A simple start · 3 minute read

Mood tracking doesn’t have to mean more homework.

You can start with a few words in a notebook, a note on your phone, or a tracker you already use. The first entry doesn’t need to explain your whole life.

Start with today.

Write the date and describe your mood in your own words. If it helps, add your energy level separately. “Low mood, restless energy” says something different from “low mood, low energy.” These are observations, not a diagnosis.

You can also record roughly how long you slept and one thing about the day. Those details are optional. You decide what is useful to keep.

Leave room for what doesn’t fit a number.

A score can be convenient. A few words can add context. You don’t have to force a complicated day into a single label or use a diagnostic term to describe how you feel.

Missed a few days? Start with this one.

You can leave gaps. There’s no need to reconstruct every day or guess at details you don’t remember. Mark an estimate as an estimate.

Look back without turning every entry into a conclusion.

Read what you actually recorded. What stands out? What would you like to ask about? A short record can give you specific examples to bring to a conversation with your clinician.

A chart alone cannot tell you why something happened, diagnose an episode, or determine treatment. If you’re concerned about a change, contact your care team rather than waiting for a tracker to confirm it.

Choose a tool you’re comfortable with.

Bipolar UK offers a free mood diary and mood-tracking resources. You can also use a simple private note. Consider where your entries are stored and who can access them, especially on a shared device.

We’re building a tracker here too: simple check-ins first, with optional journaling and AI coaching later. It isn’t available yet. You can get updates below.

Sources & editorial approach

This introductory guide draws on Bipolar UK’s mood-tracking resources. The example is invented and clearly labeled. This page is educational, is not a clinical assessment, and has not been clinically reviewed. Updated September 16, 2026.

Our aim is to explain useful ideas plainly, link to sources, and distinguish examples and product plans from evidence. We don’t claim that tracking predicts or prevents episodes.

If you’re in immediate danger, contact local emergency services. In the US, call or text 988.