Eight great excuses to keep drinking bucket loads of coffee, tea or energy drinks.

Most of us, some 90% in fact, consume caffeine every day in the form of tea, coffee or energy drinks, and we love it. Some say it's bad for us, others say it's good. Well, we're on the side of good, so we've dug up eight great excuses you can use to keep on brewing.

#1: It's basically Prozac.

While caffeine has been proven to increase feelings of anxiety, sometimes to an extreme in those who already suffer anxiety disorders, there is actually a study which supports a link between caffeine consumption and reduced risk of suicide. In general, it indicates that those who drank more caffeinated coffee, were less likely to top themselves. That, and the general feeling of 'awesome' a good brew brings to many, lead us to believe it may well be a form of liquid Prozac.

#2: It turns your mind into a hoarder.

There have been numerous studies showing caffeine having an effect on memory. The results vary depending on the age of those observed, gender, and even the time of day the caffeine is consumed. The overall consensus though, is that drinking a moderate amount outside of your times of peak alertness can legitimately boost your long-term memory.

#3: Keeps you 'in the zone' longer.

Tiredness can have a massively detrimental effect on alertness, focus, and reaction times -- all things caffeine has been proven to enhance. Whether you're on a long distance drive or just kicking your Call of Duty session into it's eighth hour, cracking open a can of Red Bull could keep you sharper for longer.

#4: It makes you rational.

One study was conducted involving special forces operatives, live fire exercises, sleep restriction, and caffeine. It found that those who had consumed caffeine responded more accurately and in less time than those who hadn't - demonstrating higher levels of vigilance and logical reasoning. So, we can conclude that the evil bean can actually help you keep a clear head in times of tiredness and stress.

#5: It's like eating a battery, but less deadly.

It's no secret that caffeine gives us energy, in fact it's the main ingredient in almost all "energy drinks", and that can't be just a marketing gimmick, right? Right. It turns out that caffeine really does give us a physical boost - it can increase stamina and endurance, and even improve high-intensity exercise performance in many.

#6: It gives you super-strength, almost.

While it won't instantly make you make you capable of amazing physical feats, in high enough doses it will reduce your perception of physical effort. This means that during an intense workout or other physical activity you'll be able to get closer to your 100% without actually feeling it. That's basically a super power right there.

#7: It opens your airways.

Chemically speaking, caffeine is similar to a drug which is used to treat asthma. It has been shown to relax the respiratory muscles and widen the airways. There's evidence that even low doses of caffeine can improve lung function - a benefit that's literally a breath of fresh air.

#8: It defends your brain from the evils of ageing.

Alzheimer’s disease, the most prevalent form of dementia affecting about 6% of people over 65, has no known cure. However there's substantial evidence that caffeine can help prevent this disease and others, like Parkinson's. It's been said that moderate consumption of coffee in particular, during mid-life, can actually reduce the risk of dementia later in life.