“The best way to maintain good posture is to be seated directly facing the TV, with your feet flat on the floor and your hips against the back of the seat in an upright position. This allows your ears to align over your shoulders and your hips to run parallel to your knees – all the hallmarks of good posture! If you stray from this sitting position, it can cause imbalances that add stress to joints and ligaments over time and lead to the onset of bad posture symptoms. This includes tucking your legs up to one side, slouching through the lower back with the legs raised or twisting your neck to one side.”

“When looking for ways to fix bad posture, cushions can also be a huge help. For example, adding a few cushions behind your mid back creates a support that will also prevent you from slumping in your lower spine. This is especially useful if you have a sofa with deeper seating or you just have shorter legs. Sofa height is also important – if you find your hips sink lower than your knees, try sitting on a cushion to raise your posture. Most importantly, remember to take breaks to get better posture. Humans are designed to move around, so try getting up from the sofa in-between episodes, even if just for a quick stretch or a fresh cup of tea!”

“While a more ergonomic setup is the ideal choice, the occasional sofa stint is inevitable when working from home. The main focus to improve posture while working is laptop positioning. As with all screen use, we should aim to keep the top of the device in line with our eyes, where possible. Stack pillows onto your lap to help bridge this gap or add a cushion for neck support to reduce the temptation to strain your head downwards. If you do spend lots of time lounging on the sofa during meetings, make sure to break it up with regular movement. For example, you can set an alert on your phone every 30 minutes to remind you to get up, stretch, and get the blood flowing again.”

“When it comes to napping, the same rules apply as when sleeping in a bed, with lying on your back or side being most conducive to long-term spinal health. For those who lie flat on their back, use two cushions to fix your posture while sleeping. One cushion to support your neck in a neutral position, and one cushion under your knees to reduce excess tension on the lower back.”

“If you prefer lying on your side, aim for a relaxed foetal position. Your pillow should comfortably fill the space between your shoulder and ear. If you’re prone to lower back issues, a cushion between the knees will reduce pelvic rotation and, therefore, strain on the hips and spine. Or maybe you can’t help but nod off within five minutes of a film starting? Your best option for improving posture is to prop yourself into a good, seated position from the get-go. Keep your hips against the back of the seat and use a cushion to support your neck in a neutral, relaxed position to avoid it rolling forward as you drift off.”

“Research has found that, for every inch the head shifts forward in posture, the weight on your neck increases by almost 5kg. So, if your head is 3 inches forward from the correct position when looking down at a book or phone screen, you could be adding up to 15kg of stress to your neck and shoulders. The long-term implications of this forward head posture can lead to neck pain, headaches, postural deformities, and a greatly increased rate of spinal joint degeneration. To help improve posture while sitting with your phone or a book, try placing cushions on your lap or under your support elbow to raise the book or screen to eye level. Aim to keep your ear in line with your shoulder, and make sure you take regular breaks to stretch.”