When Dreams Merge With Your Waking Life—What to Know About Deja Reve

I wouldn’t say it happens often, but I’d say it happens enough to take note. I’ll be in a conversation with my husband, pulling up to a restaurant I’ve never been to before, or meeting someone for the first time and I’ll have this overwhelming feeling of familiarity. However, this isn’t a sense of familiarity where I feel I’m repeating myself or retracing my steps. Instead, I am convinced I have dreamed what I am experiencing at that very moment. 

This wasn’t a phenomenon that only cropped up in adulthood. I remember similar instances from my preteen years and, when I asked others if they could relate, I was met with stories of shared experiences. I’ve come to learn this experience has a name: deja reve.

Deja reve quite literally translates into, “already dreamed,” adding a romantic touch of linguistics to this already dreamy (no pun intended) experience. Sometimes confused with deja vu, which we will get into a bit later, this phenomenon is a common experience that typically isn’t any cause for concern. Read on to learn more about what deja reve feels like, what causes it, and if you need to seek out professional support. 

What It Feels Like to Experience Deja Reve

Deja reve feels similar to deja vu, in the sense that it provides an overwhelming sense of familiarity that you just quite can’t put your finger on. However, it is quite different. Rather than feeling like you’ve experienced something before when you know you haven’t, as is the case in deja vu, deja reve is when you feel as if you’ve dreamed something before. 

Here are some examples of what it feels like to experience deja reve:

• You’re at a party and someone you’ve never met before introduces themselves. You are overcome with a sense that you’ve met this person, in this exact same scenario, before. Yet, you know that is impossible because you’ve never been to a party at this location and you know you haven’t met this person.
• A friend invites you to dinner at a restaurant you haven’t heard of before. As she says the name of it, you're almost certain you've had this conversation before. 
• Deja reve doesn’t only happen in our waking life. I’ve had a dream set at a place in France that I’ve never been to. During the dream, I was positive I’d dreamt of this exact same place before. 
  

Different Types of Deja Reve

There are three different types of deja reve:

• Episodic: When your memory jumps back to a specific dream.
• Familiarity: When something is vague yet quite familiar, meaning you can’t put your finger on the specific dream your mind is harkening back to, but you’re certain it was a dream you experienced nonetheless.
• Dreamy state: Dreamy states are particularly interesting because it feels as though you’re literally dreaming – so you might be in a situation from a dream that is so overwhelming, that you feel as if you’re dreaming again.
  

Causes and Triggers of Deja Reve

To better understand the causes and triggers of deja reve, I turned to movement disorders neurologist and assistant clinical professor of neurology at Vanderbilt University Britt Stone. “[Deja reve] seems to occur in younger people,” she explains. She continued by sharing that some folks with epilepsy also report deja reve as a common occurrence. Finally, good old-fashioned fatigue can trigger deja reve, too. 

Intrigued by her statement that those with epilepsy can often experience deja reve, I asked her if it could be an indicator of other conditions. “This phenomenon can be associated with seizure disorders, but also are just isolated occurrences and are not necessarily something to be concerned about,” she explained.

What the Research Says About Deja Reve

To Stone's point, research drives home that deja reve can be linked to epilepsy. A 2018 study published in Frontiers Journal found that some can experience deja reve during a seizure. However, that doesn’t mean deja reve is a direct indicator of epilepsy. There is nuance to this experience and anyone, those with epilepsy or not, can experience this phenomenon. 

Deja Reve vs. Deja Vu

While deja reve calls back to a dream you’ve had, deja vu calls back to an experience you’ve had. While deja reve may have you shaking someone’s hand and feeling as if you’ve already done so in a dream, deja vu would have you shaking the person’s hand and feeling insistent you’ve met them before – even if you know you haven’t.

Similar to deja reve, deja vu is also associated with epilepsy. But, just like deja reve, anyone can have this experience.

Coping With Deja Reve

Generally speaking, deja reve isn’t anything to fear. Though it can feel mystical and otherworldly, it is a rather common experience. If you’re doubting that, ask those in your life if they’ve experienced it – they likely have. “I’ve had it before myself – the majority of people have had the experience before,” explained Dr. Stone before following her statement up with a statistic that 97% of folks have experienced deja reve. 

Considering there is a link to epilepsy, some readers may feel a bit spooked. I asked Dr. Stone for her insight on when she thinks someone should seek professional help for deja reve. “If it is associated with losing time or loss of awareness, confusion, headaches, or vision changes, then they should let your doctor know,” she shared. 

Enjoying the Ride

If you experience deja reve occasionally and are not experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms that would make you a candidate to seek out medical support, we recommend leaning into the experience. Take notes of your dreams in your dream journal and notice what dreams your mind calls back to with deja reve.

If you’re working with a therapist, this can be powerful material to process together. Alternatively, you may look into dream symbolism to see what wisdom these occurrences may hold. Or, you might just take notice of what’s happening as a passing experience and keep on with your day.