20 Expert Tips for Mood Tracking & Emotional Wellbeing
Master DBT skills, emotional regulation, and mental health tracking with evidence-based strategies for anxiety, depression, and BPD management
Master DBT skills, emotional regulation, and mental health tracking with evidence-based strategies for anxiety, depression, and BPD management
Record your mood at consistent intervals throughout the day. Research shows that frequent mood assessments provide better insight into mood patterns and triggers than single daily entries.
Document what happened before mood changes: events, interactions, thoughts, or physical sensations. Pattern recognition is essential for DBT therapy and helps develop targeted coping strategies.
Go beyond "good" or "bad" - use specific emotions like anxious, irritable, hopeful, or content. Emotional granularity improves emotional regulation and helps communicate more effectively with therapists.
Track bodily experiences alongside emotions: tension, fatigue, restlessness, or pain. The mind-body connection is crucial for understanding mood states and implementing effective interventions.
Capture negative or distorted thoughts when they occur. Cognitive behavioral therapy emphasizes identifying thought patterns to challenge and reframe them effectively.
Don't only log negative experiences. Recording positive events and emotions builds awareness of what brings joy and helps counteract negativity bias in depression.
Use the WHAT skills (Observe, Describe, Participate) and HOW skills (Non-judgmentally, One-mindfully, Effectively). Studies demonstrate mindfulness reduces emotional reactivity and improves mood regulation.
Learn TIPP skills (Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, Paired muscle relaxation) for crisis moments. Track which techniques work best for you during high-distress situations.
Practice PLEASE skills: treat PhysicaL illness, balance Eating, avoid mood-Altering substances, balance Sleep, and Exercise. Research confirms these foundational habits significantly impact emotional stability.
Use DEAR MAN (Describe, Express, Assert, Reinforce, Mindful, Appear confident, Negotiate) for healthy communication. Track interpersonal interactions and outcomes to refine your approach.
Accumulate positive experiences, build mastery through achievable goals, and cope ahead for difficult situations. Document these activities to reinforce their importance and track effectiveness.
When emotions don't fit the facts, act opposite to the emotional urge. Track situations where you used opposite action and note the outcomes - this DBT skill is particularly effective for depression and anxiety.
Track mood changes after starting or adjusting medications. Documentation helps your psychiatrist optimize treatment and identify side effects early.
Poor sleep exacerbates mood disorders. Document sleep duration, quality, and how it affects your mood. Sleep disturbance is both a symptom and risk factor for depression and anxiety.
Track what you eat and how it affects your mood. Emerging research shows strong links between gut health, nutrition, and mental wellbeing.
Export your mood data and bring it to therapy sessions. Visual representations of mood patterns facilitate more productive discussions and help track treatment progress over time.
Learn your unique indicators of declining mental health: sleep changes, social withdrawal, or increased irritability. Early recognition enables proactive intervention before crisis.
Incorporate standardized measures like PHQ-9 for depression or GAD-7 for anxiety. These evidence-based tools provide objective measures of symptom severity.
Use notifications to build a consistent tracking habit. Consistency is key for accurate pattern recognition and therapeutic benefit. Even tracking during good periods provides valuable baseline data.
Set aside time each week to review your mood patterns, identify improvements, and adjust strategies. Use Feeltracker FT's AI insights to discover trends you might miss. Celebrate small victories and learn from difficult periods.
Download Feeltracker FT and start applying these expert tips today
Available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac