayOutThere

What is 5-htp?  Are your dreams lucid ones?

----------


## ChrissyMaria

i dont lucid, yet but 5-htp is a natural supplement which boosts serotonin, and serotonin is used during dreams.

----------


## WaaayOutThere

Okay.  Thanks for the info!

----------


## ChrissyMaria

> Okay.  Thanks for the info!



No problem!  ::D:

----------


## Firewalker

I tried Valerian again the other day, no lucids again, but I did have extremely vivid, life like dreams, perhaps this could help, if you could just remember you are dreaming. Has anyone tried high doses of B6 in combination with Valerian?  3 times, 200mg of B6 has caused me to become lucid, but they were fairly short, perhaps Valerian could make you remain asleep better, again I'm not sure if this is safe though.

----------


## DREAMER242000

Last night I decided to take a couple of herbal sleeping pills, the result
was at least two vivid dreams and one Lucid.
I checked the ingrediants when i woke and found that each tablet contained
200mg of Valerian.
I rememberd this topic so I thought I would share this info with you, being
herbal the Pills according to the packet have no known side affects.

I shall take another two tonight and see how it goes.
 :smiley:

----------


## Firewalker

What other ingrediants were in the pills, it may be the combination.

----------


## DREAMER242000

> What other ingrediants were in the pills, it may be the combination.



There are three listed active ingrediants these are


Powdered Valerian 200mg
Powdered Wild Lettuce 60mg
Powdered Hops 100mG

Also the pills are called SOMNUS.
From a company called GERARD HOUSE.

Hope this is helpfull.
 :smiley:

----------


## tommo

I've taken Valerian but it's very expensive here for some unknown reason, but I remember seeing it cheap somewhere so I may try again.

I started taking it to help me sleep better also, I realised my sleep troubles were due to anxiety later on.  But Valerian only takes effect once you take it everyday for a while, it's a cumulative sort of thing or something.  But it does make you calm after long, constant use and therefore could help regulate your dreams.  Honestly I'm not sure how it affected me as I don't think I was into lucid dreaming like I am now.  But when I get off Xanax I will try Valerian again and report back.  This may be a while but I'm in the process off weening of Xanax so maybe a couple months.

May as well just see how Valerian effects you yourself, there's no detrimental effects ever noted so just go buy a bottle people!

----------


## DriftingAbove

My last lucid dream occurred after taking Valerian on a restless night. I'm sure it helped.

----------


## ZmillA

Interesting, I have two bottles of valerian at my house. Perphaps I will take one tonight  :smiley:

----------


## ZmillA

Okay so I took one last night and if it did anything it made me sleep all the way till morning.  For the past week I have been able to wake up during the night between 3 and 4 am every night. I did have a pretty realistic dream from about 6:40 to 7:40 however. Im probrably not going to bother with this one again.

----------


## psychology student

> I have noticed that the herb Valerian gives me very vivid and prolific dreams when I take it.
> I originally started taking it to help me relax and sleep better.  But then I noticed the increase in bright, vivid dreams that I can easily recall.
> (Valerian also helps with my sinus troubles too!)
> But a friend warned me not to use it too frequently as it has been linked to depression.



I think that it may work like B6.

----------


## lostinmydreams

One thing to remember about Valerian is that when taken for long periods of time (weeks on end), it becomes toxic and can cause Valerian poisoning (I think that's what it's called).
So don't take it too often.

----------


## Conquer

I've taken valerian before, but I don't find it gives me sedative effects; instead it causes a warm feeling in my stomach (comfortable, actually). I've read that it causes clear, memorable dreams. Every time I've taken it to help me sleep I've had recall.

----------


## tommo

To the people saying it has bad effects after long periods of time, like depression and 'Valerian toxicity', that's complete crap.  (On the bottle!)  It says you will need to take it for a few weeks to have any noticeable effects.  That is of course during waking life not dreaming, so it could have effects on dreaming straight away.

It does not cause depression in everybody.  It CAN, Valium can cause depression also, but for most people it doesn't.  It's just one of the side effects they have to list so the morons who want to sue them can't.

Did you know Ibuprofen can cause ulcers?  It can even cause Stevens-Johnson Syndrome.
Aspirin can also cause Reye's Syndrome :Eek:

----------


## apachama

I've taken valerian hopps to help me sleep normally in a period of insomnia. Unfortunately, this was also a period of depression, so I didn't notice any increase in dreams. Anything that aids in good sleep seems to be good for dreams.

----------


## dodobird

> I have noticed that the herb Valerian gives me very vivid and prolific dreams when I take it.
> I originally started taking it to help me relax and sleep better.  But then I noticed the increase in bright, vivid dreams that I can easily recall.
> (Valerian also helps with my sinus troubles too!)
> But a friend warned me not to use it too frequently as it has been linked to depression.



*

Hello WaaayOutThere.

You can use the search feature and look for Valerian.
You will find many posts made about it.

I'm sorry this is in bold text, I don't seem to be able to remove the bold for some reason...

