Napawares

During a nap, it can sometimes be difficult to determine whether you are awake or asleep. If you find that you are unsure, it is very likely that you were indeed sleeping, but in a state of lucidity called a Napaware. Studies have shown that subjects confirmed by EEG to be in NREM1 light-sleep reported feeling completely awake, which is one possible explanation for this phenomenon.

In the lucid dreaming community, this is known as 'WILD', where one enters a lucid state as they fall asleep.
Some napaware experiencers report experiencing involuntary rapid eye movements as they rest, as well as vivid images that feel like a daydream, but are likely lucid dreams. When monitoring napawares using an EEG, it often shows up as REM or light-sleep, and napaware experiencers report their readings showing wakes that coincide with moments where they adjusted their sleeping position.

Napawares seem to be common whilst learning to nap, as well as when nappers of any level attempt to nap in an unfamiliar environment. As a result, it has been speculated that napawares may be an evolutionary development where the body can rest, but the brain is still in an alert state, ready to respond to any potential threats in the unfamiliar environment/unfamiliar state of daytime napping.

To help provide some cognitive feedback to during this experience and to help yourself fall into a deeper sleep is to have some kind of auditory stimuli end (fan, rain, brown/white noise, binaural beats, etc.) about 15 minutes into a 20 minute nap. When you wake up, try to recall if you remember the exact point the noise turned off. If you had a napaware, you likely won't have any recollection of the noise turning off, providing your brain feedback. Do this for a few weeks and the experience will improve. You may still have lucid experiences but they will likely feel much deeper, providing an experience of what it's like to be lucid and sleeping at the same time.