Couples in which at least one partner had a 45-minute commute were 40 percent more likely to separate than the average couple, according to a recent study by a researcher in Sweden

Your long commute to work isn’t just time consuming: It could be harming your relationship. Couples in which at least one partner had a 45-minute commute were 40 percent more likely to separate than the average couple, according to a recent study by a researcher at Umeå University in Sweden.

Though hardcore commuters tend to earn higher salaries and have more job opportunities than those who spend less time behind the wheel, those gains come with significant social costs. Commuting puts a strain on relationships in two key ways, notes Patricia Leavy, PhD, a sociologist at Stonehill College whose book, Low-Fat Love (Sense Publishers, 2011), explores the psychology of unhealthy relationships. “Long commutes mean less time together, and commuters are likely to feel more harried and tired,” she says. “It’s this combination that makes it harder for couples to spend quality time together,” she says.

The partner who stays closer to home can also feel resentful about the extra responsibilities he or she may shoulder while the other is on the road, adds Howard Markman, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of Denver and coauthor of Fighting for Your Marriage (Jossey-Bass, 2010).

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