Hey there Sean!

For me, the best way to awaken in the middle of the night is to use auto-suggestion. When lying in bed trying to go to sleep, I'll repeat to myself "I will awaken after I dream, and I will remember the dream", until I fall asleep. Usually this causes me to wake up after several hours with a dream fresh in my mind. Give it a try -- it may not work the first few times, but you can probably train you mind to do it.