Afternoon Naps. How?

[legendarymidget]

This is just a question that I have wanted to ask for a while. While reading through the forums, I have heard people talking about their lucid dreams that they had during an afternoon nap, and this got me thinking... Since REM sleep takes place around 5-6 hours after being asleep, and since dreaming only happens during REM sleep, how is dreaming during an afternoon nap possible?

[crispizzle]

Supposedly you fall right into REM sleep when you take a nap. You have to be tired though, or very very relaxed. As for me, I've experienced quite a few vivid dreams during afternoon naps, and a lot of false awakenings. But when I'm purposely trying to dream (WILD), it never happens

[zebrah]

You take naps after sleeping for a long period of time usually. You won't always go right into REM but it is a much quicker transition. This is why you can WILD in naps. It also has to do with your sleep cycles. Because people typically nap when it's mid day. So you go into refreshing REM sleep.