I started taking valerian for insomnia but the most significant benefit has been for my daytime anxiety. I take 300mg in the morning and 450mg in the evening. The morning dose does not make me drowsy -- at 300mg the effect is more anxiolytic than sedative. I feel a subtle calming that takes the edge off the background anxiety I carry throughout the day.
The anxiety relief is not dramatic. I would not compare it to a benzodiazepine or even to a strong dose of ashwagandha. It is more like the volume on my anxiety gets turned down from a 6 to a 4. The catastrophic "what if" thoughts still arise, but they feel less urgent, less physically activating. My heart rate does not spike as easily. The tension I carry in my shoulders is reduced.
At the evening dose of 450mg, the sedative effects become more prominent and I transition smoothly toward sleep. The combination of reduced daytime anxiety plus gentle evening sedation has improved my sleep more than the sedative effect alone could have, because so much of my insomnia was anxiety-driven.
I have been on this regimen for two months. No tolerance that I can detect -- if anything, the anxiolytic effects have become slightly more pronounced over time, consistent with what the literature says about valerian's cumulative action.
Side effects: the morning dose occasionally causes very mild stomach discomfort if I take it without food. Easily solved by taking it with breakfast. Vivid dreams persist but have become something I enjoy rather than find strange.
For anyone whose insomnia is primarily anxiety-driven, consider splitting the dose rather than taking it all at bedtime. The daytime anxiolytic effect may contribute more to sleep improvement than the nighttime sedative effect alone.