Maintaining good posture has numerous health benefits, like improved appearance and a decrease in neck and back pain. Being healthy begins with maintaining the right posture. 26 vertebrae make up the spine and support every move you make. And when you slump, your muscles and ligaments struggle to support your weight. Poor posture puts unnecessary stress on the rest of your body, which can lead to fatigue, chronic back pain, headaches and other ailments. So how can you maintain the right posture? Read on to find out! Sitting right Living in the laptop era and sitting at the desk all day is unavoidable, but doing it right is easy and will save you from going through a lot of pain. Release the pressure off your spine by distributing your weight between two legs and the tail bone. Think of it as a tripod, the hips being the third leg. Put equal weight on your haunches. This stops the spine from bearing all the weight and feeling burdened. Reading right Your neck is strained every time you crane your head forward or look down while reading, this leads to lower back pains and headaches. You can't avoid your work, but you can adjust your computer monitor and give yourself breaks. Make sure the center of your computer monitor is 6 inches below your gaze. And if you are often reading on paper, tablet, or your phone, bring the media up to you rather than craning toward it. Traveling right We are prone to carrying everything we need, and might need, on our shoulders. Piling everything into your shoulder bag, purse or backpack can wreak havoc on your spine. An oversized purse packed to the max can lead to pain and uneven shoulders over time. Your backpack shouldn't be more than 20 percent of your body weight. If your shoulder starts to hurt after 10 minutes of carrying your purse, it's probably too heavy. Switch to a backpack, lighten the load or separate your stuff into two bags. This way, you can carry one on each shoulder to balance it out. Driving right People driving to work every day know that the cushioned bucket seat isn't the best thing to have. For some even gripping the wheel at "10 and 2" requires leaning forward, which knocks the lumbar spine, meaning the bottom curve, out of alignment. Make sure your seat is positioned so that you can comfortably reach the pedals while keeping your knees at the same level or slightly higher than your hips. This will keep you close enough to the steering wheel to force you to sit up straight. Lifting right Whether your work regularly requires lifting or you're just helping someone move this weekend, proper posture is a must to avoid an injury that can lead to lifelong pain. To pick up something heavy, do not bend from your back. Instead, bend your knees with your back straight. Pull the object close to you, tighten your abs, and crouch down at your knees and then lift. If you have to put the object down on the ground, lower yourself with your glutes and knees first. Exercise right While you're working out on your great abs, cut arms and buns of steel, it is vitally important to do exercises that will ensure correct posture. A neutral position where there is minimal strain and tension on the muscles, joints, bones, and ligaments and where your internal organs are not compressed, blood vessels are not pressed and nerves are not irritated. it is a position of the highest bodily integrity and efficiency, one where you feel complete freedom of movement. The head-neck-back relationship is a key focal point in ensuring freedom of movement. Sleep right Maintaining the right posture while sleeping is as important as maintaining it while walking or sitting. It's during sleep that the body rejuvenates and the spine has the opportunity to align in a healthy position provided your sleeping posture is correct. Sleeping in the horizontal posture gives your spine the best chance to align itself naturally. Invest in a firm mattress, since sleeping on a sagging mattress puts the back in an unbalanced, stressful position that can cause problems. The most important point in the sleeping position is to find a position that is comfortable for you and not to assume the same position for a long period of time. There is no unique position that has been proven to be best for everybody. You will have to find the position that gives you the maximum comfort. Strengthen muscles to maintain good posture Good posture starts with strong muscles like abdominals, lower back, obliques and hips. Strong core muscles don't just keep your back healthy and resistant to pain and injury; they also hold your body upright, improve balance and enable you to move your body with greater control and efficiency. If your core muscles are weak, other muscles have to compensate, resulting in loss of motion, weakness and pain. Regular core training can alliviate back pain and promote good posture. Stretch right Based on the findings of your postural assessment your personal trainer may recommend specific exercises for you. You can also work to improve your posture by adding corrective strengthening and stretching exercises like the torso stretch, standing quad stretch, kneeling quad and hip stretch, to your fitness program.