Moderate evidenceSleep & relaxation

Lemon Verbena

An aromatic South American herb (Aloysia citrodora) rich in verbascoside. Two small randomised placebo-controlled trials report better sleep quality, which is more than most calming herbs can show, though both were small and industry-linked.

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What the science says

Sleep quality in people with insomnia Moderate evidence
A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 100 patients with insomnia found improvements in insomnia severity and sleep quality scores over the treatment period. It is the largest trial of this herb and reported good tolerability.
Sleep quality in healthy adults Moderate evidence
A separate randomised double-blind controlled study of a standardised Aloysia citrodora extract in healthy subjects reported improved subjective and actigraphy-based sleep measures. The sample was under 100 people and the study was sponsored by the extract manufacturer.
Antioxidant and recovery effects Limited evidence
Lemon verbena is also marketed for exercise recovery and oxidative stress based on small short trials and mechanistic work on verbascoside. These endpoints are far less consistently studied than the sleep outcomes.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseThe sleep trials used roughly 400 mg per day of a standardised extract, or an infusion of the dried leaf in the insomnia study, taken in the evening. Commercial extracts are commonly standardised to 10–25% verbascoside.

SafetyWell tolerated in both trials, with no serious adverse events reported. Data are limited to a few months of use. Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding due to lack of data, and use caution alongside sedative medication. People with kidney disease should be careful with large amounts of the tea.

How to take it

TimingEvening, roughly an hour before bed, matching the sleep trials.

With food?With or without food; neither was specified in the trials.

Worth knowingCheck for verbascoside standardisation (usually 10-25%) - plain leaf powder is not what the trials used.

Interactions

With medications

benzodiazepines, z-drugs and other sedatives
Possible additive drowsiness given its evening sleep effect, though no interaction has been formally studied. use caution and do not assume the combination is neutral

Well-established interactions only — this is not a complete list. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist what you take.

Frequently asked questions

Does lemon verbena help you sleep?

Lemon verbena has moderate evidence for sleep quality: a placebo-controlled trial in 100 people with insomnia and a smaller study in healthy adults both reported better sleep. Both trials were small and the second was sponsored by the extract's manufacturer.

How much lemon verbena should I take for sleep?

The sleep trials used roughly 400 mg per day of a standardised lemon verbena extract, or a leaf infusion, taken in the evening about an hour before bed. Look for extracts standardised to 10-25% verbascoside.

Is lemon verbena safe?

Lemon verbena was well tolerated in both sleep trials with no serious adverse events, though data cover only a few months. Avoid it in pregnancy and breastfeeding, use caution with sedatives, and go easy on large amounts of the tea if you have kidney disease.

Scientific references

Aloysia citriodora Palau (lemon verbena) for insomnia patients: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of efficacy and safety
Afrasiabian F, Mirabzadeh Ardakani M, Rahmani K — Phytother Res, 2019
Dietary Supplementation with an Extract of Aloysia citrodora (Lemon verbena) Improves Sleep Quality in Healthy Subjects: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Study
Pérez-Piñero S, Muñoz-Carrillo JC, Echepare-Taberna J — Nutrients, 2024

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