Sleep Tracking in org-mode - 1. The Setup

Posted: 2026-01-22

I have been tracking my sleep using org-mode, to try and get a better understanding of what might affect my sleep.
To be very honest though, while I have been doing this for a little over a year (adding more data points over time), I can't say I have yet seen any pattern.

Basic setup

I have a date tree configured in a file named diary.org, with the various data points in the :PROPERTIES: drawer.
The overview of which looks like this:

* 2024
* 2025
* 2026
** 2026-01-January
*** 2026-01-01 Thursday  :@sochi:pc:
*** 2026-01-02 Friday    :@sochi:
*** 2026-01-03 Saturday  :@sochi:
:PROPERTIES:
:Date:     [2026-01-03 Sat]
:Weight:   81.25
:Move:     990
:Exercise: 102
:Steps:    9932
:Liquid:   3478
:Calories: 2940
:Caffeine: 372
:Daylight: 202
:HRV:      41
:RHR:      64
:Bed:      00:10
:Up:       07:57
:Sleep:    7:35
:WORKOUT:  [ ]
:END:

Example diary.org structure with expanded date entry

The tags are reminders of:

Where I was.
Anything I did in the evening (On 01-01 I was working on the computer until late in the evening).

Column View

org-mode allows a column view, which gives an excellent way to look at all the data in the form of a table.

To define the columns I want to see, I have this at the top of file (the columns match to the properties in the drawer for each date):

#+COLUMNS: %20ITEM %16Date(Date) %5Weight(Wght){mean;%.2f} %10Workout{X/} %6Move(Mv){mean;%.0f} %4Exercise(Ex){mean;%.0f} %5Steps(Step){mean;%.0f} %4Liquid(H20){mean;%.0f} %4Calories(KCal){mean;%.0f} %5Caffeine(Caff){mean;%.0f} %6Daylight(Light){mean;%.0f} %3HRV{mean;%.0f} %3RHR{mean;%.0f} %4RoomTemp(Temp){mean;%.1f} %6Bed(Bed) %6Up(Up) %6Sleep(Sleep) %TAGS

org-mode column view configuration for diary entries

Pressing C-c C-x C-x transforms the buffer into a table. Arrow keys can be used to move between the cells of the table, and pressing e allows me to edit that cell. This makes entering the values for each day (which I fill in the next day) very straightforward. pressing C-c C-c will return to the usual tree view.