i started a dream journal a week ago with the intention of just recording dreams in the morning. i remember about 2 dreams when i wake up.
but going to sleep i think about lucid dreaming etc. and somtimes i wake up in the night unintentionaly when dreams finish, and i record dreams then also.
i dont purposfuly set an alarm, and when i do wake up in the night i get back to sleep within about 10 minuets ish, so im not really loosing much sleep.

so to answere your question, you dont need to purposfully wake yourself up in the night, but if you really want yo remember your dreams/ be aware of them, you might wake up in the night anyway