Free printable seizure diary templates (PDF & spreadsheet)

Download a ready-to-use seizure log sheet, print it, and start recording today — free, no sign-up required.

A written seizure diary is one of the most useful things you can bring to a neurology appointment. Recording each seizure — when it happened, how long it lasted, and what came before it — helps you and your care team spot patterns and judge whether treatment is working. If seizure tracking is new to you, our guide to keeping a seizure diary explains what a good record looks like.

Choose your template

Both templates are free, with no watermark and no sign-up. They cover the same columns doctors ask about — pick the format you will actually keep up.

Printable seizure diary PDF

A clean one-week-per-page log sheet. Print a small stack, keep it on the fridge or in a bag, and fill in one row per seizure — with space for date, time, duration, seizure type, possible trigger, medication taken, and notes.

Download the PDF diary (English)

Prints on A4 and US Letter.

Seizure tracking spreadsheet

A sortable seizure log sheet for Excel, Numbers, or Google Sheets, with columns for date, time, duration, seizure type, possible trigger, medication taken, and notes. Sort or filter any column when preparing for an appointment.

Download the spreadsheet (.xlsx)

This page links the English files. Every language version of this page links its own files — use the language switcher at the top of the page.

What to record after every seizure

You do not need long paragraphs. A few honest details written down soon after each seizure are worth more than a perfect report written from memory a week later.

  • Date and time. Note when the seizure started, even roughly. Time-of-day patterns are often the first thing a neurologist looks for.
  • Duration. Estimate how long the seizure itself lasted, separate from the recovery time afterwards.
  • Seizure type or description. Use the name your doctor gave you, or simply describe what happened in your own words.
  • Possible trigger. Missed sleep, stress, illness, alcohol, flashing lights, a missed dose — write down anything unusual in the hours before.
  • Medication taken. Record your regular doses and anything taken because of the seizure, so the diary matches your prescription history.
  • Warning signs (aura). Any unusual feeling, smell, or sensation before the seizure is worth a note.
  • Recovery. How you felt afterwards and how long it took to feel normal again.
  • Seizure-free days. A quick tick on days with no seizures makes improvement visible.

Important: a convulsive seizure lasting longer than 5 minutes is a medical emergency — call emergency services. The diary is for afterwards; never delay help to take notes.

Prefer your phone?

Paper works, but it cannot remind you, chart your month, or turn itself into a report. The Epilepsy Mate app keeps the same diary on your phone: log a seizure in seconds, track medication, and export a PDF summary for your neurologist. It is a diary and record-keeping app — it does not detect or predict seizures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I use a seizure diary template?

Print the PDF or open the spreadsheet, then fill in one row per seizure with the date, time, duration, type, possible trigger, medication taken, and any notes. Keep the sheet somewhere visible, and bring it — or a photo of it — to every appointment.

What if I forget to fill it in for a few days?

Gaps are normal. Simply start again rather than reconstructing days from memory: record what you reliably know, note the gap, and keep going. Even a partial diary shows patterns — and seizure-free days matter to your doctor too.

Is a paper diary or an app better?

The best diary is the one you actually keep. Paper is simple and needs no battery; an app like Epilepsy Mate adds reminders, charts, and PDF reports, and cannot be lost like a sheet of paper. Neither detects nor predicts seizures — both simply record them. Many people use paper at home and the app when out.

Can school staff or caregivers fill in the template?

Yes. Anyone who witnesses a seizure can complete a row — that is one of the template's biggest strengths, since many people cannot describe their own seizures. Teachers, family, and caregivers can keep a sheet and hand it over, so the record stays complete across home and school.

One place for your whole seizure history

Download Epilepsy Mate