14 Things Experts Need You to Know about Valerian Root Nadine Jolie Courtney Replay Video What is valerian root? Plenty of folks struggling to sleep have reached for this traditional herb in the hopes it would lead the way to dreamland. Valerian root is available in supplement form, and the herb is supposed to help you sleep better. It's also been increasing in popularity, and market forecasters expect sales to grow continue to increase, according to a report by market research company 360 Research Reports. But is it really effective, not to mention safe? "Valerian ( Valeriana officinalis) has been used for thousands of years, most notably for insomnia," says Marvin Singh, MD, triple board-certified gastroenterologist, director of integrative gastroenterology at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute at UC Irvine and founder of The Precisione Clinic outside San Diego.