Compare the three formats
| Format | When it fits | What to check first |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | You want one sheet you can fill in or hand over | Can you read a week at a glance and leave an unrecorded day visible? |
| Spreadsheet | You want to filter dates or compare weeks | Can you add a row on your phone and print a page without cutting off columns? |
| App | You want quick check-ins, reminders or an organised history | Can you edit an entry, export a useful date range and control how your data are shared? |
Try the same three entries in each format
Use sample details first. Add a clear day, a worse day and a missed day. Then find the worse day and add what happened to your sleep. Finally, see what you could hand a clinician. It might be a printed sheet, a short summary or an export you can open yourself.
Check whether the output makes it clear which days you recorded. If the export shows a number without the note you typed or makes the missed day look clear, see whether another view keeps those details. If you plan to use a shared document or device, check who can access it before entering real symptoms. A quick privacy check is to find where the service explains what it stores, who it shares data with and how deletion works.
AirBloom is being built around short sinus check-ins and a history of symptoms and routines. If you mainly need a page you can use at your next visit, start with the seven-day printable diary and try the same three-entry test there.
Pick the format you can come back to
A few dated entries are enough to see whether you can keep up the habit. If typing on a phone feels fiddly on rough days, try a shorter daily note. You can always turn the details you did capture into a one-page symptom summary.
Source: NHS: What to ask your doctor
Sources & further reading
This guide provides general education, not individual medical advice. It has not been clinically reviewed. Talk to a qualified clinician about persistent, new or worsening symptoms. Follow your local emergency guidance for urgent concerns.
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Your story, together.
AirBloom is in development for iOS and Android, bringing symptom records and existing routines into one place. Join the early-access waitlist.