What to record in a migraine diary

Start with the basics

The most useful entry is one you can return to and understand. Start with when the attack happened, what you experienced and what medication you took, if any. You can add more detail when it is useful to you.

The Migraine Trust’s diary guidance recommends a simple record of timing, severity, symptoms and medication. You can keep that record on paper, in a spreadsheet or in an app.

Date and timing. Write down when the attack started and ended. If you are estimating, say so in your notes.
Pain. Record its intensity and location. Use the same scale each time so you know what your entries mean.
Symptoms. Keep a note of what you experienced alongside the pain, such as light sensitivity or nausea.
Medication. Record the name, the dose you actually took and the time. This records an action; it does not decide what you should take next.
A short note. Add something you would want to remember later, such as leaving work early or stopping an activity.

There is no need to make every field a writing assignment. The American Migraine Foundation recommends discussing with your clinician what to track and keeping the process manageable. Read its headache journal guide.

A simple example

Here is an entry from the fictional history used in our app screenshots:

21 September, 08:20–12:20. Pain recorded as 6 out of 10. Light and sound sensitivity. Medication logged at 09:15. Note: “Started during a meeting.”

This short record gives the timing, the reported experience and the medication timestamp. It does not need to explain why the attack occurred.

In Migraine Tracker, those details sit together in the attack entry. You can start a current attack and add details as you go, or record a past attack from the calendar. The example above is demonstration data, not a suggested treatment or a real person’s history.

Add context without guessing

If something seems relevant, write down what you noticed. “Slept less than usual” is an observation. “Lack of sleep caused this attack” is a conclusion your entry alone cannot establish.

Migraine Tracker lets you record suspected triggers and notes. Premium also provides sleep context from Apple Health, with permission and when data is available. These details can sit alongside the attack, without needing to become an explanation for it.

If you later review trigger percentages, check what they count. Our guide to recorded patterns explains how to read them.

Make it a record you can use

Before an appointment, look back at a few entries. Can you tell when they happened? Are the medication times understandable? Did you leave a note for an estimated start or end time?

An incomplete record can still describe what you entered. Avoid treating an empty calendar day as proof that you had no symptoms; you may simply not have logged that day.

Migraine Tracker’s reports and exports bring recorded entries into a summary. A short diary and a few questions can be a practical starting point for your next appointment.

Sources

Sources checked on 28 September 2026. App examples describe Migraine Tracker and use fictional demonstration records.

This is a record-keeping guide, not medical advice. The sources explain general principles and do not endorse Migraine Tracker.