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SLEEP TEAS·TRADITIONAL MEDICINALS
Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night Valerian
4.5 · 18,700 reviews
Editor score8.7/10
Best for: Pharmacopoeial-grade organic valerian
Key herb
Valerian root (organic)
Blend
Valerian, passionflower, mint
Caffeine
Caffeine-free
The valerian pick — certified-organic valerian root, passionflower and mint from a B-Corp that tests to pharmacopoeial standards.
Worth it$6.49 for pharmacopoeia-grade herb at a supermarket price. Sleep tea is a ritual, not a drug, and this is the cheapest honest version.Valerian is the most-studied herb in this category, though the trial evidence is thinner than the marketing implies (see the FAQ below). Nighty Night is the cleanest way to drink it: certified-organic valerian root plus passionflower and a hint of mint, from a B-Corp that tests to pharmacopoeial standards. It is earthy and pungent. Not for pregnancy or pairing with sedatives.
Price across 3 retailers
Prices checked 2026-07-02amazon
AmazonBest price✓ Fast delivery · easy returns
Caffeine-free · Valerian root (organic)
$6.49
2026-07-02
Prices shown were last checked on 2026-07-02and can change at any time — the price on the retailer's site at checkout is the one that applies. As an Amazon Associate and affiliate we may earn a commission on purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you.
How our prices work
We show the lowest price we found at our last check (2026-07-02) and the manufacturer's list price for comparison. Retail prices — Amazon's especially — move constantly, so treat these as a guide: the price shown on the retailer's own page at checkout is the one that applies. Tap through to see each retailer's current price.
Should you buy it?
What we like
- Pharmacopoeial-grade organic sourcing
- Passionflower + mint round the blend
- B-Corp, USDA Organic
- Sold in ordinary supermarkets, not just health-food shops
What to know before buying
- Earthy valerian taste divides drinkers
- Not for pregnancy or with sedatives
- Needs 10-15 min covered steep
At a glance
Key herbValerian root (organic)
BlendValerian, passionflower, mint
CaffeineCaffeine-free
Form16 tea bags
CertificationUSDA Organic, Non-GMO
TasteEarthy, pungent
Steep10-15 min, covered
Best forOrganic valerian on a budget
How it scores
How our 8.7/10 breaks down — rated on the dimensions that matter most for sleep teas, from published specifications and third-party test data, not the marketing.
Taste
6.5/10
Ingredient quality
9/10
Purity
9/10
Value
7.5/10
Compare with alternatives
Quick verdicts for the sleep teas most often considered alongside the Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night Valerian.
VS·HEAD-TO-HEAD
Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night Valerian vs Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra
The household name with valerian in it — the classic mint-chamomile Sleepytime base, plus valerian and tilia.
→ Valerian in a familiar mint-chamomile flavour, cheapest of the valerian teas
VS·HEAD-TO-HEAD
Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night Valerian vs Yogi Bedtime Herbal Tea
The bestselling bedtime blend — a warm, sweet spiced tea that's more nightly ritual than medicine.
→ The cheapest organic bedtime blend per cup
VS·HEAD-TO-HEAD
Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night Valerian vs Pukka Night Time Organic Tea
The premium organic blend — a beautifully composed oat-flower, lavender and valerian tea for the tea snob's nightcap.
→ Tea enthusiasts, gift-worthy, taste-first valerian
Decision support · what no other comparison site has
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Editor's deep dive
Is the Traditional Medicinals Nighty worth it?
The short answer
Buy it for the sourcing, not for a promised result: valerian is the most clinically studied herb in this category, and Nighty Night delivers it at pharmacopoeial-grade quality for about $6.50. Set expectations low — the meta-analytic evidence is suggestive rather than conclusive, and a tea bag is a weaker preparation than the extracts used in trials. Skip it entirely if you're pregnant or on sedatives.
Who it's for
Label-readers. Traditional Medicinals is a B-Corp that tests herbs to pharmacopoeial standards, which is the closest tea gets to supplement-grade rigor about what is actually in the bag.
Best for you if…
Buying organic valerian specifically Great fit
Certified-organic valerian root, pharmacopoeially tested — the most rigorous sourcing here.
Taste-first tea drinkers Decent fit
Valerian is earthy and pungent — Pukka's blend masks it better.
Pregnancy / medication users Skip it
Valerian isn't recommended in pregnancy or alongside sedatives — pick the Chamomile & Lavender.
Nightly ritual on a budget Decent fit
Yogi Bedtime costs less per cup.
Bottom line
The sourcing rigor here is real and cheap. What the herb does for you is a separate question, and the honest answer is in the FAQ above rather than in this verdict.
How we scored this
Editorial evaluation on published ingredients, independent reviews, and owner consensus, plus a review of the clinical literature on valerian (below) — scoring taste, ingredient quality, and value. Hands-on testing pending — three weeks of nightly cups (10-15 minute covered steeps) tracked against wearable sleep-onset data, alternating with a chamomile control week. Reviewer signoff by Dr. Logan Foley, CSSC pending.
Frequently asked questions
Does valerian tea actually work for sleep?
Valerian is the most-studied sleep herb, but the evidence is weaker than the marketing suggests. The best-known meta-analysis (Bent et al., 2006, 16 trials, 1,093 patients) found people taking valerian were more likely to report improved sleep quality, while noting that most of those trials had significant methodological problems and that the result showed signs of publication bias. Its conclusion was that valerian 'might' improve sleep quality without side effects. Worth trying, not worth expecting a knockout — and note the trials used concentrated extracts, not tea bags.
Why does it smell so strong?
That earthy, almost musty aroma comes from the valerian root itself — it is not a sign the tea has spoiled. The mint in Nighty Night softens it.
Can I drink it if I'm pregnant or on medication?
No valerian tea during pregnancy or breastfeeding without a doctor's OK, and never alongside sedatives, sleeping pills, or alcohol — valerian compounds add to their effect. Ask your pharmacist; it's a free check.
Nighty Night vs the 'Extra' version?
Regular Nighty Night is chamomile-forward; this one leads with valerian. The difference is the ingredient list, not a claim about results.
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