Have you ever felt like a situation, moment in time, or conversation seemed familiar? As if you had maybe seen it in a dream, imagined it, or even thought you had previously experienced it before? If you have, you are not alone. It is a common situation that often leaves many with a sense of the uncanny, and it has a name, Deja vu.
Deja Vu, as defined by the Oxford Language Dictionary, is “a feeling of having already experienced the present situation.” The word Deja vu is a French word that means already seen. What causes the sense of familiarity in a truly unfamiliar environment or situation? The experience of Deja vu can be brought on and are common with people who experience stress and fatigue. They are both connected with memory which is what Deja vu is affecting.
To try and decrease Deja vu events, it is best to try and decrease stress and increase rest, so that your memory isn’t burdened. Decreasing stress can be as simple as listening to peaceful music, stretching, or doing anything that can relax your mind.
Although Deja vu is something experienced my many people there is very little research done on these strange episodes that cause a strong sense of familiarity. It leads the questions to be asked, if Deja vu is a result of stress and fatigue which both affect memory, does Deja vu itself alter memory?
I pose this question because when I have experienced Deja vu it creates such an uncanny feeling that I have to question my own recollection of events. I also find it interesting that it is hard to recognize exactly when the episode starts and when it ends. This further leads to point of does the experience of Deja vu alter memory?
The overall experience can cause a feeling of being double because it might feel like you are remembering something twice or reliving an event. Sometimes it might even feel like you have walked into your own dream. You might have to retrace your thoughts and steps to remind yourself that this is something new and not something that has happened before. So next time you experience Deja vu remind yourself that your brain is probably under stress and you need to get some rest.
Sources
- https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/
