The short answer: Yes, it is possible.
The problem isn't noticing so much as your lack of awareness. The clicks or lapses you refer to means you are consciously not aware at those times. In order for noticing to lead to phasing, you must remain conscious the entire time. That is the difficult part. We all learn that when are bodies start to fall asleep, our minds are given free reign to roam (dream). What you need to re-train is your control over your mind and awareness. You need to control it so that when your body starts to fall asleep and exhibits the signs (hypnogagia, etc) your mind doesn't also fall asleep by drifting into unconsciousness. If you can maintain your awareness, you will experience what Frank describes. Flat blackness will yield to colors that flit across your vision, lights may strobe, images flash, scenes flick in and out, etc.
Eventually one of two things will occur: either the scenes will stabilize to the point that you can shift your focus on one scene and enter it (also called phasing); or the flat blackness behind your eyelids will seem to expand before you (becoming 3D) and you'll feel like you entered the blackness and are traveling down a black tunnel. If you experience the 3D blackness, you want to set your intent (what you want to do or who you want to visit) as you enter the tunnel. Then maintain that focus. If you have no thoughts, simply start moving down the tunnel and see where it takes you.
Regardless, the first thing I suggest you work on is maintaining conscious awareness. Without that, even reaching a stable scene or the 3D blackness won't last for long because it's very likely you'll lose awareness before you experience anything beyond it. Maintaining a high awareness/lucidity will also allow you to control your emotions so you don't get overly excited and instantly end the experience -- something very common when first starting out.
The problem isn't noticing so much as your lack of awareness. The clicks or lapses you refer to means you are consciously not aware at those times. In order for noticing to lead to phasing, you must remain conscious the entire time. That is the difficult part. We all learn that when are bodies start to fall asleep, our minds are given free reign to roam (dream). What you need to re-train is your control over your mind and awareness. You need to control it so that when your body starts to fall asleep and exhibits the signs (hypnogagia, etc) your mind doesn't also fall asleep by drifting into unconsciousness. If you can maintain your awareness, you will experience what Frank describes. Flat blackness will yield to colors that flit across your vision, lights may strobe, images flash, scenes flick in and out, etc.
Eventually one of two things will occur: either the scenes will stabilize to the point that you can shift your focus on one scene and enter it (also called phasing); or the flat blackness behind your eyelids will seem to expand before you (becoming 3D) and you'll feel like you entered the blackness and are traveling down a black tunnel. If you experience the 3D blackness, you want to set your intent (what you want to do or who you want to visit) as you enter the tunnel. Then maintain that focus. If you have no thoughts, simply start moving down the tunnel and see where it takes you.
Regardless, the first thing I suggest you work on is maintaining conscious awareness. Without that, even reaching a stable scene or the 3D blackness won't last for long because it's very likely you'll lose awareness before you experience anything beyond it. Maintaining a high awareness/lucidity will also allow you to control your emotions so you don't get overly excited and instantly end the experience -- something very common when first starting out.