The alarm goes off. You check your phone, realise you're running late, start thinking about the day's meetings, hunt for something to wear and discover someone forgot to pack their school bag. And it's not even 8am.

Chaotic mornings don't just make it harder to get out of the house on time. According to Adriene Berkeley, Chartered Psychologist and Chartered Neuroscientist at PsyNeu, the way we start the day can affect how our brains function long after the morning rush is over.

"Think of your brain a little like a mobile phone battery. When we are fully charged, we are generally better equipped to put our best foot forward in terms of brain power."

Starting the morning in a state of stress, however, can quickly begin draining that battery.

"Stress hormones and chemicals, including cortisol and adrenaline, increase as part of our brain and body's alert system. Essentially, we jolt our brains and nervous systems into a heightened state of alert."

Starting the day this way places greater demands on our mental resources, she explains, potentially leaving us mentally and cognitively fatigued as the day progresses.

"In turn, this can impact our behaviour, including our patience, emotional regulation and how we interact with others."

Stop trying to do everything at once

One of the biggest culprits behind a stressful morning is something many of us pride ourselves on being good at: multitasking.

"Ah, the myth of multitasking! Technically, our brains cannot do more than one thing at once."

What we're actually doing is task switching, rapidly shifting our attention between different activities.

"So often, in the midst of a chaotic or rushed morning, we are trying to do multiple things at once: deal with the children, get ourselves dressed, pack lunches, iron clothes and review the school notes for the PTA, all while trying to get out of the door on time."

Eventually, something has to give.

"Our brain capacity can quickly become overloaded, making it harder to think clearly and stay organised."

Dr Berkeley says the solution may start the night before.

"Everything that can be prepped or done the night before can help make even the busiest of mornings feel more seamless."

Let your brain know what's coming

A calmer morning doesn't require an elaborate routine involving a 5am alarm, meditation, exercise and a perfectly prepared breakfast. In fact, predictability itself can help.

"Predictability means the brain does not have to work as hard when it knows what comes next”.

She recommends simple habits such as getting natural light after waking, drinking water, getting dressed, brushing your teeth and eating breakfast in roughly the same order each day.

"For children especially, visual routines or checklists can also reduce the need for repeated reminders."

And she's realistic about the effort involved.

"Don't get me wrong, sometimes after a long day, the last thing I want to do is spend 30 minutes prepping when my bed is calling. But this simple exercise is something I am increasingly grateful for, especially when time seems to slip away so easily in the morning.

"The idea is not about creating perfect mornings, but reducing unnecessary stress by creating a routine that is realistic enough to maintain."

A better morning actually starts with sleep

Preparing clothes, bags and lunches the night before removes decisions from an already busy part of the day, but Dr Berkeley says there's another form of preparation that matters even more: sleep.

"Yes, I know you may have heard about the importance of sleep a million times across social media, the news and your doctor's office. The reason it is stressed so much is because it is vital for your psychological, cognitive, emotional, physical and behavioural health."

Sleep, she explains, is what helps recharge that mental battery.

"Your cognitive abilities, including decision-making, attention and memory, rely heavily on the processes that occur during sleep. So, if you are not prioritising good-quality sleep, you are effectively limiting your brain's ability to function efficiently."

The consequences can show up quickly during a hectic morning.

"Your fuse may be shorter, and your ability to process and hold information can be hindered. Who needs that first thing in the morning?"

Don't let your phone start your day

Reaching for the phone before getting out of bed has become almost automatic but Dr Berkeley isn't interested in declaring phones the enemy.

"We live in a digital age and the issue isn't that phones are 'bad'. It's more about what we expose ourselves to before we have even had the chance to start our day."

Within minutes, we can be reading work e-mails, consuming bad news, responding to messages or comparing ourselves with people online.

"Psychologically, that can put us straight into a reactive mindset, where our attention is immediately focused on everyone else's needs, opinions or problems."

That reactive start can follow us into the rest of the day.

"Starting the day in that reactive state can have a snowball effect, influencing our mood, focus and how we respond to the rest of the day's demands."

Start with one thing

If your current morning routine consists primarily of hitting snooze and rushing out of the door, don't try to transform everything tomorrow. She suggests choosing one small change.

"One of the biggest behavioural mishaps we make as human beings is trying to do everything at once. From a behavioural perspective, consistency matters more than ambition. Choose one realistic habit and attach it to something you already do."

That could mean drinking a glass of water after brushing your teeth or spending two minutes outside after making your morning coffee.

"Once that becomes part of your routine, you can build from there."

Ease into your morning

If Dr Berkeley could recommend only one change, it would be creating some space between waking up and responding to the outside world.

"I call it 'easing’ into my morning. For me, I set my alarm 15 to 30 minutes before I actually need to get out of bed. It's quiet time that I use to self-soothe and get myself mentally ready for the day."

That doesn't have to mean staying in bed. It could mean waiting before checking your phone, sitting quietly with your coffee, stepping outside or simply thinking about what's ahead.

"The idea is about creating a habit where you are not immediately rushing, responding or reacting as soon as your alarm goes off. That small pause can help you begin the day with more intention, rather than feeling like the day has already taken control of you."