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Introducing deja reve -

Ever been struck by the peculiar sensation that you’re living through something you’ve dreamt about before? If so, you’ve may have experienced deja reve.

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Already dreamt - Deja reve is a French term that translates literally as "already dreamt." It refers to a strange feeling that you’ve already dreamt something that then happens in real life.

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Common experience -

People can have deja reve about sights, sounds, emotions, or situations, and it is much more common than you might think.

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Active research -

While it can seem quite eerie, there is likely a scientific explanation for deja reve. However, it is an area of active research and scientists are not yet sure of the cause.

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Related to memory -

Currently, researchers believe that deja reve is most likely caused by your brain remembering its dreams while it is awake.

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Different types -

Scientists who look at this strange phenomenon have identified three different types of deja reve. Each of the different types may be accompanied by their own sensations.

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Specific deja reve -

First up is specific deja reve. This happens when you recall a specific dream after something happens in real life to make you remember it.

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Familiar deja reve -

Then there’s familiar deja reve. This is a more general feeling that you’ve already dreamt something, whether it be an emotion or a situation.

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Familiar deja reve -

However, unlike with specific deja reve, familiar deja reve does not allow you to link the emotion or situation to a particular dream. It is much more general.

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Dreamy state deja reve - Finally, there’s the less common dreamy state deja reve. This is where you feel like you are currently dreaming something, even if you are awake.

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Deja reve vs. deja vu - When talking about deja reve, it is important to distinguish it from the similar, but distinct, phenomenon that is deja vu.

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Deja vu - Whereas deja reve is the feeling that you’ve dreamt something before, deja vu is the feeling that you’ve actually done or experienced something before.

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Disorienting but harmless -

Each can be just as disorienting, although neither are usually anything to worry about, since they rarely mean anything is wrong.

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Possible cause - Currently, researchers believe that deja vu may be caused by temporarily scrambled connections between the parts of the brain that house memory and feelings of familiarity.

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Lucid dreaming - Both deja reve and deja vu are distinct from lucid dreaming, which is the feeling that you are in control of and can influence your own dreams while asleep.

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Causes of deja reve - Let's take a closer look at the possible causes of deja reve. The current leading theory is that it has something to do with the way our brains store dreams.

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Recalling a dream -

Indeed, researchers believe that our brains may be able to store certain dreams and then recall them when we witness or experience something in real life that resembles them.

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Causes of deja reve -

In 2018, researchers conducted a study in which they were able to trigger deja reve in epilepsy patients by delivering an electric brain stimulation.

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Conclusions -

This serves as strong evidence that our brains are able to store and recall certain dreams under specific conditions.

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Two hemispheres - As it stands, researchers believe that the left hemisphere may be responsible for interpreting dreams, while the right hemisphere holds the actual dream material.

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Second theory -

Another theory as to the cause of deja reve is that it may be caused by overlapping thoughts and feelings.

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Thin boundaries - Indeed, according to a study from 2010, deja reve experiences are more common in people who have thin boundaries between mental states.

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Difficult to distinguish - For these people it can be more difficult to distinguish between different thoughts, memories, and feelings, since they tend to crowd and overlap.

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Crossed wires -

According to the study, deja reve may occur because of crossed wires between the two sides of the brain, which are responsible for different functions.

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Interpreting deja reve - So, what does it all mean? If we are to accept the results of the 2018 study, deja reve may be nothing more than our brains remembering a dream while awake.

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Alternative interpretation - If you were to ask a psychic medium, however, they may tell you that deja reve experiences may hark back to things that happened in your past life.

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Past life resurfacing - Indeed, some psychics may interpret deja reve moments as things that happened in your past life resurfacing in your current life.

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Keep a note -

Whatever you believe, it can be beneficial to take a note of how you feel and react to your deja reve moments. Something may have resurfaced because it's important to you or bothers you in some way.

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Talk to someone - Deja reve experiences are usually harmless and nothing to worry about. However, if you find them particularly upsetting, it's worth talking to someone about.

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When to seek help -

Indeed, frequent spells of deja reve may be a cause for concern, especially if they are accompanied by confusion, loss of awareness, seizures, headaches, or shaking. 

Sources: (Verywell Mind) (WikiHow)

See also: The most common dreams by country (and what they mean)

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