Have you ever taken Valerian Root? Is it safe?

I saw Dr. Oz recommend Valerian Root to lessen anxiety and stress and also as a sleep aid. I googled it and it seems relatively safe but wondered if anyone has any first-hand experience:

Have you ever taken it?
Did it work for you?
What effect did it have (mild or strong)?
Did it lessen anxiety/stress or help you sleep better?
Did it relax you?
Did it have any negative effects?
Did it relax you to the point where you couldn’t “operate machinery” like a car (ie. could you take it in the day to relieve stress at work?)

I am someone who does not take drugs (other than tylenol) and I don’t want to take anything that isn’t safe. I would never consider taking something like Xanax or Valium. Although I’m sure these drugs work well, I don’t need anything strong and I don’t want to risk anything that is not safe or could be addictive. I do, however, take B vitamins which I feel lessen my stress a bit (maybe it’s just a placebo effect) and I would like to stick to similar vitamin/herbal remedies where possible.