Unintentional Wake up

It seems that since I have been reading more extensively about lucid dreaming, (especially since joining this site), I have been waking up about 4-5 hours into my sleep with no cause. Up until the past couple of days, I had been sleeping straight from 11 to 8 or so, but now I continually wake up at 4:15 or so. I have been taking advantage of this to try and do WBTB techniques, but it doesn't seem to be working. I have only started keeping my dream journal consistently for the past couple of days, but I was wondering if there is a reason for my waking up without the intention to do so?

We actually wake up after every REM cycle but we usually don't remember it. I usually am aware of waking up after sleeping for 5-6 hours. Maybe your interest in LDing has changed your sleeping pattern slightly. Before I started Dream Journaling and practicing for LDs I don't remember waking up during the night very much.

When you do wake up you could try to WILD or do WBTB. I have never been able to correctly WILD but in my expericance if I maintain low level awareness while falling asleep it can help me to have a DILD.

as MM92 said, it is a good sign that even a little awareness of LDiology( ha ha, it is my word, not an authoritative term) may deliver your first LD. It may be even like watching INCEPTION, or some text from LaBerge etc. Carry on this way, expect the results withing 1 or 2 weeks, Good Luck!!!