Kava for Sleep Disorders & Insomnia Review, Doses & Safety

Is Kava an effective sleep aid? This herbal extract does exhibit sedative properties and has long been used to promote relaxation and stress relief.

Kava, also known as Kava Kava, comes from the Piper methysticum shrub. In the South Pacific, people have used this herb for centuries mostly for ceremonial purposes.

Its medicinal uses expanded with time, but facilitating sleep has always been one of its common uses. [1] It has been shown to reduce sleep latency, which is the amount of time it takes to fall asleep at night.

Some studies have shown this herb to be effective for alleviating insomnia, while others have not. Taking Kava pills for sleep could be effective but may cause serious side effects that could outweigh its possible benefit for this purpose.

Kava

Herbal Supplement

Anxiety

Mood

Sleep

How It Works:

• Reduces feeling of anxiety & stress
• Improves feeling of wellbeing
• Shown to improve sleep & insomnia

Dosage:

Between 100 - 300 mg per day

Safety:

Rated Possibly Safe

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Kava for Sleep

Kava purportedly promotes sleep with the relaxing effect of its active components, kavalactones. [2]

Kava shows sedative qualities that may come from its role in the transmission of gamma-aminobutyric acid, an amino acid that controls central nervous system nerve impulses. Its anti-anxiety properties could also facilitate sleep by calming the user.

Drugs.com notes that researchers do not fully understand Kava’s mechanisms of action with regards to sleep disorders and relaxation. [3]

Further, there is insufficient reliable evidence to rate the effectiveness of Kava Kava for insomnia because research is contradictory on this subject.

For example, one clinical study found that Kava lowered sleep disturbances in people with anxiety disorders while another study found Kava ineffective for insomnia in people with anxiety disorders.

The two studies used different forms of Kava in differing doses, so comparisons are not clear. More research is necessary to draw stronger conclusions.

Research Review of Kava for Insomnia

One study on Kava for sleep disorders performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials. Researchers determined that Kava did not show significant improvement for insomnia over the placebo or an active control. [4]

A separate study found Kava beneficial for sleep. This animal study investigated the sleep-wake cycle of sleep-disturbed rats. Kava significantly cut the sleep latency period (the time it takes to fall asleep) in the rats when given 300 mg of Kava extract.

Researchers did not discover changes in the non-REM sleep and total waking times with Kava, but it increased delta activity when the rats were in non-REM sleep. [5]

In a small pilot study of stress-induced insomnia, Kava significantly improved the severity of participants’ stress and reduced the rate of insomnia. Twelve percent of participants reported dizziness as a side effect. [6]

More and better research is needed to understand the potential of Kava for sleep and to gain a clearer understanding of its safety as a sleep aid. Researchers need to understand whether Kava is safe in certain forms, doses and lengths of time.

User Reviews of Kava for Sleep

On Amazon.com, numerous users left a review of taking Kava Kava for sleep. These customers claimed that Kava supplements helped them fall asleep and have improved sleep quality.

Reviewers noted that Kava helped their stress and anxiety, which could interfere with sleep. Some negative reviews said that Kava did not work for the customer or that it caused side effects, including joint pain, headaches or side cramps. [7]

Some customers left reviews on Amazon.com about Kava and dreams, claiming that the herb caused vivid and lucid dreams that the user remembered clearly. [8]

In a pilot study, 21 percent of people experienced vivid dreams when taking both Kava and valerian. Some people also reported vivid dreams when taking valerian alone, so it is unclear if the Kava was involved in this side effect. [9]

The Kava dosage for sleep in insomnia studies has been 120 to 300 mg a day. For use as a sedative, Drugs.com suggests 180 to 210 mg of kavalactones one hour before going to sleep. Kava herb can be taken in tea, powder, capsule or extract form.

Risks of Kava Sleep Aids

When considering whether to use a Kava sleep aid, side effects of this herb cannot be ruled out. The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests that other sleep-inducing herbs be used over Kava due to its potential risks. [10]

This herb is considered possibly unsafe because of side effects it has purportedly caused to the liver. Reports claim that Kava caused liver damage, hepatitis and liver failure.

Other side effects associated with Kava include drowsiness, muscle spasms and yellowing of the skin. It may also interact with other hepatotoxic or sedative herbs and supplements and with medications, including CNS depressants, Xanax and hepatotoxic drugs.

Specific populations may need to avoid Kava for sleep. The possibility of uterine tone loss from the pyrone in Kava makes this herb unsafe for pregnant women.

The pyrone may enter breast milk, creating a risk for lactating women. Kava is not recommended for children because of its potential for serious side effects.

Some research supports Kava for sleep disorders, showing that it promotes falling asleep and sleep quality, while other studies have not found it effective for this purpose. Many studies on Kava are considered to have limitations or be of poor quality.

Also, researchers have studied differing doses and types of Kava. Further consistent and quality research is needed to understand whether Kava is effective for sleep and whether it is safe to take for this purpose.

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