SEATTLE — Caffeine may do more than just help you wake up each morning. According to a study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, it can also guard against certain skin cancers.

Researchers at both the University of Washington and Rutgers University say caffeine inhibits a DNA repair pathway, helping kill cells damaged by the sun.

Experts suggest that moderate caffeine drinking, or caffeine based lotion, could be useful in preventing skin cancer.