ME/CFS pacing diary
A pacing diary records your activity, rest and symptoms each day so you can see patterns, such as what tends to come before a crash. Share the pattern, not only the bad days, with your care team. Ask your clinician for pacing guidance suited to you.
What to record
- Activity: physical, mental and social, in plain words.
- Rest: when and for how long.
- Symptoms: fatigue, pain, sleep, brain fog, each from 0 to 10.
- Crashes: when, how long, what came before.
- What helped.
A 1-minute daily template
Date | Energy (0-10) | Main activities | Rest | Symptom peak | Crash? | Notes
Using it with your doctor
Bring one week or two. Point to a pattern (for example, symptoms rising a day after busier days) and ask what to adjust. Write three questions beforehand.
Frequently asked questions
What is a pacing diary?
A daily record of activity, rest and symptoms used to spot patterns.
How do I explain ME/CFS to my GP?
Bring dated notes and say what you can and cannot do now, compared with before.
How do I track post-exertional malaise?
Note activity, then symptoms over the following days, with scores.
For information only, not medical advice. For information only, not medical advice. Follow your care team's guidance, and use the number you were given for anything urgent.