Deja Experience by Stress, Fatigue, Anxiety, and Illness

Earlier anecdotal reports linked deja vu with physical or psychological distress, suggesting that “it occurs most frequently after periods of emotional stress, or in the state of extreme mental fatigue” (Titchener, 1924, p. 187) or “when one is in a let-down state, and far from alert and keen” (Woodworth, 1940, p. 357).

This speculation has received considerable support (Anjel, 1886; Arlow, 1959; Conklin, 1935; de Nayer, 1979; Groh, 1968; Heymans, 1904, 1906; Krijgers Janzen, 1958; Leeds, 1944; MacCurdy, 1925; Murphy, 1951; Oberndorf, 1941; Osborn, 1884; Richardson & Winokur, 1967, 1968; Schneck, 1962; Siomopoulos, 1972; Smith, 1913; West, 1948; Yager, 1989).

In prospective research, Leeds (1944) found that his own deja vu experiences were more likely when fatigued, and Heymans (1904, 1906) noted that fatigue was associated with the majority of deja vu episodes reported by his students.

A further point of interest is Linn’s (1954) assertion that deja vu was frequently experienced by soldiers going into battle. Indeed, marching through new terrain under the heightened stress of anticipating combat may present an ideal set of circumstances for eliciting deja vu experiences. This may also relate to the higher incidence of deja vu in travelers (see Travel Frequency section), as trips are often moderately to highly stressful experiences.