*

----------


## tommo

Took valerian the last 3 nights and 2 of 3 nights I had awesome dreams, funny, vivid, and remembered all of em.  I think anyway.  Last night I didn't remember any because I was awoken suddenly which almost always screws my recall.

----------


## Another Lost Soul

Tonight is the first night I have taken Alluna a Valarian 500mg and hops 120mg mix per pill. The dosage is 2 an hour before bed. Can't wait to hoefully go to sleep and have wonderful dreams. Guess I will let you know how it goes!

----------


## lucid4sho

I notice increase dream activity after taking one or two 500mg caps standardized to 0.8% valerenic acid.

One problem is it gives me dry skin and I start to itch like crazy,  I have no other known allergies so I don't get why.

Another problem is it seems to make me feel angry/agitated before I fall asleep, and its not from the itching.

I wish I didn't have these side effects because I could use the help falling asleep.

Anyone else react negatively ?

----------


## bransondude

I love valerian, it replaced melatonin for me a couple years ago when I realized that melatonin was causing bad headaches in me.  When I want to dream more I take a triple dose with some B6.  That seems like a lot but I do have a higher tolerance to valerian since I take it so often.

----------


## Lyikos

> I take 100mg of 5-htp and valerian with vitamin b before bed and i get dreams that seem like reality lol



Hi, what doses do you take of each for this effect?

----------


## Firewalker

> I notice increase dream activity after taking one or two 500mg caps standardized to 0.8% valerenic acid.
> 
> One problem is it gives me dry skin and I start to itch like crazy,  I have no other known allergies so I don't get why.
> 
> Another problem is it seems to make me feel angry/agitated before I fall asleep, and its not from the itching.
> 
> I wish I didn't have these side effects because I could use the help falling asleep.
> 
> Anyone else react negatively ?



Sometimes Valerian makes me agitated and everything seems to bother me the next day, though not always, this is usually worse if I take 1000mg than if I just take one 500mg capsule.

----------


## lucid4sho

> Sometimes Valerian makes me agitated and everything seems to bother me the next day, though not always, this is usually worse if I take 1000mg than if I just take one 500mg capsule.



Interesting.  Maybe my dose has been too high.  Is your Valerian standardized to 0.8% valerenic acid ?

----------


## Fiddler's Green

Valerian root gives me terrible hangovers, even at 500mg.  I would rather go on a serious booze bender than take valerian.

----------


## Firewalker

> Interesting.  Maybe my dose has been too high.  Is your Valerian standardized to 0.8% valerenic acid ?



Mine doesn't say it is standardized, so I guess not.  It is the NOW brand, 500mg per capsule.  At first I seemed to have very vivid non-lucid dreams when I took it, now I hardly remember any dreams when I take it, and usually just take it now when I am having trouble going to sleep, or need to make sure I get enough rest.  It does make me very sleepy, and one capsule is usually enough, though I occasionally take two.

----------


## Dragomentis

I never tired Valerian, but I did try Mugwort once made about half a cup of it in tea. That same night I become completly Lucid. So I tried the next night and the next night after no more lucid, but it always gave me very vivid dreams and strange ones.

----------


## tommo

Yeh Mugwort is so awesome.
It's getting my recall back so much.
I usually drink tea, cigarette of mugwort or put it in a ziplock bag in my pillow case.  Pillow case is the best amazingly.  But usually I drink tea and use the pillow case way.  The cigarettes don't seem to do a lot.

Also Valerian makes me irritable aswell.  Which makes me not able to sleep quickly which makes me more irritable haha

----------


## Dragomentis

I find Autosuggestion works great for Lucid dreaming usually takes 4 to 5 days to kick in. I stopped using Mugwort as it never got me lucid again. The method of Autosuggestion is from bardons iniation into hermetics you need beads.

----------


## tommo

Wtf you don't need beads.  All you do is tell yourself you are going to have a lucid dream over and over.  Me smell an ad whore.

----------


## HonerableMoUsE

I've used it.

no depression. . .

It zonks me out though, I sleep really deep and dreaem really vivid but no lucids because sleep is too deep

----------


## tommo

Wow, wish it worked that well for me haha

----------


## acillis

i have taken Valerian with st johns wort, the dreams can sure get crazy!
love becoming lucid in these dreams, but if i take this combo to long, the effects start to wane, it sucks :Sad:

----------


## Dragomentis

Never tried Valerian. I heard eating mustard a tablespoon and a pickle before going to bed can tend to make you lucid but never tried it. ::D:

----------


## Swikity

I used to take Valerian three times a day for anxiety and I don't think I ever really noticed any vivid dreams.

However I did have odd withdrawal symptoms when I stopped, which I was surprised by because it's natural.

----------


## tommo

LOL.  All I'm gonna say is.... Opium is natural.





> Never tried Valerian. I heard eating mustard *a tablespoon* and a pickle before going to bed can tend to make you lucid but never tried it.



All a tablespoon will do is puncture your intestinal wall XD

----------


## Lucid-Wannabe

> All a tablespoon will do is puncture your intestinal wall XD



Hahah.. I was thinking the same thing.

I've never tried Valerian before, I'll have to give it a shot.

----------

