If the dog sleeps through it, try to remove a little more of the free edge. Some dogs you'll be able to only get a little off of one nail in the beginning, but by pretending like you weren't involved in the nail cutting experience when they wake up, you help remove a dog's anxiety. Once you can do a few nails in succession, we move on to the next step. When the dog awakes, continue holding paw, but stop the nail trimming. Let them smell the trimmers.
Ear rubs, petting, maybe a treat.
Praise, ear rubs, maybe a hug. If they weren't happy about the proceedings, they just need a little more time, and you can always leave it at the tipping when awake part for another couple of days. Once they allow you to handle and trim a few nails, it's on to doing 2 paws at a time, and finally all 4 feet at once. They will be awake, and getting praise only when the entire job is done. When weaning them off the praise, I usually start by praising only after I get 2 nails done, then 3, then the whole paw.