How to track fatigue before a doctor visit

You’re sitting in the exam room and the only sentence you have is “I’m always tired.” Two weeks of short notes — phone notes or a paper grid — usually beats that. This page is the checklist to keep open while you write. For how tiredness is sorted in primary care, start with Exhausted, with no explanation.

Educational only: This page is for general education—not personal medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. See a licensed clinician for your situation.

What to log for about two weeks

Keep it simple. You do not need a perfect spreadsheet.

• Energy: morning / afternoon / evening score from 0–10, plus one word for the kind of tired (sleepy, heavy limbs, wired-and-tired, mentally blank).
• Sleep — note each of:
  • Bedtime and wake time
  • Estimated hours asleep
  • Whether the night felt restorative
  • Snoring, gasping, or witnessed pauses a partner noticed
• Schedule load: late meetings, night or rotating shifts, caregiving, travel, or days with no real break.
• Mood and stress: low mood, anxiety spikes, or a sustained sense of overload—even if you are still “functioning.”
• Body clues: heavy periods, cycle changes, cold intolerance, unexplained weight change, shortness of breath with stairs, new headache pattern.
• Medications and substances: prescriptions, over-the-counter sleep aids, alcohol, caffeine timing.

What to bring to the visit

Bring the log. Notes that show workdays versus days off, or energy that never recovers after a full night in bed, are useful even before any test is ordered.

Back to the full tiredness guide: Exhausted, with no explanation.