ObjectivesSleep characteristics such as duration, continuity, and irregularity are associated with the risk of hypertension. This study aimed to investigate the association between sleep timing (including bedtime, wake-up time, and sleep midpoint) and the prevalence of hypertension.MethodsParticipants were selected from the Sleep Heart Health Study (n = 5504). Bedtime and wake-up times were assessed using sleep habit questionnaires. The sleep midpoint was calculated as the halfway point between the bedtime and wake-up time. Restricted cubic splines and logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the association between sleep timing and hypertension.ResultsA significant nonlinear association was observed between bedtime (Poverall<0.001; Pnonlinear<0.001), wake-up time (Poverall=0.024; Pnonlinear=0.076), sleep midpoint (Poverall=0.002; Pnonlinear=0.005), and the prevalence of hypertension after adjusting for potential confounders. Multivariable logistic regression showed that both late (> 12:00AM and 23:01PM to 12:00AM) and early (≤ 22:00PM) bedtimes were associated with an increased risk of hypertension compared to bedtimes between 22:01PM and 23:00PM. In addition, individuals with late (> 7:00AM) and early (≤ 5:00AM) wake-up times had a higher prevalence of hypertension than those with wake-up times ranging between 5:01AM and 6:00AM. Delaying the sleep midpoint (> 3:00AM) was also associated with an increased risk of hypertension. Furthermore, no significant interaction effect was found in the subgroup analyses stratified by age, sex, or apnea-hypopnea index.ConclusionsOur findings identified a nonlinear association between sleep timing and hypertension. Individuals with both early and late sleep timing had a high prevalence of hypertension.