Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Perceptions of Medical Science Students on Sleep Paralysis in Guinea
Preprints.org May 5, 2026 Houssaïnatou Bah, Aboubacar Sidiki Magassouba, Mahamoud Sama Cherif et al. preprint
Sleep paralysis (SP) is a temporary inability to move or speak while awake. A 2025 survey of 320 medical science students at three universities in Conakry, Guinea, found that 62.0% had experienced SP. The most common symptoms were inability to move (91%), inability to speak (83%), intense fear (62%), and a sense of presence (60%). Male students and those with moderate knowledge and attitude scores had lower odds of experiencing SP. Both biomedical and cultural-spiritual explanations were reported. SP causes significant distress among these students, suggesting a need for better information, curriculum coverage, and psychosocial support.