Yoga, with its combination of mind, body, and spirit, might provide an answer for people with mood disorders such as anxiety or depression. It appears that yoga helps increase the brain chemical GABA, which often is at low levels in people with mood disorders. Here is an excerpt of a news article about the link between yoga and depression:

The study involved 19 people who practiced Iyengar yoga, a type of Hatha yoga, and 15 people who walked at an average pace for one hour, three times a week, for 12 weeks.

Participants filled out standard mood questionnaires throughout the study. MRI images of their brains were taken at the start of the study and at the end of the 12 weeks. Then, participants did one more hour of yoga or walking, depending on which intervention they’d been assigned to, followed by one more scan.

The people who practiced yoga reported greater improvements in mood and greater decreases in anxiety than the walking group.

Also, GABA levels showed a trend toward an increase in the yoga group from the second to third scan, but not in the walking group.

Streeter tells WebMD that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) commonly used to treat depression and other mood disorders also increase GABA levels.

Although the study only involved people without psychiatric problems, this suggests that yoga postures may be helpful in treating people who have depression or anxiety and have low GABA levels, she says.

Since the days of the Ancient Greeks, valerian has been used to help calm nerves and treat insomnia. With valerian, sleep will come easier, and you will be more rested and refreshed.

Uses of valerian:

Insomnia
Anxiety (in combination with passion flower)
Pain

Source

An article regarding valerian and sleep:

Types Of Natural Sleep Aids

Key section:
Three of the most commonly used natural sleep aids include kava, melatonin and valerian. These are herbal products that help the body naturally wind down in order to prepare for a full night’s rest.

Three of the most commonly used natural sleep aids include kava, melatonin and valerian. These are herbal products that help the body naturally wind down in order to prepare for a full night’s rest. The majority of these items can be purchased over the counter and typically do not need a doctor’s prescription. However, it is best to consult with your doctor before buying any natural sleeping aids. He/she will help diagnose your particular sleep disorder (or if your case is serious enough to warrant the use of natural sleep aids), which can help you figure out which type of natural sleep aid will work best for your needs.

Kava is an herb that serves to naturally combat feelings of anxiety. Having anxiety is a common …

Reference: Types Of Natural Sleep Aids

Here is one more notable item regarding valerian and sleep:

Best Natural Sleep Aids

Synopsis:
If you have difficulty sleeping at nights and suffer from insomnia, then you can try the natural sleep aids. These natural sleep aids help in relaxing your mind and getting a peaceful sleep naturally. Try out the best natural sleep aids mentioned in the following article.

‘Tossing and turning’, if this is how you describe your nights then your are one of the 30% Americans who suffer from insomnia. Insomnia is a sleeping disorder, where one has difficulty sleeping at nights. The body’s biological clock is hammered due to lack of sleep. The body carries out its regular cellular maintenance when one is asleep. One suffers from stress, lethargy, fatigue, acidity, headaches and irritability when deprived of the regular rest period.

One or two nights of sleeplessness is experienced by everyone, but if this happens on a regular basis then it may be due to some underlying cause. Chronic insomnia is often a symptom of some other …

Excerpted from: Best Natural Sleep Aids

Watch the following video about valerian and sleep:

Kava kava is a root native to the South Pacific. It can help keep you calm and relieve stress. By taking kava kava, anxiety sufferers can feel more at ease and avoid insomnia. The root is a potential natural alternative for sedatives like valium. Typical kava kava dosages are 100 mg of kava extract three times per day.

However, beware that it can be just as powerful as a traditional drug. Kava will exaggerate the effect of alcohol, and it can cause liver problems and other side effects.

Some information on kava kava and anxiety:

Kava Kava Benefits

Key section:
… substances like pain killers, sedatives, and pills so they can relieve anxiety, stress, prompt sleep, and much more. kava kava powder is a brilliant alternative as it is a hundred percent natural and will give you the results you are looking …

Many people drink alcohol and take other substances like pain killers, sedatives, and tablets so they can relieve discomfort, stress, anxiety, and more. kava kava powder is a superb alternative because it is a hundred percent natural and will give you the results you are looking for without altering your mental state.

Alcohol and tablets are a common way to relieve stress. Many of us see their doctor and get a prescription for an anti-anxiety medication. This is often costly and addicting. Alcohol is addicting also. Alcohol is one of those things that millions of men and women turn to every day after work to relieve the stress they have on a day by day basis. If you are searching for a way to …

Reference: Kava Kava Benefits

Here is a second good write-up regarding kava kava and anxiety:

Herbs for Anxiety

Synopsis:
Herbs have been used for centuries the world over to treat various diseases. Recent research has shown that ginseng, chamomile and Kava Kava are excellent herbs for treating anxiety.

Anxiety is a very common state of mind. Just as we feel happy about some achievement or sad after having lost a game, we also feel anxious about certain uncertainties in life. We all can handle anxiety to some extent. However, anxiety becomes a problem when it affects our day-to-day activities. The fast paced life that we lead today, in which we hardly have any time time to relax causes a lot of stress. As a result, we are constantly subjected to states of anxiety. While some of us are able to cope with the increased levels of tension, there are some individuals who become prone to anxiety due to trivial problems or even after the threat has for long got over.

There are …

Excerpted from: Herbs for Anxiety

Also check out the following video about kava kava and anxiety:

Top 3 Reason People Buy Kava

What is the proper valerian dosage?

People use valerian for insomnia, anxiety, and pain relief.

Source

An interesting write-up that might be worth a look on valerian dosage:

Proper Dosing For Herbal Sleep Aids

Key section:
… combating insomnia, the actual products that contain these herbs may have a lower concentration of these herbs than is needed. Furthermore, some products that contain Valerian have been shown to use the wrong species of Valerian, as there …

Many herbal medicine products have been clinically proven to have positive effects on sleeping.  Two commonly used Western herbs are Valerian and Hops.  While both have studies to say they improve the quality of sleep, there are discrepancies regarding the proper dosages of these herbal medicines as well as whether or not the claimed amount of active substance is actually present in certain products.  Furthermore, Valerian and Hops have not been shown to increase the quantity of sleep.  Herbal medicine may help you sleep, and products may list ingredients like Hops and Valerian, but are the manufacturers using the correct plant species?  Here’s how to receive some unbiased …

Reference: Proper Dosing For Herbal Sleep Aids

Here is one more noteworthy write-up on valerian dosage:

Valerian Root Dosage

Synopsis:
Unlike the conventional medications, herbs do not have a standardized dosage, due to various reasons. Read on to know more about valerian root dosage.

Valerian root, whose scientific name is Valeriana officinalis, is a flowering plant, which is native to Europe and some parts of Asia. This plant produces small white/pink-colored flowers, which are sweetly scented. The uses of valerian root have been recognized by humans for a very long time. While the scented flowers were used for making perfumes, the roots were used to treat several diseases. It is believed that ancient Greeks and Romans had used this herb for medicinal purposes, especially to treat insomnia. Today, valerian root extract is available in the form of capsules and is used as a dietary supplement. Valerian root extract in liquid form and valerian tea are also used …

Excerpted from: Valerian Root Dosage

Also see this video related to determining the proper valerian dosage: