Microdosing3 min read

How to Keep a Microdosing Journal (With a Simple Template)

Microdosing is subtle by design, which makes it hard to judge from memory. Was Tuesday a good day because of the microdose, the sunshine or the extra hour of sleep? A journal fixes that. It takes two minutes a day and turns vague impressions into notes you can actually learn from.

Why bother?

Research on microdosing shows that expectations play a big role in how people feel. In a 2021 placebo-controlled study from Imperial College London, people who unknowingly took placebo capsules reported improvements similar to those who took real microdoses. That doesn't mean your experience isn't real, but it does mean that memory and hope can blur the picture. Consistent notes are your best tool for seeing what's actually changing. Read more in our microdosing research post.

The five-line template

Each day, whether it's a dose day or not, write down:

Date and day type: dose day, day after, or rest day. Note the product and amount on dose days.
Sleep: hours, and quality from one to five.
Mood: from one to five.
Energy: from one to five.
One sentence: anything you noticed, good or bad.

That's it. It should take two minutes. The goal is consistency, not poetry.

Optional extras

If you want more detail, add one or two of these, but don't add so many that you stop doing it:

Focus or productivity, from one to five.
Anxiety or stress, from one to five.
Social connection: did you feel more open or more withdrawn?
Creativity: did ideas flow?
Physical notes: appetite, stomach, headaches, restlessness.
Other factors: caffeine, alcohol, exercise, big events, illness, the weather.

Start before you start

Here's a tip many people skip: journal for one or two weeks before your first microdose. That gives you a baseline, a picture of your normal ups and downs, so you can tell whether anything really shifts.

Review every couple of weeks

Every two weeks, look back and compare dose days, the days after, and rest days. Questions to ask:

Are mood and energy scores different on dose days?
Is sleep affected?
Are there patterns you'd never spot day to day?
Is anything getting worse?

If you notice negative patterns, like worse sleep, more anxiety or low mood, lower the dose, take a break, or stop. And talk to a professional if something feels off.

For the curious: once you've been microdosing for a while, ask a trusted friend to prepare a set of identical-looking capsules, some with your usual microdose and some empty, and keep a record of which is which in a sealed envelope. Take them on your normal schedule, journal as usual, and guess each day whether you took a real dose. After a few weeks, open the envelope and compare. It's a fun, eye-opening way to see how much expectation is doing for you, inspired by the Imperial self-blinding study.

Tools

Paper, a notes app or a spreadsheet all work. Choose whatever you'll actually use. A spreadsheet makes it easy to chart your scores over time, while paper can feel more personal.

If you're working with a doctor or therapist, your notes give them something concrete to talk about. They're also helpful if you take any medications. Read our medications guide.

Pair your journal with a schedule from our schedules guide, start with Microdosing 101, or try the Microdose Starter Kit. Psilocybin is a controlled substance in Canada, and you must be 19 or older to shop with us.

Sources

This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. If you have health questions, talk to a health professional.