Record what you felt, what position you were in, and what you were doing. Add a measured heart rate only when available and useful to your care plan.
Start with the event
A heart-rate number on its own can leave out why you wrote it down. Begin with the symptom and situation: standing in a queue, sitting after a shower, or resting after an activity.
The NHS describes symptoms associated with standing and clinical assessment of heart rate and blood pressure. A diary can preserve observations for that assessment; it does not establish POTS.
Label measurements and estimates
If you record a measurement, add the device and time. “Watch showed 118 bpm” identifies the source; “heart racing” is a symptom description. Both can belong in a record, but they are different kinds of information.
Do not repeatedly provoke symptoms to create a more complete log. Ask your clinician whether any home measurements are appropriate and how to perform them safely.
10:40, standing while preparing breakfast: lightheaded. Sat down; symptoms eased. No blood pressure taken. This is a sample record layout, not a diagnostic pattern.
Keep intake records separate from targets
If your care team asks you to log fluids or sodium, use their plan and the same units each time. Record what you consumed rather than assuming it met a goal.
Generic internet salt or fluid targets may not suit your circumstances. The purpose of a log is to describe your day, not to choose a treatment amount.
The sodium serving-size guide explains the record arithmetic without setting an intake goal.
Make a summary usable at an appointment
Group notes by date and identify the situations you want to discuss. Include what you did next and whether you were able to continue the activity. Mark days you could not record.
Ballast provides POTS-focused records and report features. Home standing or lean-test results still require clinical interpretation and cannot rule out other causes. Seek medical care for fainting, chest pain, or new concerning symptoms.
Sources & checks
- NHS: postural tachycardia syndrome ↗
Symptoms may be associated with posture, and diagnosis involves clinical assessment.
- Current App Store listing: POTS & Dysautonomia: Ballast ↗
Checks the companion app’s stated features and its limitations; not independent evidence of health benefits.
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-20. The worked examples and record layouts are original illustrations. They are not real patient records or evidence of treatment effectiveness. This is educational content, not individual medical advice or a clinician-reviewed treatment plan.
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