How to track your mood, and why it helps
By Rafael · Updated · 2 min read
The short answer
Once a day, at about the same time, rate your mood from 1 to 5, name the feeling in a word, and note sleep and anything that stood out. After a week or two, look for patterns across days rather than reading into any single day. It can help you notice what lifts you, and it's useful to share with a doctor or counselor.
What to log
- A mood rating from 1 to 5
- One word for the feeling (calm, anxious, flat, hopeful…)
- Energy and how you slept
- What happened: exercise, time outside, time with people, work stress
- Optionally, one line about the day
Naming a feeling is more than bookkeeping. In a well-known brain-imaging study, putting feelings into words reduced activity in the amygdala, a brain area involved in emotional reactions.
How to spot patterns
- Check in dailySame time each day, about two minutes. Evenings work well for most people.
- Wait a week or twoSingle days are noisy. Patterns show up over weeks.
- Look for what goes with better daysSleep, movement, sunlight, people and routines are common links.
- Try one changeIf walks line up with better days, plan a few and see if the pattern holds.
Moodwise does this in a two-minute check-in and, after seven entries, shows a mood calendar and how sleep and habits line up with your mood. Your notes stay on your device.
The honest downsides
Tracking isn't for everyone. Researchers note that mood monitoring can feel distressing or time-consuming for some people. If tracking makes you feel worse, take a break. A mood log is a tool for noticing, not a diagnosis.
People who track over the long term often find it most useful to share with a professional: in one survey of people with bipolar disorder, most valued long-term tracking, and many found it helpful to share their graphs with clinicians.
When to talk to someone
If you feel low, empty or hopeless most of the day, nearly every day, for two weeks or more, talk to a doctor or counselor. That's a common sign of depression, and it's treatable.
If you're in crisis or thinking about suicide, in the US call or text 988 any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If someone's life is in immediate danger, call 911. Outside the US, contact your local emergency number.
Common questions
- How often should I track my mood?
- Once a day at about the same time is enough. It should take a couple of minutes.
- Can mood tracking diagnose depression or anxiety?
- No. It can help you notice patterns and give a doctor or counselor useful information, but only a professional can diagnose.
- Is it normal for mood to go up and down?
- Yes. Everyone has ups and downs. Look at the pattern over weeks, and talk to someone if low moods last two weeks or more.