Five to nine: Getting the Balance
by Rebecca Gill
“There must be nails – or glue – or something… holding it together?”
That’s precisely what UniSA’s Dr Stuart Baulk, from the Centre for Sleep
Research, thought the first time he saw someone balancing rocks while
holidaying in Germany.
But as he was running late for a boat to Switzerland, Dr Baulk (better known as “Stubby”), and his friend Dr Greg Roach, also from the Centre for Sleep Research – didn’t stop for a closer inspection.
And it wasn’t until they missed their boat that they realised it was more of an optical illusion – the rocks were simply balancing there.
“We wandered back and stopped to watch. We had some time to kill so we thought we’d give it a go,” Dr Baulk said.
Three hours and four missed boats later, Drs Baulk and Roach were still there, mesmerised with their newfound hobby.
They perhaps would have never left had the weather not come over grey and windy – threatening to blow the large boulders onto their feet.
But ever since that day, Dr Baulk has been hooked.
“The idea is to get the least amount of contact between the rocks. There’s no trick to it – but trying to find the pivot point requires a lot of patience,” he said.
“Sometimes you put the first rock on top and it just won’t go. You twist it and turn it, you put it on an angle, you flip it, but it just won’t work. But it’s really rewarding when it does finally balance.”
With an academic background in psychology, Dr Baulk knows the connection between human behaviour and healthy sleep patterns. However, he is hesitant to acknowledge any direct correlation between his leisurely pursuits and getting a good night’s rest.
“I certainly couldn’t verify that balancing rocks helps you sleep better. But maintaining a balance between stressful and non-stressful activities can have positive effects on your sleeping habits. For me, it’s like meditating.”