Mood tracker printable: chart your mood across your cycle
The most useful mood tracker printable is laid out by cycle day, not calendar date. Each day, write your cycle day, a mood score from 1 to 5, one word for how you feel and a tick for any symptoms. After two cycles, put the pages side by side: if your low scores land on the same cycle days, your mood is following your cycle.
The layout
Use one page per cycle with about 35 rows, one for each cycle day. Start a new page on the first day of your period. Here are the columns and a few example rows.
| Cycle day | Date | Mood (1 to 5) | One word | Energy (1 to 5) | Sleep (hrs) | Symptoms | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 Jan | 3 | tender | 2 | 8 | cramps | period started |
| 9 | 12 Jan | 5 | bright | 4 | 7.5 | great run | |
| 24 | 27 Jan | 2 | snappy | 2 | 6 | bloating, cravings | cried at an ad |
| 26 | 29 Jan | 1 | hopeless | 1 | 5 | sore breasts | cancelled plans |
The tracker that works is the one you fill in. One number and one word a day beats a page of journaling you abandon in week two.
What to track (and what to skip)
- Mood score: 1 is very low, 3 is okay, 5 is great. Same time each day, ideally evening.
- One word: calm, anxious, irritable, teary, flat, happy. Words catch what a number misses.
- Energy and sleep: both shift across the cycle and both color mood.
- Three to five symptoms max: pick the ones that bother you, such as bloating, headaches, cravings or breast tenderness.
- Skip: long diary entries every day. Add a note only when something stands out.
How to read your chart
After two or three cycles, line the pages up by cycle day and color each mood score: green for 4 to 5, yellow for 3, red for 1 to 2. Then look for repeats.
| What you see | What it may mean |
|---|---|
| Red days cluster in the week before your period, then clear within a few days of bleeding | A premenstrual pattern: classic PMS, or PMDD if it's severe |
| Low days scattered with no link to cycle day | Mood isn't following your cycle; stress, sleep or something else is the driver |
| Low all month, a bit worse before your period | Possibly an underlying mood condition that worsens premenstrually; worth a doctor's view |
| A short dip around mid-cycle | Some people feel a brief low around ovulation as estrogen drops |
That first pattern is exactly what doctors look for. The PMS self-check gives a quick read, and our guide to mood by cycle phase explains why it happens. If you want something more structured for an appointment, see the PMS symptom diary.
Lulu's daily mood check-in is a single tap. After a couple of cycles it shows how you usually feel in each phase and gives you a heads-up before days that tend to be harder.
When to talk to someone
If your chart shows days you can't function, or your mood is affecting your life at any point in your cycle, talk to a doctor and bring the pages. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, call your local emergency number now, or in the US call or text 988. In the UK, Samaritans are on 116 123.
Frequently asked questions
How do I track my mood with my cycle?
Write down a daily mood score next to your cycle day, starting each page on day 1 of your period. After two cycles, compare the pages.
What's a PMS mood chart?
A day-by-day record of mood and symptoms across the cycle, used to see whether symptoms cluster before your period.
How long should I track my mood?
At least two cycles, ideally three. That's also what doctors ask for when assessing PMS or PMDD.
Should I track by date or cycle day?
Cycle day. It lines your months up so patterns jump out even when your cycle length changes.
Sources
- NHS: PMS (premenstrual syndrome)
- ACOG: Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) FAQ
- Endicott J et al. Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP): reliability and validity. Arch Womens Ment Health (2006)
This page is for information only and isn鈥檛 medical advice. If something worries you, please talk to a doctor.
Keep reading
Printable period tracker: a simple layout you can copyA free printable period tracker layout: what columns to include, how to fill it in, and how to read your chart after three months. Print this page or copy it.Period mood calculator: how might I feel today?Period mood calculator: find your cycle phase today and the mood people often feel in it, then learn how to build a personal forecast from your own days.How to track your mood with your cycle (and actually learn something)Use a mood tracker with your period to see your real pattern: what to log, how long to track, how to read it, and how to bring a chart to your doctor.Menstrual cycle mood: how you feel in each phase, and whyHow menstrual cycle mood changes through all four phases: what hormones do, why some people feel it more, and how to learn your own pattern.
PMS symptom diary: what to track for your doctorHow to keep a PMS symptom diary doctors can use: the daily items, the 1 to 6 rating scale, how long to track, and how to read the chart before your visit.