I don't sleep.

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I very rarely sleep more than a few hours a day. For instance I got in around 7:30 this morning and fell exhausted into bed around 8 am (I work third shift.) I woke up before 1pm, less than 5 hours. And I was exhausted.

I will very rarely sleep a full day, but that is usually when I've run myself into the ground. I didn't have an alarm set, I'm off for a few days. I just woke and was unable to go back to sleep. Usually I'd take something to force myself to sleep.

I have read about people with autism being unable to fall asleep. I have that problem too. But is it common to not sleep long when you do?

Yes for me it is right now I'm going on raw energy I've got maybe a total of 4 hours of sleep I want to sleep I want to get the 8-10 hours of consecutive sleep or enter into REM sleep but yea in general is it an issue with those whom are on the spectrum to have issues with sleep

It is not easy to sleep within the early afternoon so no surprise you wake up around noon. Keeping dark curtains in your window and using sound stoppers in your ears might help but it still won't be natural time to sleep so you won't rest good enough. The night shift is paid better (or at least should be) for a reason - it is against human nature. And all the shifts changes (not only night shifts but also the evening, early morning or "24/48h" ones) can cause sleep disorders. It affects everyone no difference ASD or not.

Sleeping 5h a day is OK as long as you wake up without an alarm clock. Your body is prepared for it and rested enough to survive (you feel exhausted but your body already has enough energy to function within its limits). That's why you are able to wake up like this. If you slept less than 3h a day or wake up after 5h using an alarm clock it would be much worse. But while your body has a possibility to sleep more if it really needs it - believe me, if you weren't getting enough sleep to survive you wouldn't wake up so fast. So don't worry about it too much.

How about getting a nap in the late afternoon/early evening? It could make you less tired in night job time.

I think it's more likely for an Aspergers person to have insomnia
because they likely have racing thoughts, whether conscious or subconscious.

I have never yet found a 100% effective way to fall asleep.
One thing I do find is that when I genuinely do not think about
needing to go to sleep at all (like being completely distracted, thinking sleep isn't a priority, like you have no exams or anything)
then you're calm and passive enough to fall asleep fairly quickly.

As for waking up after a few hours...
This only happens to me if I went to sleep late and MUST wake up early the next morning,
otherwise, I usually spend a lot of time sleeping (around 10-12 hours perhaps)
but I guess it depends on your daily routine and whether you're physically active and stuff.
Another factor may be sunlight intensity; if the morning light is very sensitive to you,
you may wake up more quickly. Wearing a blindfold or better yet, having completely
opaque curtains can really help you naturally sleep longer.

This probably has something to do with dreaming, sleep cycles and whether you're a light sleeper or not.
There must be an intermediate sleeper too...

I'm somewhat the opposite - I need my sleep. If I don't get 7-8 hours a night I'm a mess.

Yes, sleep problems in autism are common.

Tips you might already have tried, but which I'll put down here for the sake of completeness:
1. Keep a steady schedule. If your body "knows" you are going to go to bed at midnight every night, it is easier to go to sleep.
2. Block out sensory input. Wear a sleep mask, play white noise, eliminate odors, wear soft nightclothes. If you share a bed, consider sleeping separately (if your bed-partner is a lover, do tell them it's meant to help you sleep and you are not rejecting them).
3. Try mild sedatives. And here I mean "mild"--milder even than over the counter sleeping pills, which should not be used long-term. Melatonin helps some people; chamomile tea or a glass of milk can be useful. Many home remedies of this sort are work not because they're chemically active, but because they force you to slow down, sit down, and enjoy a warm drink. Melatonin has been clinically tested and it works for jet lag more effectively than a placebo.
4. Meditate or use relaxation techniques.

I might be an exception, but I just have a weird sleeping pattern. Sleep from 10-6 and 3-4. It is a very deep sleep but I am always plagued with lucid nightmares.

I alternate between a few weeks of 2-3 hours a night and then a few weeks of 4-5 hours although it can fluctuate depending on how strenuous my days are. I have the ABCC9 gene. I do a lot of reading but can't do much active stuff since the noise/lights tends to wake my mother up

I also struggle with this, but I have found some ways that help me.

I am more likely to sleep if I have made my bed in the day because that way the sheets are even. Also, I have a weighted blanket. If you don't have one and thinking about getting one, I recommend the kind that is made with poly pellets. Try to avoid the ones that are made with led.

It also helps me to listen to CDs of an audio drama. They are entertaining, and don't stimulate me as much as music. Since I was a child I loved to listen to "Adventures in Odyssey", and I still do. The "Chronicle's of Narnia" is another favourite of mine. I think that audio books would be great also.

These are just suggestions of what works for me. They might work for you, but I don't know. It is good to experiment until you find a way to sleep.

My sleep schedule is just all over the place.

My neurologist hates me for it, LOL.

I bought a sleep mask once. Nope, couldn't wear it. My room is fairly dark and I keep either a fan or A/C on for white noise. Ever in winter, I just turn the fan around so it isn't blowing on me.

I'd like to try a weighted blanket but I have a very limited income and those things start at $100. I just can't justify spending that on a blanket, especially since I don't know if it'll work. But I do keep a heavy comforter on my bed.

Getting to bed isn't much of a problem, I keep sleeping aids in the house, it's staying asleep that's the problem. If I sleep 4 hours and wake up 4 earlier I don't want to take another pill for fear I'll have a hard time getting up for work.

You would have this same problem if you were NT. There are few people who can fully adjust their circadian rhythms to 3rd shift. Sheer exhaustion gets you those few hours of sleep but circadian rhythms are fighting it. Autism may play a part but 3rd shift plays a much bigger part. This is a known problem of 3rd shift. Where autism most likely comes into play is not your lack of sleep (which is common for 3rd shift workers) but your suitability for 3rd shift work. The 3rd shift really is ideal for people on the spectrum since there are fewer co-workers and just fewer people in general. Part of your brain will fight this since it goes against circadian rhythms and the other part will embrace it since there are fewer people around at night.

I worked the night shift for 2 years so I remember that lack of sleep well. The two most important things are to simulate night as much as possible and to keep the same schedule even when you aren't working.

Make your room as dark as possible. Get room darkening shades. Get heavy curtains. I would not advise a window fan since it lets light in the window. AC is preferable for room cooling and a white noise machine is better for white noise since it doesn't move air in the room (dozens of models on Amazon). Light inhibits melatonin production in your brain so melatonin supplements are your best sleep aid. Light is the primary regulator of melatonin which is the primary regulator of circadian rhythms. Thus it is important to make your room as dark as you can and to supplement the melatonin that is being suppressed by light leaking in.

Keeping the same schedule while not working is just as important. The fewer times your body has to toggle back and forth between sleep schedules, the better. With any luck, melatonin, a dark room, a white noise machine/AC and a strict and unchanging schedule will teach your body that 7:30 A.M. is when you are supposed to fall asleep.

When I can't sleep, knitting helps me a lot. It makes me relax.

And / or a cup of warm milk also.

I have inconsistent sleep pattern and sometimes wake up in the middle of night. and some times sleep after school before dinner. It really bothers me because I want a set sleep routine.

Actually I can sleep just about anywhere inside our house, at any time. I have fallen asleep on the basement floor with just a rug between me and the concrete floor.

My problem is I need to make sure I don't game too late into the night. A price will be paid.