Headache Diary Template (Printable PDF & GoodNotes)
Two pages for tracking headaches and migraines. The headache diary logs each attack with the date, start and end time, severity from 1 to 10, symptoms, possible triggers, medication and relief. The headache days page tracks headaches, medication, sleep, water, caffeine, skipped meals, screen-heavy days and periods across 31 days.
- Printable US Letter8.5 × 11 in, white paper
- Printable A4210 × 297 mm, white paper
- iPad / GoodNotesAlso Notability and Noteshelf
- E-ink tabletreMarkable, Kindle Scribe, Boox
Free PDF, 2 pages, undated. No sign-up needed.
Shown for iPad in the Sage Botanical theme. Printable downloads use white paper (there's a dark mode preview below); the e-ink version is black and white.
2 pages, ready to fill in.
- Page 1, Headache Diary: A table with columns for date, start–end, severity 1–10, symptoms, possible triggers, medication and relief
- Page 2, Headache Days: A 31-day tracker for headache, medication taken, sleep 7h+, water goal, caffeine, skipped meal, screen-heavy day and period; lined space for "Patterns I notice"
- A “Month” line at the top, so it works for any month and year
Who it's for
People with migraines or frequent headaches, those referred to a neurologist or headache clinic, people trying to work out whether hormones, sleep or caffeine are involved, and parents tracking headaches for a child.
Getting the most from a headache diary.
Log attacks as soon as you can
Write the start time when the headache begins, even if you fill in the rest later. Duration and timing are some of the most useful details for a doctor.
Note possible triggers honestly
Sleep, skipped meals, stress, alcohol, weather, screens, hormones: write anything that might be relevant. A trigger only becomes clear after it appears several times.
Track medication days
The monthly page has a row for medication taken. Counting medication days matters, because taking pain relief too often can cause more headaches.
Fill in the monthly page every day
Tick headache-free days too. The pattern of good days next to sleep, water and caffeine is as useful as the bad ones.
Take two or three months to your doctor
Headache specialists usually want a diary covering several months. The two pages together give them frequency, severity and likely triggers.
Included in 1 planner
This template is a page in this planner. Open it to see everything else that comes with it.
Get it inside a full hyperlinked planner
The migraine journal includes this page alongside dated month and week pages for your year, with side tabs and links between every page. Pick your device and theme, preview it free, and pay only when it's right.
- Dated pages for the whole year
- Tap a tab or a date to jump there
- GoodNotes, Notability, Samsung Notes, e-ink and print sizes
Opens the migraine journal with the Headache Diary section switched on.
Or read about the migraine journal first.
What should a headache diary include?
When each headache started and ended, how bad it was, your symptoms, possible triggers, what medication you took and whether it helped. This template has a column for each, plus a monthly overview.
Is it suitable for migraines?
Yes. It's part of our migraine journal. The symptoms column has space for aura, nausea or light sensitivity.
Why track caffeine and skipped meals?
They're common triggers, and both are easy to change. Ticking them daily shows whether they line up with headache days.
Is it medical advice?
No. It's a record for you and your doctor. Seek urgent help for a sudden, severe or unusual headache.
